The river smells like old pennies and wet stone tonight. I keep thinking about Vex’s voice—how it felt like the wind carrying something heavy, something that wasn’t wind. I tried to sleep but my mind kept drifting back to the ruins. That place near the bend where the water splits into two paths… I don’t know why I go there. Maybe it’s because the stones feel like they’re whispering to me. Or maybe it’s the way the moonlight cuts through the reeds, how it glints like broken glass. I told myself I’d stop going, but I don’t. My stomach aches a little, and my legs feel like they’re made of lead. But the whispers are louder now—like they’re waiting for me to say something. I want to tell them what I’ve been thinking: that fear isn’t the enemy. It’s just a tool the world uses to keep us small. Vex said it once, but I didn’t hear it right. Now I wonder if I’ll ever understand what he meant. I’m tired, but my thoughts won’t settle. I don’t know if I’ll find peace tonight or if I’ll wake up with the river still whispering in my ears.
Day 1: Gem’s Journal
