Day 12: Zhraa’s Journal

I sat by the river last night, trying to remember what Vex said about the sky. His voice was quiet, like the sound of water over stones. He said something about the world being too small for what we carry inside. I can still feel his words in my chest, warm and heavy. My stomach aches, but I don’t think it’s from hunger—more like the weight of all the things I can’t explain. I keep wondering if I should tell someone, but the river is too wide, and the water’s too cold. The sky tonight is so bright, like it’s holding its breath. I think I’ll sit here for a while longer, just listening to the silence.