I Think I know What You Meant Now

So, What I Miss?

You know how people say when they die your life flashes before your eyes? That's been happening to me, with the exception of two things. 

For one, he wasn't dead the dull ache in the back of his head proved that. And his life wasn't flashing, it was playing. Keefe felt like his entire life was unfolding out before him, though this wasn't exactly a good thing.

His earliest memories were the worst. His mother looking on at him with disappointment. His father screaming about how he will never measure up to anything. Watching the Vackers and his best friend getting everything he never had. Keefe was tormented with image after image of his abnormally painful youth.

Then, she came into the picture.

Gradually, the better memories seeped in. Meeting Sophie during one his many ditching periods, flying with her on his way to fix her abilities, comforting Sophie after being in Greyfall's mind, the many window sleepovers. 

Until I found out Sophie and Fitz confessed. Those months had been the absolute worst, not because of them being together, no that was part of it, but mostly because I knew it wouldn't last. Sophie is so prone to secret keeping and Fitz is so easily angered that it was bound to end badly. 

My mind skipped over to Sophie bawling her eyes out after Fitz yelled at her. I had never wanted so badly to hurt Fitz, to make him feel all the pain and hurt Sophie was feeling. Sophie's emotions had never been so bleak. 

Then my most recent ones, and the most terrifying. After Sophie had made me promise to stay out of the battle against my wishes, I found a note on my bed.

Hello Keefe,

I figured Sophie wouldn't agree to my plans and set things up in the Throne Room(I think that's what its called? I don't remember.)

If you want any chance of making sure you'll see her again, you'll get rid of your bodyguard and meet me in the dwarf kingdom.

xoxo Mom

The next half hour was a blur, hiding the note, indisposing Ro in the bathroom (She will really get me back for that.) gathering the dwarfs, and finally, my plan utterly failing and sitting on the throne with the lumenite crown on my head and watching, totally helpless as the cold, wet shadows slithered up my body.

Sophie's voice in my head was the only thing keeping me grounded, like I had slipped and her voice was the hand keeping me from falling into the deep chasm.

But then the shadows reached my head, and her voice was ripped from me and I spiraled into the abyss.

"Keefe, Keefe its me you have to wake up." 

A soft, clear voice cut through the flashback.

"We need you Keefe."

"I need you"

It was like an electric shock to my brain. One second I was floating in darkness, the next I was jerking up and the lights of the Healing Center were blinding me.

A wave of nausea and pain hit me like a wrecking ball.

"Yeah, nope, not doing that."

I flopped back onto my cot with my head feeling like it was splitting in two. 

"Mother of gulons my head."

Suddenly, the door to Elwin's office opened and he came out in his signature dinosaur Pj's holding a hot pink liqud spotted with brown. 

The look on his face was comical when he saw me awake holding my head on the cot. His eyes went wide and he dropped the elixure he was holding onto the floor with a crash.