"Sophie Foster: wanted for murder of Errol L. Forkle and Magnate Leto Kerlof. If you have information, please contact the council."
Sophie cursed. They were coming, and she didn't have much time before they'd arrive. Stuffing as much stuff as she could into her much-too-small purple bag, Sophie muttered the list under her breath.
"Ella, clothes, iPod, extr--" she stopped. Should she bring her panic switch? No, Dex would track her down. Which reminded her... Sophie ripped the registry pendant from her cape, in fact, she tore away the cape altogether. She'd never liked that thing anyway. "Just the memory log, and..." she trailed off, eyeing the spyball tucked away in the drawer of her nightstand. It poked out just barely, not fitting as it should have. It was unregistered, so maybe it would be fine.
A loud noise sounded, and Sophie shrieked.
"Iggy!" she scolded, glaring at the mischievous imp, but the anger fell away just as quickly. Unlatching the lock, she let the imp scurry up her arm and onto her shoulder. She couldn't stay mad at him for long. "I'm sorry," she told him. "But I can't bring you, it's too dangerous." With the entire Lost Cities watching for her, it was no longer safe anywhere in the elven world, and hiding with the other species would only cause war. Which left only one place for Sophie to go: home. And she didn't have much time, as the council had just announced her arrest less than ten minutes ago.
She was surprised it hadn't happened sooner, as the supposed "murder" had occurred midnight, the night before. Iggy's eyes turned big and pleading, and, knowing it may be the last time she would see him, she gave him the tightest squeeze, his magenta curls tickling her skin.
"Sorry, my adorable, stinky imp." Placing a small kiss on his head, she set him back down on the table. At that moment, the door opened and a furious Grady and terrified Edaline burst in.
"Sophie Elizabeth Foster!" Grady growled, "WHAT. THE. HEKS!?" Edaline followed behind him, sobbing quietly from behind. Sophie whipped around to meet them, backing away as they stomped into the room.
"I know what the council are saying," she tried, her voice cracking, "but you have to believe me, I didn't do it." She raised her hands in surrender, zipping her backpack with telekinesis as not to raise suspicion, or, more suspicion.
"'Didn't do it'!?" snapped Grady. "There's witnesses! There's DNA!" Sophie stumbled over her words as she did her best to explain, but she needed to wrap things up. Time was nearly out. Soon, the council would be at their door, and Sophie needed to be long gone by then.
"I know. I know." She turned to Edaline, hoping to have more luck with her adoptive mother. "But you really think I'd kill Mr. Forkle?" Edaline's lower lip quivered, tears waterfalling. Sophie knew from the look in her eyes, she was trying her best to believe her. But with the evidence stacking up... she was lost. And so was Sophie. "I know what it looks like," she tried, eyes watering, "but I promise, it's not me. I don't know if I'm being framed, or, or--"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR EXCUSES ARE! I WANT YOU OUT OF THIS HOUSE; WE DID NOT SIGN UP TO CARE FOR A MURDERER!" She flinched as Grady's hand slammed down on her nightstand, startling Iggy. He meant it. Really, really meant it. Sophie nodded. Ever since she'd first arrived in the Lost Cities, she'd never belonged. She didn't belong anywhere; not in the Forbidden Cities, nor among the elves. She was a misfit. An outcast. A freak, even among her own kind.
"I know," Sophie said, reaching for her purple bag and zipping up the last bit. "I never should have come to the Lost Cities. Ever." And uttering those last words, she raced for the window, pushing it open, and letting the gravity pull her towards the Earth. Right before she hit the ground, tears stinging her eyes, she concentrated, and the void opened.
Then, Sophie Foster was gone.