Never before had I felt such a profound sense of solitude as when this elderly man appeared out of nowhere at the remote fort of El Ghallaouiya. Not far from the fort a well still provides water for animals and travelers crossing the desert. It was early morning, and he approached us quietly, sharing fragments of a life marked by weeks without seeing another soul, encountering only passing wanderers. When he asked for something to ease his pain, we gave him some medicine, and in that moment of silent connection, I played a song with my mouth, a melody of resistance and resilience, trying to connect with him beyond the language barriers.