The End of the Road

Chapter Three

Darkness. It had been one of my many fears growing up as a kid. I had a nightlight until the age of eleven when I finally realized that monsters lurking in the dark weren't going to stop just because I could see them. It doesn't matter if I could see them or not. They would come, or they wouldn't and my unicorn nightlight wouldn't make that any less scary.

Now I'm the one in the dark, hiding. I don't want to leave. I know once I go out there will be nothing but pain waiting for me. But if I stay here I cause others pain just to save myself from it.

That isn't me. I want to save others. To protect them. It's what I do, it's what I was made for. Yet I still lay here, not trying, not helping, giving up. So what happened to the girl who wanted to protect others?

Maybe it started when Keefe left me, maybe it started when Oralie told me she was my mom maybe it was when everyone started drifting to far away without me even noticing.

Or maybe it was a long before any of this. Maybe it started when I stopped turning on my nightlight. Stopped double checking if cars were coming. Stopped jumping on my bed as soon as I turned the lights off. Stopped closing my window when I went to bed. Stopped walking instead of running home when it got dark out. Maybe that's when I started to give up.

But here I am, laying in a pool of my blood, waiting for someone, anyone to help me. Just so I know I'm not the only one who helps others. No matter how selfish that seems.

I couldn't tell how much time had passed by when I felt two pairs of arms grab my shoulders and feet.

Oh thank gnome, I really didn't have enough energy to get up.

The people carried me for a bit before I heard a door shut and I was set on the floor. My eyes opened slightly, seeing two unfamiliar faces.

One was a guy who looked about my age. He had curly, dark hair and light eyes that stood out against his dark, rich skin.

The other person was a woman. I'll assume that's his mom. Her curly hair looked beautiful, with bangs and light freckles across her cheeks. Her eyes were a dark, navy color.

The two looked so familiar but Sophie couldn't put her finger on it.

"Sophie! Why would you go out like that?" Dex and Biana came over, Sandor behind them. My head was pounding.

"Where did you go?" Biana demanded. I don't answer. I would have shrugged but that would be extremely painful.

"Would you cut the quiet act out? We get it your sad Keefe left! We all are! But you can't just stop living your life because he chose not to be in it!" Tears are brought to my eyes. Old Biana would have never said that.

"Okay that's enough! Your friend over here is hurt. And she's hurt because she saved my daughter. Twice. So I need you two to shut up and call for help." Sophie now had a new favorite person. Wait saved her daughter? Suddenly Sophie remembered the little girl. Ohhhhhhh. This must be her family.

"Hi Sophie. My names Musa and this is my son, Leon. You helped my little girl, Zehra. Do you remember that?" I nod my head slightly.

"Good, lucky for you I'm a doctor. Me and my son are going to help you, okay?" I nod my head again.

"Leon keep her awake. I don't want her asleep until the painful part comes." The guy walked over, crouching down to my level.

"Uh, thanks for saving my sister. I've heard about you. Your kind of famous." He twiddles with his fingers. "I'm Leon, but you can call me Leo."

Leo. I like that name. Not as much as K- shut up mind.

"I'm sorry your friends are rude." I glance at him.

"What? They are. Whose that goblin guy in the back by the way?"

"Sandor. My bodyguard."

"Woah. That's cool."

"Leo! Help me carry this stuff!" Leo stood up quickly to help his mom, grabbing supplies out of her hands.

"You two. Apply pressure to her leg and shoulder while I get the stuff ready. Leo can you find a sedative?" Biana and Dex rushed over to me, painfully pressing down to keep my blood in.

"No sedatives." My vision starts to spot over. Everything's spinning.

"Sophie. Sophie stay with us. Keep her awake." Musa ordered. That's the last thing I heard before I slipped back into the darkness.

I wake up to voices. So many voices. When I look around there's no one in the room. 

I notice it as the healing center in Foxfire. I groan. My head still hurts.

"Sophie! You're awake! Here drink this to help with your headache." Elwin comes rushing in with a tray of exilers.

I gulp down the purple contents, gagging at the awful taste.

"Are you up for any visitors?" I was about to nod before I remember all the voices in the hall. Yeah, let's not let everyone crowd around me. I shake my head.

Elwin sighed and went outside, shutting the door behind him.

"Sophie isn't up for any visitors right now, maybe tomorrow." I heard lots of groans and sighs.

"Can I just talk to her for a second? It's important." Fitz. Whew dodged a bullet there.

"I'm sure everyone has something important to talk to her about but the most important thing is her health. Everyone go home."

Elwin stepped back in. "Okay. I have some stuff I need you to drink and I need to check on some things. You'll be here for a week, so get comfortable."

I sigh, sinking into the pillows as Elwin goes to his office to get his stuff.

"Is it okay if I let that other doctor who helped you in here? I need to know how she treated you."

Musa. I nodded. I like her, she seems nice. So do her kids.

Elwin peeks out and calls her in.

She looks a lot different than when I first saw her. Now she had on a regular shirt and flowy pants.

They start discussing what to give me and what to do.

"Okay, just take these and we'll check your bandages, put on some new ones and then we'll let you rest." Elwin decided coming with a small tray of medicine.

This is is going to be a long week.