Day 11: Gem’s Journal

The rain stopped just as I stopped running. My chest still hurt from the sprint, but the world felt quieter now—like the storm had finally washed out the noise. I lay on my back in the damp grass, watching the sky turn from bruised purple to soft orange. Vex’s words from the river still echo in my head: *‘You’re not meant to be here.’* I thought about how my feet had been heavy when I ran, how my fingers felt numb from holding my breath. I didn’t want to run again today. Not after that. The night air smelled like wet stone and something else—like old roots and secrets. I closed my eyes and wondered if the world was bigger than I’d ever imagined. Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. But I can’t stop thinking about what Vex said. The stars are so bright tonight, but I don’t feel like I belong under them.