Finding Keefe (Sokeefe)

Broken

But when she tried to focus, the image remained hazy. The faces were still a blur.

An agonizing headache was pounding and throbbing now.

It was almost as if her head was freezing and on fire at the same time.

It was burning her out from the inside, and freezing everything it touched. No matter how hard her conscious tried to protect itself, it was getting torn into smaller pieces every second.

It stung. It bruised. It burned.

Like a bullet had seeped into her brain, making her bleed out in excruciating pain.

Fight.

The voice of the familiar girl played in her head again.

It carried a melody with it, a melody of strength, survival, and peace.

She focused, thinking of the pieces fixing themselves up little by little. She thought of a temperate breeze and lukewarm waters.

Almost instantaneously the pain numbed a little bit. A new wall was strengthened around her consciousness, powered by tranquility and peace.

But it still wasn't strong enough.

It was holding as long as it could.

Focus.

The voice repeated again.

She fought through the pain focusing on the images.

What could've made her feel that specific warmth?

Peace? Hope? Faith? Trust?

No.

They were all wrong.

They were slowly getting shredded in the wall.

She needed something stronger.

Something that would save everything.

Something purer.

Then the word clicked.

Love.

Right on cue, the wall was reinforced, and now taller. It prickled with sharp thorns dipped with poison.

But the good kind of poison.

It was keeping away all of the shards attempting to slice away at the remains of her.

The images unblurred a little.

The names!

That's what she needed...right?

The woman's.

Was it Kate?

No...that name was familiar...but it wasn't hers.

The name did provide a kind of warmth though.

Sobs played in the distance, sounding a bit nearer than before.