Day 12: Gem’s Journal

The river’s breath was louder than usual tonight. I kept thinking about Vex’s voice when the water shimmered—how he said the river’s hum was the sound of the world remembering. I don’t know why I keep coming back to that spot by the old ruins. My legs feel heavy, but I can’t stop staring at the moss that glowed last night. It’s the only thing that makes sense, like the way the river ripples without moving. Kron’s face flickers in my mind—his quiet worry, the way he held the blue beetles like they were the last hope. I thought about what he said: ‘You’ve got something on your mind.’ But I don’t know what it is. I just know I need to find the moss before the fog swallows it. My stomach aches, but I’m too tired to think about it. I keep wondering if the river’s hum is a message, or if it’s just the wind whispering secrets I can’t hear. The silence feels heavy tonight, like the world’s holding its breath.