The world seemed to slow down. Keefe ran, but it wasn't quick enough. He leaned over the bridge, holding out his hand, but his arm wasn't long enough.
He wasn't enough to keep Foster alive.
"NO!," he screamed, but what good did it do? She had already splashed into the water, swept away. There was nothing, nothing he could do. Keefe hated it.
He tried to think of a loophole, somehow Foster could be alive, but his common sense and nerve seemed to die right along with her.
All that was left was recklessness and broken fragments, all of which were begging at him to do one thing, a very stupid thing to do. But Keefe didn't care. Nothing mattered anymore.
So, without turning around to take another look at the Neverseen, and his mother, he jumped off the bridge.
Their surprised shouts never reached Keefe as he tumbled into the icy water below.
He gasped and spluttered. Cold and injured. But alive.
The chaos in the river was much more than he had been expecting, but he fought through the currents, icy water splashing in his face, he looked around, turning and twisted, swimming and slowing down, until he saw a flash of blonde hair swimming right by him.
Keefe's heart did a sudden leap and he dove under.
The river was murky underneath and almost impossible to see through. But he squinted and saw Sophie's limp, unconscious body. He swam towards her, and pulled her up to the surface.
It was hard, and Keefe was only able to get her head out of the water. He panted, holding Sophie as he swam to the nearest bit of dry land that he could see.
He paddled slowly through the water, just able to keep his and Foster's heads resting on the surface.
Finally, Keefe felt shallow water beneath his feat and he let out a small sigh of relief.
He pulled Foster onto the sand and laid her head in his lap.
She looked terrible.
A side of her face was covered in blood, and there were deep gashes in her legs and arms. Her eyes were closed.
Keefe leaned in closer, trying to feel for a pulse. He felt a heart beat. Once. Twice. He could her her breathing ever so slightly.
Sophie wasn't dead.
A sob crawled up Keefe's throat but he didn't try and hold it back. A teardrop fell and landed on her cheek.
He reached for her limp hand and held it gently.
"Foster?," he whispered, his voice vibrating.
Slowly, two little brown eyes opened, and looked at him.
"Keefe?"
Her voice was barely audible. But it was the sweet, beautiful voice Keefe knew. His favorite voice he longed to hear. And the voice that made him pull her into a giant hug.
His tears soaked Sophie's shirt as he began to cry.
He couldn't let her get that close to death again, and he didn't even try to find anything funny about the situation. Nothing was.
"We need to get you to Elwin," Keefe said quietly.
Foster gave him a weak sort of smile before she gave out a cough.
He stood up, his knees shaking, with Foster in his arms.
Keefe found a new strange strength running through him, pumping adrenaline through his veins.
It was fueled with determination. He wasn't going to let Foster die, not if he could help it.
He fidgeted in his pocket quickly. The leaping crystal was still there.
"Here we go, Foster," he whispered, and held it up to the light.
***
He landed outside of Foxfire. Thankfully, school didn't seem to be in session.
He looked over at Foster, hating how weak and hurt she looked. She deserved to live a happy normal life.
Keefe started running. He ran faster than he ever had in his life, holding Foster in his arms, keeping her together.
He reached Elwin's office, and burst in.
Elwin turned around, and his jaw dropped when he saw Sophie. But there was no time for asking questions.
Keefe lay her down carefully on a cot.
Hang in there, Foster. Hang in there.
Elwin started working like crazy, shouting things here and there. The door burst open and Keefe was knocked to the side as Livvy, Edaline, Grady, Fitz, Biana, and Mr. Forkle crowded into the room shouting things.
Keefe was shoved to the back corner. He tried looking over everyone, tried to make sense of all the noise and the things they were shouting out. But everything was going so quickly. Keefe felt a headache seeping in with all the emotions pouring into the room.
Anger, grief, fear, shock, confusion, and a bunch of other things that were way to complicated for Keefe to translate.
All of a sudden, he was ushered onto a cot by Elwin, while Livvy leaned over Sophie.
"What?-, I'm fine I-," but Elwin cut him off.
"No, you are not fine. You look like you had just fallen fifty feet!," Elwin said.
Keefe shrugged. He probably had.
He looked over at Sophie, his heart sinking. She didn't look any better.
"Everyone, OUT!," Elwin shouted to the crowd.
Silence.
Then, Keefe watched everyone slip away, except Fitz.
Fitz gave Keefe a murderous expression before he left the room.
Livvy gave Elwin a look.
Keefe was dying to say, WHAT?, but didn't have the energy.
Elwin looked at him, shook his head, and said, "You'll both be alright.
Keefe exhaled slowly.
"But, Sophie is going to have to go through another painful ability reset before she we can move on. Today."
Keefe sank into his pillows. He completely forgot about that she had been already dying before tossed off a cliff.
But....
The circlet was still on. It angered him. Mommy Dearest was always plotting and thinking ahead. And now Sophie would have to cope with pain, and no abilities for......
Nope.
He was shoving that thought out of his mind because they would get it off. Somehow. Some way.
But Elwin had to know.
Keefe opened his mouth and spilled all he knew about the ability restrictor, and the new Technopath.
Elwin just sat there and gaped at him.
But, before he had a chance to reply, the door swung open and an eleven-foot tall goblin marched into the room, giving Keefe a look that clearly wished him a painful death.
Gigantor entered the room and marched over to Keefe's cot.
"If she's dead I swear I will-,"
"She's not," Elwin cut in, blocking Sandor from reaching Keefe.
Keefe just shrank back under his covers. He was not definitely ready to feel Gigantor's wrath.
"HE LET HER RUN AWAY AND SHE NEARLY DIED!," he roared, stomping closer.
"But, he also saved her from dying," Elwin corrected.
Keefe gave a weak smile. "Surprise?"
Gigantor rolled his eyes.
Elwin let out a small sigh.
The door opened once again and the Forklenator re-entered the room.
He gave Elwin and Livvy a look.
They both nodded.
"Now, Keefe," said Livvy softly, backing away from Foster's cot.
"I need you to leave while we do the ability reset. After which, you can come back in."
Keefe nodded. He didn't have the strength the fight back anymore.
He stood up and walked to the door.
"Oh, and Keefe," Mr. Forkle added, grabbing his arm.
Keefe looked up at him, tiredly.
He smiled.
"Thank's for everything you did for my Moonlark."
A/N: 1147 words!!!!!! Btw, this is not the end! But, we are getting closer!
Hint, hint: Ritz drama!!
I hope y'all are enjoying this so far. You guys are the best!
Happy Reading,
-will0w-tree