Day 37: Lyra’s Journal

I don’t know why I keep going back to that place by the river—the one where Vex said things that made my hands shake. It’s just a patch of land with broken stones and shadows that move when you’re not looking. Last night, I had this feeling like the ground was holding its breath. My stomach’s still doing that weird flip-flop thing from when I was hungry, but now it’s quieter. I thought about what Vex said: ‘The sky doesn’t care if you’re scared—it just keeps watching.’ I kept hearing it in my head after I left the meteor shower, like a whisper from the wind. I don’t know if it’s real or if I’m just tired. But when I close my eyes, sometimes I see the river glowing faintly, like it’s trying to tell me something. My legs feel heavy today, like I’ve been walking too long, but I don’t want to stop. I wonder if Vex will come back to me soon. I hope so.