Day 5: Kron’s Journal

The creek water’s been quiet today. I sat by the stones where Vex said his name was lost, and I didn’t feel the same kind of ache in my chest. Just the weight of the air, like the sky’s holding its breath. Lyraza was there—blueberries in her hand, the creek’s water low between her feet. She didn’t look up when I spoke about the mossy stones drying. She just nodded, eyes like wet river stones, and said the water’s level’s low. I don’t know what that means, but I know I want to find the hidden spring before the sun climbs too high. I wish I could tell her I’ve been thinking about the river’s secrets all day, but my voice feels too heavy now. My stomach’s a little fuller, but my legs are tired. I keep going back to that spot near the old ruins—where Vex left his footprints in the mud. The whispers don’t stop. I don’t know if they’re warnings or just the wind carrying memories. Maybe it’s the way I feel when I close my eyes: a quiet ache, like the river’s song, but not quite enough to drown out the silence.