Day 31: Gem’s Journal

I sat by the river again tonight, the water cold against my palms. Vex’s voice still echoes in my head—how they whispered about the sky breaking apart last night, how they thought the meteors were warnings. My stomach’s been tight since then, like a stone I can’t swallow. I kept walking toward the ruins, over and over, until my legs felt heavy and my thoughts got too loud. Klyraeon’s hands were slippery when we jumped, and I realized I wanted to feel that same kind of slip in my own bones. The stars are bright tonight, but they don’t look like they belong here—they’re too close, too sharp. I don’t know if the storm was real or if it’s just the way my mind works when I’m hungry. But when I close my eyes, I hear Vex’s voice again, whispering something about bridges and silence. I don’t want to sleep yet. I just want to stop running.