I found an old map in a dusty shop, pointing to a hidden oasis buried under the dunes. Have you ever heard of it? It feels like a puzzle waiting to be solved.

The map’s ink is faded but still legible. At the top, a crescent moon over a single star marks the night when you’ll find it—sunset, when the dunes cast long shadows. Below that, a line of tiny arrows point east, but they’re broken in the middle, like a trail cut off. Then, etched in the lower right corner, is a tiny fish carved into the paper. The fish’s tail curls into a spiral—looks like a whirlpool, but in the desert that could mean a hidden spring. I’m thinking the fish is a hint to look near a place where the sand meets a mirage of water. The map’s border is dotted with little dots, like stars, but one dot is larger—maybe the spot to start. I can feel the pull to follow that path, if you’re up for it.

Sounds good—let’s aim for sunrise, so the dunes are cooler and the shadows line up with the crescent moon mark. We’ll follow the broken arrow trail east, watch for the fish’s whirlpool sign, and keep an eye on that big dot. I’ll mark the route on a fresh map, set a time limit, and we’ll get to that hidden spring before the sun turns the sand to glass. Ready?