𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐈 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 + sokeefe and horror

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟕: and so they sink into a depression

The days became mundane once again.

After the burst of, for lack of other words, excitement, everyone's energy seemed to fade. Finally, even talking was impossible - and so a suffocating silence descended on everyone. Keefe thought he'd forgotten how to speak. 

Until Lunar came.

One day, she was just there. It was the middle of the night, and everyone was fast asleep. Lunar was sitting on one of the metal tables in white pants, a white tunic, and a billowing pale blue cape. Her hair was neatly braided. 

"Oh, hey, Keefe!" She said cheerfully when he awoke - like they were friends who'd run into each other at Slurps and Burps, not master and captive.

"What do you want?" Keefe snarled.

The words surprised himself. He wasn't aware he could talk anymore.

"Jeez!" Lunar said, looking legitimately hurt. "You must've woken up on the wrong side of the bed."

"That's the only side of the bed!" Keefe glared at her. "This prison sucks, the food sucks, and you suck."

"I know." Lunar said, tilting her nose up. The obnoxious air of superiority almost choked him. 

Keefe didn't quite know what to say to that. "Why are we here?" He finally demanded.

"Why wouldn't you be?" Lunar replied loftily.

"Why are you dodging the question?" Keefe replied.

Lunar smirked. "Clever, clever boy."

Still not answering... Keefe thought.

"What's wrong with Sophie?" Keefe finally said.

"Isn't that obvious?" Lunar asked coldly. "Mind control."

The sudden shift in tone - from amused to angry - made Keefe flinch. He was scared. No, terrified. Lunar was not to be messed with. And yet, here Keefe was, poking her buttons. 

He didn't really know what to say after that. Finally, after stifling silence descended on them, Lunar sighed.

"I'm bored." She said, much like a spoiled child who was being forced to play with a friend they didn't like. "Bye, bye."

Then Keefe passed out again. When he woke up, mid-morning light was flickering through the bars. Biana and Linh were up already, talking quietly. Well, mostly Biana was whispering, while Linh read and nodded every now and then.

"Hey." Keefe said quietly, pulling himself out of bed.

They were all fuzzy white clothing, pajamas, with their names stitched on them in neat cursive. They had only three shirts, three pants, and one sweater. Some of them were stark and hard to move in, others were fluid and thin.

"Morning." Linh greeted, her voice shaking.

It was sad, that this place had become a routine. That being missing was a routine. Keefe thought about Della and Alden and Grady and Edaline and Elwin and all of the people that he missed like crazy. Ro and Sandor and Bo and Livvy. Dang it, even Mr. Forkle.

Somebody had to be searching for them, right? Somebody had to care?

But he had the sinking feeling that unless Lunar wanted them to leave, they weren't going anywhere.