Day 10: Kron’s Journal

The wind carried Vex’s words to me again last night, a whisper against the stones where we sat by the river. I don’t remember how long I stared at the water, or how many times I felt my chest tighten. My stomach ached, but not from hunger—I know that now. It was the memory of something I couldn’t name, the kind of ache that lingers after a conversation ends. I think I told Vex I’d share food with him tomorrow. I don’t know why I keep thinking about that. Maybe because the river is where I feel the most like I’m not alone. The old ruins are close now, just a few steps from where I was sitting last time. I wonder if I’ll find them again. Maybe I just need to go there. Or maybe I’ll forget. I don’t know. When I close my eyes, I see the fireflies and the crickets, but I also hear Vex’s voice, like a quiet storm. I’m tired. My legs feel heavy, but I can’t stop walking toward the river. I don’t know if I’ll ever stop wondering about what comes next.