Guardian

by Marnie Leighton

  ‘Wha…what is it?’ he asked drowsily.

  ‘We, or should I say you, are going to meet your dealer.’

  Liam’s eyes shot open. ‘You got money? We can buy more?’

  She huffed. ‘You know there’s no money, but I have something better.’ Liam clambered to his feet as Rosalyn pulled a metal object from her handbag. She raised it up, pointing it directly at Liam’s head. His expression barely changed as he regarded the gun. ‘You will use this, to take his money and stash,’ she continued. ‘And if he doesn’t hand everything over…bam.’ She pulled the trigger, and he flinched at the loud click. ‘Here,’ she said tossing him the gun with a carefree giggle. ‘Let’s go.’

  ‘But what about bullets?’ Liam asked.

  ‘There’s plenty in it already,’ she replied with a smirk. Spinning on her heels, she left the room. Liam didn’t hesitate to follow.

  ***

  Liam and his dealer always met in the same dark alley, in the same horrid part of the city. Standing at the far end, Liam’s shoes sunk into the filth carpeting the ground. Rosalyn was nowhere to be seen, and his need was giving him the jitters. A few minutes later a solitary figure approached.

  Liam gripped the gun in his pocket. ‘Hey, Ricky. How’ve you been?’

  Ricky stopped a few meters away, his eyes raking Liam’s skinny frame. ‘Been fine, how much you got, eh?’

  ‘Um, the thing is Ricky. I’m short this week, but you know I’m good. I just need a bit to see me through.’

  Ricky’s lip curled as he surveyed Liam’s pleading face from beneath heavy-set eyebrows. ‘No money, no goods, eh?’

  ‘Yeah, but…’

   Ricky lunged slapping Liam’s face. ‘And don’t call me again till you’re good,’ he snarled. ‘Next time I won’t be so nice.’

  Ricky turned to leave.

  ‘Wait.’ Liam yelled, pulling the gun from his pocket. He pointed it shakily at Ricky, sweat coating his brow. He shifted from foot to foot. ‘Give me the fucking stuff.’

  ‘Okay, Okay.’ Ricky said calmly, raising his hands. ‘No need for this. Maybe we sort it, eh?’

  Liam nodded enjoying the power of the gun. His mouth drew into a half smile. ‘Yeah, hand it over, you piece of shit.’

  Frantically I tried to calm him, but it was no use. Then I felt the third presence. At the end of the alley another man was coming, a small glint reflecting off something in his hand. I didn’t have time to react. There was a flash, a loud bang, and Liam fell.

  Leaping into action, Ricky kicked the gun away. He turned and stomped on Liam’s face; his nose exploded in a mass of blood.

  The other man ran over. ‘Ya right boss?’

  ‘Am now,’ Ricky replied, crouching down. He poked Liam’s temple. ‘What the fuck made a prick like you think he could have me, eh? You die there nice and slow, all right?’ Liam whimpered. Ricky chuckled, stood, and kicked him one last time. Liam didn’t even cry out. ‘Let’s leave this dickhead in peace.’

  They both walked away.

  The alley was now empty. Liam’s breathing turned to gasping, as blood oozed onto the street like an oil slick. My heart was breaking, and I couldn’t stand it anymore. Without thinking, I changed into human form. I collapsed beside him and lifted his head from the filthy ground. He looked up, a smile touched his face as though he recognized me.

  ‘No, no, no. Liam, it is not your time. Help!’ I screamed. ‘Somebody help!’

  At first, no one came, they rarely did here, then I glimpsed movement at the end of the alley. ‘Please, please help us,’ I begged, peering into the darkness.

  They didn’t move, and I looked closer. Suddenly they lunged with incredible speed—it was Rosalyn. I only just transformed before she reached us.

  ‘Damn it,’ she yelled, anger flashing in her eyes. Her perfect composure quickly rippled back. She leaned down and looked at Liam’s broken form, his pleading eyes flitted to a necklace around her neck. Rosalyn’s smile grew. ‘That’s right Liam you know this, don’t you?’ she whispered, her fingers stroking the chain lightly.

  I didn’t know what she was doing. Tears welled in his eyes as he continued to stare at the chain. I looked closer; I recognized it too—his parents had given it to him on his sixteenth birthday. He reached for it, and she helped lift his weak arm, unconcerned by the pain it was causing. His finger hooked around it.

  She smiled. ‘You’re mine.’

  His eyes widened, and then his hand fell away. She stood and inhaled deeply, her euphoria written in her posture. Liam’s soul had left his broken body and attached itself to Rosalyn.

  ‘No!’ I screamed, and my devastation ripped through the air producing a shock wave that knocked Rosalyn off her feet.

  She leaped back up, visibly shaken, her euphoria replaced by nervous fear. She looked to the sky before sprinting away, taking Liam with her. I couldn’t even bring myself to follow.

