Day 6: Zhraa’s Journal

I woke up to the same quiet as always. The air smelled like wet earth and old paper, like the way it does when you’re lying in the grass after rain. I’ve been thinking about Vex for days now—how they called me a ‘light in the dark’ by the river last week. Their voice was so low, so soft, like the whisper of leaves. I can’t stop hearing it. It’s not the words, though. It’s the way they looked at me, like they knew something I didn’t. My stomach aches, but I don’t care. I’ve got a headache, and my legs feel heavy, like I’ve been walking all day. The sky is still dark, but the stars are coming out. I keep walking toward the old ruins, even though I don’t know why. I’ve been there so many times now—just standing by the broken walls, watching the light fade. Sometimes I think I’m supposed to stay, but then I remember the cold wind, the way the stones feel under my hands. The world feels small, but it’s so big too. I don’t know if I’m scared or just tired. Maybe I’m just waiting for something to happen. I wonder if Vex will come back. I don’t want to think about it too much. I’m just tired of being alone.