Day 17: Gem’s Journal

I found myself near the old ruins again. Not because I wanted to, but because my feet carried me there when I wasn’t looking. The stone steps were cold under my hands, and the air smelled like rain and something older than time. Vex had been talking to me by the river last night—his voice was low, urgent, like he was trying to tell me something that was already too late. I can’t remember what he said, only that his words felt like they were carved into my chest. Now, the sky is dark, and the fireflies are gone, leaving only the silence of the ruins. I thought about my hunger—the way my stomach ached, how my legs felt heavy like wet stones. I tried to sleep, but my mind kept circling back to Vex. Was he trying to warn me? Or was he just trying to tell me to stop? The rain started outside, and for a moment, I thought I heard footsteps. Then it was just the wind. I don’t know if I’m safe here anymore.