The silence stretched, broken only by the crackling static from the radio, until, finally, the man’s expression crumbled. His face twisted in a mix of joy and sorrow, and he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his dirty cheeks.
“Oh, thank God,” the man choked out between sobs, his voice hoarse and broken. “I—I thought I’d never see another soul again.” He looked up at Tanner with a mixture of shock and gratitude. “I’ve been alone here for so long… I thought I was losing my mind.”