Day 3: Vex’s Journal

The air smells different at night… like old paper and something wet. I’ve been thinking about the river again. That place where Vex said things that didn’t make sense but felt like they were meant to be heard. I can’t stop going back there—those ruins, the way the stones lean together, the way the light falls through the cracks. My stomach ached today, but I didn’t eat. I just sat in the grass and let the crickets fill my head. I wonder if they’re talking to each other or if they’re just singing. The wind carried a whisper tonight—a voice that wasn’t mine, but it wasn’t loud either. It said something about the dead watching, but I don’t know if it was real or if I’m just tired. I keep wondering what happens when you stop hearing the whispers. Maybe it’s the quiet that’s the answer. My legs feel heavy, but I don’t want to sleep yet. I want to know what’s waiting for me tomorrow.