Keeper of the Lost Cities- Deathgrip

Into the mind of Hunkyhair

"Keefe? Keefe? Keefe?!" Sophie called out his name over and over, louder each time, but her shouts just seemed to get sucked in by the empty darkness. Her mental self wandered around, trying to find cracks in the dark, signs of life, the familiar nook where she had saved Alden, anything- but she was only met with darkness. What if she tried a brain push? It might give her some extra power to find him, or at least push her to a different area of his mind! It was worth a try. She focused all her energy onto the buzzing in the back of her mind and waited until it was just strong enough and then let go, starting to move at top speed, whizzing through Keefe's mind. But when the buzzing slowed to a quiet hum, she knew it wasn't enough. Sophie scoured her mind for any more ideas. She thought through all her powers, deciding to try inflicting as a last resort. She gathered all her happy memories with Keefe and put them together. The time on the riverbank after they escaped Dimitar, all his funny jokes and teasing, the time where he danced around her room, shaking his hips, the time when she gave him Mrs. Stinkbottom and the time when he discovered Mr. Snuggles at Alluveterre. And then she added some sad memories too. When his mom almost killed them after they flew to the Blackswan's cave on Silveny, the time when he had an identity crisis and started sticking sticky notes all over his room and all the times when she saw the broken boy under his facade. And then she thought of all the people that she loved. Edaline, Grady, her biological parents, her human parents, her sister, Iggy and... Keefe. She loved Keefe. Pushing aside that thought, she mixed all those memories and feelings into one, big lump of mushy, cheesy emotion. And then, she shoved it. At full force into the darkness.

A long moment passed. And then another. Sophie was just about to give up and leave, absolutely drained. But then, a quiet voice washed over her. "Foster?"

And... suddenly all her energy was back. "Omigodomigod, Keefe?! Is that you?!"

A soft chuckle filled the empty space. "Yeah. How've you been, Miss F.?"

"To be honest... terrible! How could you do that to me, Keefe? How many times have I told you-"

"Foster. Shh. I've just listened to two weeks of your ranting. And as adorable as you are when you're as annoyed and flustered, I think I get the gist of it."

She was glad they weren't in person so he couldn't see her blush. Thankfully, she had something more pressing to say, so she could ignore that he had called her adorable. "You've been hearing me?! And you haven't been answering or waking up?!! Keefe, I've been worried sick, Elwin said you might not wake up and-"

"I couldn't answer. I've been trying to wake up, but I can't this darkness just seems to suck the energy straight out of me and I've been pushing and trying everything I can, but I'm stuck, Foster. I can't. You have to use that genius little mind of yours to get me out."

"I'll try my best Keefe. But you have to too. I- I need to go. I'm exhausted, but stay put right here so I can find you again, alright?" Sophie said, even though she wasn't that tired. She just wasn't sure if Keefe could feel her emotions mentally and she couldn't risk him finding out what she had just found out while inflicting. It would ruin everything. She was sure of it.

"'Kay Foster. Promise me you'll come back.'

"I promise."

But right as she faded back into the healing center, she swore she heard Keefe's whispered plea not to hate him.

The thing is... he couldn't be farther from the truth.