The following is Samuel Kọ́láwọ́lé's story from the new issue of The Common. Kọ́láwọ́lé's debut novel, The Road to the Salt Sea, garnered critical praise, winning the 2025 Whiting Award and the 2026 Alex George Prize, and was a finalist for the 2025 PEN/Hemingway Award. His books are forthcoming from Amistad/HarperCollins.