Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-44544645-20191211195811/@comment-44544645-20200108005136

Thanks for all the reviews! Here's chapter 22.

Twenty-Two

'''Sophie was relieved when they came to the river. '''

'''They’d been walking for the past half hour, trying to stay as silent as possible—but with a huge group, it wasn’t easy. Her clumsiness didn’t help either, and her stupid black cloak was good for camoflauge, but had snagged on several tree branches. And the darkness just made everything dimmer and harder to navigate.'''

'''“There it is,” Linh whispered, gesturing to the fake river. '''

'''“Okay,” Keefe murmured. “I’m going to take down the illusions.”'''

'''“Good,” Grady nodded, assuming the role of team leader. “Everyone but the six who are going in, it’s time to hide. Sophie will transmit to you if we have to fight. Dex, open the door and leave it open so we can follow you guys if nessecary.”'''

'''Keefe stretched out his hand, pulling colored streaks from around them, lighting up the place and darkening it at the same time. '''

'''“You okay?” Sophie asked him as he struggled with a streak of shadow. '''

'''“Relax, Foster. I’m fine.”'''

'''He didn’t look fine. He was grimacing. Sophie reached out for his free hand, lacing his fingers with hers. “I can enhance you.”'''

“Nah, I’m almost done.”

'''“You’ve got this,” she promised. '''

'''Keefe smiled. “Thanks.”'''

“So, is Sokeefe official now?” Marella whispered.

'''“Everyone, it’s time to hide,” Grady reminded the group, drawing the conversation away from Marella’s question. “Good luck.”'''

The riverbed faded away, and everyone scattered, leaving the six of them standing in a circle around the mysterious stone.

'''“You guys ready?” Dex asked, staring at their twined fingers. “Sophie, can you open up a mental channel so we can talk telepathically?”'''

'''“Yeah,” Sophie muttered, feeling her cheeks turn red. She and Keefe dropped hands, and she concentrated on opening up her mind.'''

Dex knelt down and started tapping at the tiny metal plate.

There was a rumbling sound, like gears shifting and moving, and then the stone twisted and seemed to melt away, revealing a narrow, steep spiral staircase curving into the ground.

Tam stretched out his hand, sending shadows spiraling around them, until Sophie looked down and saw only smoky grey and black, like the clouds of a rainstorm had enshrouded their group.

“You ready?” Jax whispered, his own form reduced to only swirls and smudges of color.

There was a collective ‘yes.’

'''Dex headed down the steps first, to dismantle any alarms, and Jax followed him, wanting to be close to the front as he was the only adult in the group. Maruca followed close behind. Tam stayed in the middle, keeping their group wreathed in shadow.'''

Sophie stared down at the tiny, winding staircase.

This was it.

Their chance to stop the Neverseen.

She had to be ready.

She was ready.

Or was she?

'''“Go ahead, Foster,” Keefe whispered. “You’ve got this. I’ll be right behind you.”'''

She started down the narrow steps, trying to keep one hand against the wall for balance—but she would have tripped on step four if Keefe hadn’t reached out to steady her.

'Thanks'', she transmitted. The stairs seemingly went on forever, down and down, getting darker and steeper. It was especially hard because she couldn’t see her own body, and she almost fell twice more. '''

She moved forward, and almost crashed into Tam, who let out a tiny squeal.

'The wall feels different here, ''Tam told the group. My shadows are acting weird.'''

'''Jax shifted in front of him, touching the wall. The wall density is messed up.'''

Maruca’s shadowy form also bumped the wall. Yeah.

'I think there are illusions. I can disable them, ''Keefe offered. '''

Go ahead, Sophie told him.

Light and shadows swirled around, giving his hands an ethereal glow, until the faint outline of a door appeared on the wall.

'Could this be the entrance? Sophie asked.'

'''Dex’s voice filled her mind. ''I’m sensing some weird circuitry, so…...yeah. Can you guys shift around so I can get to it?'

'''There was a lot of murmuring and thumps of boots on stone before Sophie could see Dex—at least as much of him as she could see due to the shadows—tapping at the wall. '''

At one hundred and fifty-one seconds, Dex looked up.

'I’ve gotten most of it deactivated. Sophie, can you enhance me for the last part?'

'Sure,'' she transmitted, and she manouvered past Tam to get next to Dex. She switched her enhancing on—it was becoming easier and easier every time—and reached for his hand. Dex grimaced from the sensation, almost letting a shriek escape his lips as he yanked his hand away. ''Wow, your enhancing is strong. It’s like getting zapped.'

Just touch my fingers less and you should be okay.

'''Dex shifted his hand so they were barely touching fingers. '''

Is this better?

Lots.

'Two hundred and eighty-six seconds passed before Dex told the group, Okay, I’ve gotten their technology fully deactivated. They probably used a Fluctuator, this gadget, to alter the stones’ density. We should be able to pass through pretty easily.'

Let’s go, Jax told the group.

'Relax, Foster, Keefe reassured her. Remember, no almost dying. You’re way more fun to tease when you’re not unconscious in the Healing Center.'

'''Sophie smiled and stepped through the wall. '''

'''The stones felt cold, like they’d been placed in a freezer—and when she stepped inside, she was hit with a blast of chilly air. Glad for her cloak, she tightened it around her shoulders.'''

'''The walls were dark and rocky, like they were in an underground cave. The entire place was lit by a single jar of moonlight, making it easy for Sophie and her friends to hide in the shadows. '''

'I’ve been here before,'' Tam thought. This is the hideout I stayed in.'''

'Great. Okay, what next?'' Jax asked. Do you have any tips?'''

'Not really. We don’t know where they are. Just stay in the shadows, and let me go first, so I can take the lead.'

Everyone shifted to follow Tam’s directions.

'Sophie, can you track their thoughts? Jax suggested.'

'''She should have remembered that. She closed her eyes, letting her concentration gather, before shooting it out and spreading it around the hideout and……'''

Okay, we need to go left.

'Follow me,'' Tam thought. '''

'''The hallway was dark, but the floor was smooth, and Sophie was able to follow Tam easily enough. It curved, and then, after twenty-seven steps, the group stopped. '''

I think they’re in here, Sophie told everyone, looking at a door with a glinting silver knob.

Is the door locked? Maruca asked.

'I don’t want to try. It could trigger something.'

I can try, Dex offered.

Sophie resisted the urge to tug on her eyelashes as Dex started to murmur to the doorknob.

'Okay, I think I’ve unlocked it. Let’s go.'

Dex was the first one to step through the door, and a moment later, his mental voice blared WHAT?

OH WHAT THE HECK WHAT IS GOING ON THIS IS CRAZY— Jax’s thoughts were almost as loud as the human thoughts Sophie had heard all the time growing up, like tiny needles jabbing into her mind.

Tam stepped in next, and his mental voice went quiet.

Shocked quiet.

Like he’d just discovered something he really didn’t want to see.

Keefe’s hand accidentally brushed hers, and that was when Sophie realized—she hadn’t switched her enhancing off.

So she was enhancing Keefe.

And he could feel her emotions.

This had the potential to become very ''awkward.

But all Keefe did was tighten his grip on her hand, then send a pale blue breeze whisking through her mind.

Sophie took a deep breath and stepped through the door.

And she wasn’t sure how to react to what she saw.