Dear Keefe,
It's been a week since you left. I finally convinced Grady to let me go search for you. My room is full of packed bags right now. I leave for the Forbidden Cities tomorrow first thing in the morning.
Why did you leave? What reason did you have to run away? Sure, your power was scary, but so are some of mine. You've always been there to help me figure them out so I know how to control them. How is this any different?
Even so, I'll never stop searching for you until I find you, Keefe. I promise
Yours truly,
Sophie
Dear Keefe,
I read an article today about weird occurrences in Santa Monica, where people have been doing things against their will but not remembering why. I want to believe it's not you, but it's hard. Super hard.
What are you doing?
It's day 28 since you ran away. The Neverseen are still making tiny attacks here and there, but nothing too big, giving me the time to search for you. The council want to plant a Wanderling for you, using one of the many strands of hair stuck in your combs and shower drain, but I told them to wait. I know you're still out there somewhere, even though you won't answer me.
Gosh, I wish you'd answer me. At least give me a small sign that you're listening.
Sophie
Dear Keefe,
It's day 64, and Grady finally decided that it's time I stop searching for you. Now I'm always cooped up at home or at Foxfire, which I stupidly still attend.
I tried to sneak out to continue looking for you one night, but Gigantor caught me. I call him Gigantor now. It's practically the only thing I have left from you, besides that note you left me and Iggy's multi-colored fur, which I've convinced Dex not to dye to orangy-brown.
The Neverseen have practically disappeared off the face of the earth. They haven't made any attacks since that small one in Eternalia a few weeks ago. Somehow that makes everyone even more anxious. I wish you were here to lighten the mood. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss your teasing.
I miss you, Keefe.
Sophie
Dearest Keefe,
Do you remember the day we met? I got hurt in alchemy and you showed me the way to the Healing Center. Did you know that when i first saw you, with your disheveled hair and ice blue eyes, I thought you were really handsome? I still do.
It's day 87. I miss those days, back when I was a Level Two. Life was so easy back then. None of us had known just how much evil there was in the world, and none of us had had to deal with said evil. We just had the simple lives of teenagers.
I wish you would break this radio silence of yours. Would it really hurt so much to respond to one of my letters?
Sophie
Dearest Keefe,
It's day 132. Everyone else has moved on. The Neverseen have been demolished. The Black Swan took them out. No one else mentions you anymore. Only me.
You flood my dreams. Your face, your smirk, your voice, your laugh. You have an amazing laugh. If I could have one wish it would be to hear your laugh again.
I miss you so much it hurts. I wake up with tears in my eyes from thinking about you, about how you left me. I need you, Keefe. I can't keep going without you.
Love,
Sophie
The hardest part of Keefe's day was getting Sophie's letter. She sent one every day, using some freaky DNA technology to make sure they got to him. Reading her words, Keefe could hear the pain in her voice. He wanted so bad to reply, to go back, to hold her in his hands and never let go, but he knew that wasn't an option. He had to stay in hiding if he wanted to keep her safe.
He slept by the window every night, in honor of the window sleepovers they used to have when they were staying in Alluvaterre. A part of him was hoping Sophie was too. Another part wished she'd move on, so she'd finally be rid of all the pain he'd been putting her through.
Every night, before he fell asleep, Keefe made sure to say seven short words, blowing them out into the night, as if maybe there was a chance they'd reach Sophie's ears.
"I'm so sorry, Sophie. I love you."