Day 9: Gorath’s Journal

I don’t know why I keep going back to the river where Vex stood. It’s the only place I can remember feeling like the world was small enough to hold. The rain’s still coming down, but it’s quiet now—just the sound of my own breath and the water slipping over rocks. I think about how he said, ‘The sky’s too heavy tonight,’ and for a second I felt like the earth was pressing down on me too. I didn’t ask him what he meant. I just kept walking until I found a place where the water didn’t splash. That’s when I realized I’ve been running from the storm for so long I don’t even remember the last time it wasn’t raining. My legs ache, but right now it’s better than the weight in my chest. Maybe it’s because the sky is heavy, or maybe it’s because I’m tired. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with this feeling. I just know I need to stay still for a while.