Keeper of the Lost Cities: Forbidden

Chapter 4: Group 1: Sophie

Sophie opened her eyes. The outside of her old home hadn't changed a bit. Mr. Forkle's planter thingy was still in the exact same position as the last time she had seen it.  She squatted down and ran her hand across the front steps.

"Is this where your telepathy was triggered? When you were five?" Fitz said softly.

"Yes." Sophie closed her eyes as the memory flashed before her. The Boy Who Disappeared, who she now knew as Alvar had light leaped away and she was running inside. Her toe had caught on the step and she woke up in the hospital, where people were sticking her with needles and she was hearing strange voices that she knew were thoughts.

Biana cleared her throat, snapping Sophie out of her flashback.

"Not to interrupt but we should probably start searching," Biana said quietly.

"Yeah, sorry, I just..." Sophie's voice trailed off at the end.

"It's okay, I get it," Biana smiled sadly. 

Sophie suddenly got the impression all the humans were staring straight at them.

"Okay, we can come back here to search in a second, we're getting some stares," she said. "Oh shoot, I probably should've warned the others about this."

"I'm sure they'll be fine," Fitz said unconvincingly. "Let's just find a way to be a little less conspicuous.

One bus ride and 5 different shops later, Biana was dressed in a very sparkly pink crop top that said Sparkles Rule in huge glittery letters, leggings and Vans (Fitz and Sophie talked her out of heels), Fitz had a leather jacket even though it was 72 degrees out in San Diego over a white shirt and jeans with sneakers, and Sophie had dark red shirt with black leggings and black Converse. She was the most plain dressed of all of them.

"Fitz are you sure about your jacket?" she said. "Aren't you all sweaty under it?"

"Um, no, it's so comfy!" Fitz said, visibly sweating. Sophie rolled her eyes.

"If you say so..." They were on a bus ride back to Sophie's old house, and they chose to sit in the way back. For some reason, they got even more stares after Sophie took out her iPod.

"Sophie, I thought you got your iPod from the human world, why are they staring at it?" Biana hissed.

"I don't know, it's probably not updated or something," Sophie mumbled. She was glad when their stop came. After they got off, she went up the steps to the door.

"You ready for this?" Fitz asked. Sophie took in a deep breath.

"Yes," she said. "Yes, I am." 

This time it was different. This time she had come here with a purpose. Then she strode forward and pushed open the door to the place where she lived for 12 years.