He Left Me - KotLC fic (after Unlocked)

Chapter 21

If any of you are from my Tumblr (calcifers-writing) you probably saw my jolie headcanons because i loooove the idea of a sisterly love between jolie and sophie so i had to put that in here... no keefe, you'll notice. ;) Sophie's POV 

"Sophie," a whispery, gentle voice called. "Sophie, I need to talk to you."

My mind drifted, wondering who Sophie was. It seemed like a familiar name, but I couldn't place it.

"Sophie, please."

The serene darkness I floated in seemed to shift, dropping my consciousness into a pocket of warmth. The murkiness seemed clearer here.

"Sophie, can you hear me?"

The name finally clicked as my own. Someone was called me.

I gathered my energy, the mental equivalent of waking up. I formed an avatar of myself and pushed away some of the darkness hovering around me.

Glowing sparkles, like how it feels to light leap, spun around me, dancing through my hair and brushing against my cheek. I laughed at the tickling feeling and watched as the light spun and coalesced into a figure in front of me.

The girl was only a bit taller than I was, with long blond waves and turquoise eyes. She wore a simple lavender sweater and leggings.

"Jolie." My voice echoed around us.

She nodded, smiling. "Hey, little sister."

Sister. I racked my brain to try to find a reason for why that word echoed in my heart.

"How's Mom and Dad?"

"Grady and Edaline. Mom and Dad." Jolie nodded. It finally clicked, and my memories came rushing back. The dance, the drugs, the soporodine. Keefe.

I felt whole again, not the heartbroken maniac I had been becoming. The hole in my chest was still there, but it wasn't so painful. There wasn't the anger there was before. I felt like I had before, albeit sadder.

Jolie was in my mind. I was talking to her. I laughed, my eyes filling with tears. "Jolie. You're here."

She grinned and stepped closer, smoothing my hair and pulling me into a hug. "I had to make sure my little sister was okay."

I laughed again, even while crying. "Mom and Dad miss you so much."

"I was watching, Sophie. I know. But then they grew happier, and then I wasn't around as much." The girl frowned slightly and looked off into the darkness over my shoulder.

"I still got to see you, though," Jolie returned her gaze to me with a bright smile after a moment.

"They felt so awful after you died, Jolie. But after a while of me being there, they seemed happier. Vertina misses you too."

Jolie's eyes lit up. "You still have her?"

I nodded, wiping the tears from my face. "She tells me all about you. She thinks we would've been best friends."

"Of course we would have. We're sisters." She offered me a grin.

I smiled back at her. It was so surreal, to be talking to the girl I had heard so much about. "I can't believe you're here."

"Well... I'm not. You're here."

"What do you mean? We're in my mind, right?"

"Yes, but..." Jolie sighed. She sat down, pulling me with her. I looked down; I was in a tunic covered with ice-blue imps and black leggings. It reminded me of Elwin.

"What's going on?" I asked, confused. We must be in my mind. There wasn't a place outside of it that could mimic the strange, surface-less darkness.

Jolie watched me with worried eyes, the same line between her brows that I get. "Sophie, you're almost dead. You're really, really close. That's why you can see me. This is what I was wearing during the fire," she explained, waving to herself.

"Oh." I was almost dead. After so many close calls, it was surprising that it was coming now. I should be used to the idea, but it was still strange.

"Well," I began slowly. "I guess it was bound to happen."

I would've liked to graduate Foxfire, I decided. There wasn't much else I had been looking forward to. I would miss my family and friends, but they would be okay.

"Wait—where's Keefe? Shouldn't he be here?" I looked around the shadows, hopeful. I had missed him so much, and now I finally had the chance to see him again.

"What? Why would he be—you know what, never mind. Sophie, you're not dead yet. You'll go back. But I have a message from all of us here."

"I'm not dead?" I knew it was a dumb question. I could feel myself fading away from her, into a place much brighter and harsher. A place more painful.

Jolie hugged me, kissing my forehead. "You'll finish this war. We all believe in you. Kenric, Mr. Forkle, Calla, me—we all have faith in you."

More tears welled in my eyes, and I hugged her fiercely, even as I was fading back into the world I almost left.

Jolie gave me a grin and a wink. "Tell them I love them."

"I will," I promised, knowing who she meant.

"I love you, Sophie." Her voice was faint and melodic.

"I love you too, Jolie." I called back as I dissolved, sinking back into my own mind.