The End of the Road

Chapter One

✨Sophie's pov✨

I used to believe that no matter how bad things get, you can always fight it, always win. That was a long time ago. Back then I didn't know how big my problems could truly get. But now I know, now I know just how many things can go wrong so fast. Just like that, everything can change.

four months ago

Cold rain drenched my clothes. My hair. Everything. It didn't matter though. Nothing seemed to matter, not when Keefe was somewhere out there. Somewhere out there without me.

"Miss. Foster, I think you should go inside now, it's not safe out here." Sandors squeaky voice suggested behind me. I stay silent.

Edaline says I've been quite ever since Keefe left. And she's right, I have been. I want to be. Talking seems useless now, it's not like anyone will listen. I've learned things from being quiet.

1. People don't like silence. The more you stay quiet, the more they won't.

2. You can find a lot of things about someone from staying quiet. Even things you don't want to.

It's been a month since Keefe left. Surprisingly, I think I'm the one who handled it the worst. To be fair, I have other things I was- and still am- dealing with.

"Sophie?" There she is again. Biana comes over almost everyday. Basically any moment she's not hanging out with her new boyfriend. That's another thing I've learned about since I've been keeping quiet.

"You should come inside. Edaline just made mellowmelt." Tempting, but I still stay still. Edaline often bakes sweets for me when I'm doing something I shouldn't be. I call it her "nice blackmail." She uses it to get me downstairs or, in this case, come inside.

Biana walks closer to the edge of the cliff I'm standing at. "Come on, it's time to go inside." She gently takes my arm and leads me inside.

Sometimes I wonder if everyone thinks I'm crazy. Maybe I am. They all treat me like I'm about to break any second. They don't see that I already have.

My muddy, bare footprints follow me inside as Biana walks us over to the kitchen.

"Oh honey you're drenched! Let me go get you a towel." Edaline rushed out of the room and Biana went up to my room to grab some new clothes.

Everyone was always looking out for me, doing things for me. I didn't want it. Any of it. This feeling of being taking care of. Everyone tiptoeing around me like a sensitive topic.

Edaline and Biana shoved me into a bathroom with the new pair of clothes and a towel.

I numbly peeled of the wet clothes, dried off and put on the new outfit. Luckily Biana didn't choose anything fancy, just some plain black leggings and an extremely oversized, green sweatshirt from the forbidden cities.

I stared at myself in the mirror for a second. Bags under my eyes, chapped lips, pale skin. Huh. I kinda do look like a zombie.

I open the door and walk over to the kitchen where Edaline and Biana are sitting at the the table, chatting and eating mellowmelt.

"Sophie! Me and Edaline were talking and we think it would be a great idea if we went to Myserium today. Just you and me!"

Great. Now I have to go to Mysterium. I appreciate Biana trying to cheer me up, really I do. But right now, all I want is to be left alone.

"Go get dressed and then we'll leave!" She squealed excitedly. "This is going to be so much fun!"

I trudge upstairs and throw on a semi fancy outfit. The purple tunic and black leggings look fine together, so I leave the leggings on. Zipping up my boots, I don't bother looking in the mirror before going back downstairs.

Biana was practically bouncing with excitement as she drags me to the leapmaster, which whisks us away.

It was a blur as she pulls me in and out of dress stores, holding up dresses to me and mindlessly talking.

It feels like hours before she takes me out of the third dress shop.

"Okay now that we're done with dresses, let's go somewhere else." Biana skips away, beckoning me to follow her. I already know where we're going.

No doubt I'll be the third wheel. Again. All my friends seemed to be in a relationship now. Whenever someone came to visit, so did their partner. It was annoying.

"Here we are!" The colorful, curved walls stood out from the rest of the shops and the crooked roof even more so. The familiar belch rang as Biana swung open the door.

"Biana!" Dex ran up to us, paying no mind to me as he ran up to Biana and hugged her tightly.

Dex seemed to be growing farther away from me and closer to Biana. Along with Biana came attention. At school especially. Sometimes he wouldn't even sit with us at lunch or study hall.

"Hey babe!" Biana kissed him sweetly, on her tiptoes. Dex was short, but Biana was much shorter. Although I can't talk myself, I'm almost as tall as Dex. Or, that's what I like to tell myself.

I wait for the jokes and barf sounds to come from Keefe before I realize that wasn't going to happen.

"We're just here to say hi, we're shopping today." Dex finally looks over at me.

"Oh! Hey Sophie! How are you?" I stare at him. The old Dex wasn't like this he would have checked on me everyday. He would have come to cheer me up. If this new Dex really cared about how I was he would have asked a month ago instead of hanging out with other people at school and leaving behind his best friend. If I can even call myself that anymore.

I shrug. That's what I do when I don't want to say anything. I leave them alone, walking around to look at names of things. I figured we would come here. The two are inseparable since they got together. I'm pretty sure the only reason Dex still hung out with us was because of Biana.

I look at the door longingly. No, Biana took you here to cheer you up. Not for you to ditch her.

I come closer towards them. "So you finally got her out of the house?"

"Yep! I've been trying forever. I don't think she's been anywhere but school and her yard ever since Keefe left." Ouch.

"I know, I still can't believe shes being all mopey about that. And she's still on team valiant! She's supposed to lead the team but she hasn't even called a meeting in months!" Double ouch.

I peak at the door again. You know what? Screw this. I hear Biana giggle at something and store for the door, not bothering to be sneaky. It's not like they'll notice I'm gone.

Sandor will though so I better hurry before he notices.

The door belches as I walk out and I hear Dex yell a welcome, probably mistaking me for a new costumer.

Now, where do I go? I start to wonder around. This place is actually kind of nice once your not being dragged everywhere you don't want to go.

I stop at a library. Perfect. Walking in, I hear light, classical music. The wood floors have soft, fancy rugs on them. Desks and tables are scattered on the rugs. I count six levels in total. Each one had a metal railing with fancy designs on them and bookshelves lining the walls.

I take in a nice, deep breath and start to look for a book. I find one quickly. It fictional, looks old. I find a corner and sit down, curling up and getting lost in the book. I'm only twenty pages in when I heard something. Loud noises come from outside and I pause my reading.

Bang!

And the screams begin.