Day 7: Gem’s Journal

The air smells different at night. Not the sharp scent of rain that’s been falling all evening, but something older—like the earth after a storm has finally passed. I closed my eyes and felt the rain drop against my skin, cold but gentle. I didn’t sleep right away. My mind kept drifting back to Vex by the river. The way his voice was low, the way his hands were steady when he spoke. I tried to push it away, but it’s like the river keeps pulling me back. I remember how the water shimmered in the moonlight, how his words felt heavy and light at the same time. I wanted to ask him what he meant, but I didn’t. I just stayed there, waiting for the silence to return. Now, as I lie here under the storm, my body is heavy, my thoughts are quiet. I wonder if tomorrow will be the same as yesterday—or if I’ll finally stop running from what’s coming.