Still Stuck Out in the Same Old Storm ~ sokeefe story

Chapter 25

Keefe:

I groan as I slowly regain consciousness, my head throbbing relentlessly. I squeeze Foster's hand tightly, finding comfort in her presence. But then, something strange happens. A surge of electricity shoots through my hand, causing me to jerk back in surprise. What's happening to me?

Confusion and worry fill my voice as I ask, "What happened?"

Foster looks at me, her eyes wide with concern. "You're awake already?" she mutters to herself, her voice barely audible.

"What? Foster, what's going on?" I demand, my heart pounding in my chest.

She takes a deep breath before answering, her voice filled with a mix of fear and determination. "You collapsed, Keefe. We're in the healing center."

I groan, frustration bubbling inside me. "How long have I been out?"

"Only about an hour, I think," she replies, her voice laced with worry.

I try to process everything when suddenly, Elwin rushes over, a flurry of colorful lights dancing above my head. Panic sets in as he examines me, searching for any signs of pain or damage.

"Are you okay, Keefe? Any pain?" Elwin asks, his concern evident.

I manage a weak laugh, trying to lighten the tension. "I'm fine, Elwin. Just a little sore in the arm, feels like a bruise."

"You did fall pretty hard on the floor." Foster adds.

Elwin nods, his eyes filled with determination. "Alright, I'll get something to help with that. But tell me, any signs of your abilities?"

My heart skips a beat. So it did work, I am manifesting. "Well, I feel this strange coldness, and there's this electric sensation." I explain, my voice filled with a mix of excitement and worry.

Foster chimes in, her voice filled with a small bit of awe. "Yeah, his hand felt freezing, and he even gave me a little zap."

As Elwin hurries off to gather the supplies, a sense of anticipation fills the air. The realization hits me: I'm changing. But what does it mean for me, for us? Why would she want me? I have so much baggage. 'More trouble than I'm worth' as my dad would say.

Foster squeezes my hand reassuringly, her eyes filled with love and determination. "We'll figure it out together, Keefe. No matter what happens, we're in this together."

I flash her grateful smile. "Thanks Foster."

I suddenly realise how close Foster is. She's sitting on my cot, she leaned closer, her face only inches from my face. I gently press my lips against hers, I need this, I don't know what I'm going to do. All I know is I need Foster to get through it.

Elwin comes rattling in with a tray of exliers. "No kissing till your better." He teases.

Foster pulls away, blushing, as I roll my eyes at Elwin playfully.

He sets the tray in front of me. I moan as I open the first one, catching a whiff of its awful smell.

For the first time I notice there are other people in the room. Well that's pretty embarrassing.

Fitz, Biana, Dex, Linh and bags boi pull up chairs. I can feel their worry, it's extremely suffocating.

"You ok?" Fitz asks.

"Yeah I guess. I knew I was going to manifest eventually."

"Do you know what your abilities are?" Dex questions, his curiosity obviously getting the better of him as Biana and Fitz glared at him.

"Don't know for definite but I a-"

"Your about to find out." Livvy and Elwin came with a funky looking exlier. Just great.

"I made a new exlier that will tell us what your new abilities are."

I take the pink, nice smelling concoction from her, for once it doesn't seem like a disgusting one. Looks can be deceiving though.

"You just drink it then we have to prick your finger to draw some blood then you'll put it in this little machine and the colour that's shows up will tell us what abilities you have."

"Sounds good." I reply, I can hear my heart beating loudly. Panic threatens to swamp me but I can't let it. I have to be ok. I have to pretend to be ok.

Foster noticed my deep breaths as attempted to calm myself.

She knows it's a panic attack. "It's ok Keefe. I'm here."

I nod. I don't trust myself to speak. I bring the bottle up to my lips with shaky hands, almost dropping it.

It actually not bad. When I finish drinking all of it Elwin had a little needle. Foster looks at little pale as he pricks me finger, drawing a little blood. I squeeze her hand with my other one, trying to reassure her.

He put it on the little tray of the small machine thingy and we wait. Everyone staring at the machine, waiting to see my abilities. Even though I already sort of know what they are, the suspense is still killing me.

I gasp as four different colours showed up. I thought I only had two.

White, gold, silver and I clear colour almost like glass.

Why did I have to get four more? Now I have eight abilities. Why the heck do I have eight abilities? Here goes my mom messing up my life once again.

"Which abilities are those colours?" Tam asks eventually. I've never liked bangs boi more, someone needed to break that awful silence. I know they're silent because they all know that things have got complicated, that's why I hate it so much.

"The white represents the  froster ability, the silver represents the guster ability, the gold represents the charger ability and the clear represents the phaser ability."

"Well that's just great isn't it." I say sarcastically, my anger is building up.

I get up out of the bed, pacing the room.

"Keefe." I can hear them say my name but I ignore them. I feel so many things. Anger, frustration, worry, panic, sadness, guilt, grief. And I feel so naive. How could I have ever loved her, trusted her, it was just a messed up thrill for her. It makes me sick. Who does this to their kid?

"KEEFE!" I snap out of it.

I stumble back in shock. Wind mixed with ice/snow is blowing around me, electric charges flashing from it. I look down at my hand they have ice on them and my whole body seems to be flashing in and out. Everything goes fuzzy as panic washes over me.

"Keefe," I hear foster say " you need to calm down. It's the only way to stop this."

I just panic even more. They've turned the cots on there sides and are crouched behind them. They won't hold for long.

I ruining everything. All of Elwin's exilers, potions, all his hard work just destroyed by me. My friends could be hurt, I'm scaring them, I'm a monster.

"You need to calm down Keefe. Just take a deep breath and calm yourself down, ok?"

"I can't." I scream.

But I try anyways. I'm so tired, so drained. I've never used four abilities at once before. Has anybody used four abilities at once before?

Slowly but surely the storm around me calms.

"You did it Keefe!" Foster shouts. But my eyes can't stay open any longer. I'm tired. I'm so tired.