𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐈 𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 + sokeefe and horror

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏: gone with the wind

"So tell me again. You looked for an hour, and she's just... gone." Grady repeated, his face increasingly sour.

"Last time I checked, spontaneous human combustion isn't possible." Elwin said quietly. "But I don't know. Maybe something changed?"

It took Keefe a second to realize this was a joke. And another after that to stop shaking. And another to repeat his normal breathing pattern. He was at Everglen with Fitz, Biana, Linh, Dex, and Tam. Grady, Elwin, Alden, Edaline, and Della were also there.

Edaline was sobbing while Della comforted her, Elwin, Grady, and Alden interrogated them. Keefe didn't think Elwin could look intimidating, but he definitely did now.

"Yeah." Biana whispered, her face pale and streaked with tears.

"We should contact the Black Swan." Grady said, getting up.

The door swung open and Mr. Forkle bolted in. "Already here." He panted. "What happened to Ms Foster?"

They told the story again and again, but none of the adults could believe it.

"So did she just... drown?" Keefe asked, the word feeling heavy on his tongue. He wanted to sob and scream and curse the sky, but he couldn't. He had to be strong.

"No. I was right where she was and I didn't feel anything." Tam mumbled. 

"Then..." Alden didn't finish his sentence, but they all knew what he was trying to say: The Neverseen.

The Neverseen kidnapped Sophie Foster, the love of Keefe's life... and it was all his fault.