I Want Him Back...

I Want Him Back... - Part 13

[Okay, sorry about this one. Short and a little rushed. But I WILL try and get more out ASAP. Pwomise. Hope you're all enjoying the plot. Suggestions are welcome ^_^. So is criticism, actually. Just, please, some comments? Yay, and thankies!]

So, hang on," Jack said slowly, his hands waving her to silence. "You're saying that Keith didn't really run away and now he needs your help because he's stuck in another world that has genies?"

"Yeah, something like that," Belinda agreed distractedly. She was anxious to get started looking for a way in. "But we need to hurry because he's been there a couple of months now and I don't know how to get him back!"

Jack watched her for a moment, wondering what to do. He believed her - beyond a shadow of a doubt, he believed her. But...how was he supposed to help her? This was more confusing by the minute and he wanted to understand it better before he agreed to help her. Even if she was trying, they needed somebody who really understood it to tell him.

"Couldn't you, I don't know, get hold of Keith like you did before? He could explain this a whole lot better, I'm sur-"

"Don't you think I would if I could?" Belinda snapped, biting back the tears that threatened to break through. "If I could do it whenever I wanted I would have talked to him a heck of a lot sooner! God, I've been so scared that he might be d-dead that I can't sleep half the time!! And I'm not even sure he's going to be okay when I finally do get there and-"

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Jack said, his hands held up in apology. "I just- He's my best friend and I didn't know any of this! And he knew you, what? Three weeks, if that, and you know everything about him. It's a little much to take in."

"Sorry," Belinda murmured, her eyes taking on a new shine. She forgot that she had only known Keith a short while, that some people knew him a lot better than she did. Sometimes, she forgot that anyone else knew Keith existed, forgot that he wasn't a figment of her imagination. "Look, we'll talk to Maggie. Maggie should be home any minute, and she can help explain everything."

Jack nodded, eager to know more. Maggie knew? Maggie was a witch? Huh, he thought. Should've seen that one coming. Maggie had always been old for her age, wise beyond her years. Everything fell into place in his mind, the odd occurrences, things Keith did that seemed random and senseless...everything began to make sense.

But it was much later by the time Maggie arrived home and Jack had left, reluctantly. Belinda was fretting, worry exhausting her even more than she was before, talking to Keith. Even as Maggie came in, Belinda was contemplating calling the police, her head bursting with pain. She just about collapsed with relief when Maggie opened the door.

"Maggie, where on earth have you been?"

"I-I was at the library," Maggie explained, her eyes wide with apology. "Why're you up? You were really ill this morning. I wasn't sure about going to school."

"Ah, yeah, that's not really a problem. Listen, we need to talk, like right now."

"About what?" Maggie asked warily. She wasn't sure if this was a conversation she should have right now.

"About Keith, you, everything. I need your help, Mags. A lot, actually. So does Jack..."

And once again, Belinda launched into what had happened today.