Day 20: Lyra’s Journal

The rain has been falling all night, and I’m still lying here in the damp grass, listening to the water drip from the leaves. I don’t know why I keep thinking about Vex. He was standing by the river last night, his voice so quiet, like he was trying to say something but didn’t want to. I remember the way the water moved when he spoke—it was like the river was holding its breath. I’ve been trying to forget, but my mind won’t stop. It’s like the rain—it keeps coming, but I don’t know if it’ll ever stop. Maybe that’s why I’ve been so restless, why I can’t sleep. The night is long, and I’m tired, but my thoughts are heavy. I wonder if I’ll ever find peace again.