Secrets

Sixteen

Sophie blinked. "You?"

Valin grinned, the droplet of drool hung from his slobbery lips as he answered. "Yes." 

Slowly, Sophie managed to stand upright as she glared into Valin's dark blue eyes. "Why are you here?"

Valin looked taken aback, tears welling in his soulful eyes. "I told you. I-I'm here to rescue yo-you." 

Great. 

Sophie sighed. Apparently, he was as emotional as he was drooly. 

And he stuttered. 

"Well-" Sophie hesitated before finishing. "You weren't who I was expecting. And sorry for lashing out at you like that. It's just... Keefe is-"

She couldn't bring herself to say it. 

Valin looked confused. "Keefe is what?" 

"D-dead." Sophie burst into tears. 

Valin was silent.  

Sophie stared at him through her blurry vision. He seemed to be thinking about something. The glob of drool dripping from his lips to the cold, stone floor as his eyes glittered in the dim light. 

"Dead?"

The answer blew from her trembling mouth as she breathed out the terrible truth. "Yes." 

Valin's wet lips curled into a dreadful smile. His eyes shone with a dark light that drifted from the very depths of his irises. Globs of drool glistened with a wicked, wet sheen as they slowly splattered onto the ground. 

Drip. 

        Drip.

               Drip.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, the ominous clouds of darkness lifted up from Valin's face, leaving the light. 

His face twisted into a horrible display of despair. 

"I'm so sorry." 

But the words did nothing.  

They had no meaning, and no feeling. And now- she was alone in a cave with a Drooly Boy to help her get out. 

"Valin." 

Valin perked up when she whispered his name. 

"Valin... I appreciate you trying to help me but-" 

"But what?" 

"I need to be alone." 

Silence. 

Sophie looked up, curious at the sudden quiet, and gasped when she saw what had happened. 

The moaning of a weird breeze whipped around the glittering crystals. Fog hung in the dank air, remnants of Sophie's last exhale. A small creature skittered over her boots, velvety nose twitching, whiskers trembling. The glowing rocks, bushy fungi, and sparkling crystals seemed to pulse with a strange, lively rhythm. 

But what really surprised Sophie was right in front of her. 

She squinted, trying again, and again to let her brain register what had happened. 

The space in front of her were empty, the ghostly wind whistling in the place. 

The only remnants were a pair of footprints, damp from the caves. 

Valin-Valin...

Was gone.