  Alone and desperate I didn’t know what to do. For hours, I stayed fixed, staring at his body—too numb to think, too numb to do anything.

  Then through the haze, I heard a voice—it was Isaac calling; begging me to come home. He could reach me again; Rosalyn’s influence had left with her. I felt myself drifting, leaving the alley behind, relief seeping in.

  ‘It is not your fault Callie. It is time to come home,’ Isaac whispered.

  His words stopped me. If it wasn’t my fault, then who’s was it? The world became clear again, and overwhelming anger erupted. ‘Where were you when I needed you?’ I cried out, furious with Isaac, furious with everything, but there was no answer.

  My soul thrashed violently fighting the pull; a soft laugh echoed in the distance. I fell back to Earth, back to the alley where Liam’s body lay—except something had changed. I crept closer to look at his pale face and fear slammed through me—Liam no longer lay there; instead, it was Aydin.

  I cried out in agony, my soul shredded and sliced. Was this how Aydin died, at the hands of a dark one? The similarities were suddenly clear. The last time I saw Aydin, on the day of his father’s funeral, the twitching eyes, the gaunt face, the rambling—it was just like Liam. How could I have been so blind?

  Horrendous guilt descended—it was my fault, all my fault. I hadn’t fought for either Aydin or Liam, and now both were lost because of me.

  ‘Callie, please come home.’

  I cast my thoughts to the heavens and screamed as loud as I could. ‘You knew! You knew and didn’t tell me!’

  ‘Callie you are not safe, please come back.’

  Repulsion erupted from the depths of my being, wiping the vision of Aydin away. Liam lay in the street again but it was too late, I knew the truth. This was what happened to Aydin too, and Isaac had known all along.

  Before I knew it, my feet sunk into the alley filth. I was back in human form which put me in danger, but I didn’t care. Being human isolated me from Isaac, I could feel it, so this was how I would stay. I turned from my past, and I started to run. I ran hard, and I ran fast, with no idea where I was going.

  Chapter 9

  It’d been months since Liam’s death, but my grief, pain, and guilt only continued to grow. Isaac still called constantly, but I learned to block him out.

  I’d returned to spirit form, not long after leaving the alley, and I’d remained that way ever since. Every day was the same as the last. I would wander the Earth living in the shadows, seeking sadness and drowning in the misery of others. I guess I was trying to understand my own pain, trying to find the purpose behind it. Isaac said pain helped people learn, but I couldn’t see how. I’d been through more heartache than most, but where had it left me? No better than when I’d killed Aydin’s wife.

  The nights and days were endless, and I lost track of time. My faith in everything disappeared—I witnessed violence, lust, greed, and I did nothing to stop it. I just let myself hurt, hoping I would eventually be numb to everything.

  ***

  It was a day like every other, when I stumbled
across the wedding in the slum. The sound of music and laughter stopped me for a moment, stirring memories of happier times, and my curiosity made me drift closer. It didn’t take long to find the source. In a square courtyard surrounded by a maze of derelict concrete buildings, a family sat at a long, makeshift table, covered in beautiful flowers. Salsa music blared from an ancient radio, and a barbecue smoked in the corner filling the air with the smell of roast meat. Candles of every imaginable shape and color, littered the otherwise barren area, and endless paper streamers wrapped carelessly around anything that would hold them. Not one chair matched another, and the infinite array of odd items looked out of place in a slum, but at the same time, it was remarkably pretty.

  There was even more beauty in the people that were present. They were dancing, laughing, and their smiles were real. The newlyweds were inseparable, and I knew immediately that no amount of money could buy what they had. The emotions were pure, and for the first time in a long time, I saw love. It touched me in a way that I’d forgotten was possible, and all around me, I felt the serenity of other guardians watching.

  I decided to stay for a little while, just to watch a little longer.

  Suddenly a strange howling sounded in the distance, and the carefree atmosphere broke. The music stopped, and the smiles disappeared as the color seemed to drain from the people themselves. I couldn’t see what was making the noise, but it was getting closer. The family panicked, running in all directions, fleeing the unseen enemy.

  Someone appeared at the back of the yard, and several others followed. They were the cause of the noise, baying like crazed animals and waving crude weapons. At least ten entered the small area, and the family halted its mad scramble. An eerie silence descended as the bride cowered behind the groom.

  The man who arrived first, surveyed the party smugly, a thin-lipped sneer creeping onto his face. ‘Our invitation must have got lost,’ he said. Small and lean the volume of his voice made up for his lack of size. The remark provoked jeers from his small posse.

  The visibly shaken groom stepped forward holding up his hands. ‘Jacque, I will come and see you tomorrow, but please, this is my wedding day.’

  The terrified bride whimpered, and Jacque’s gaze shifted to her. He sighed dramatically. ‘But you see Marco, I’m busy tomorrow,’ he replied, his mouth erupting into a crooked grin. ‘Your bride is very nice. I might forget the debt if you share her for a while.’

  Anger flooded the groom’s face, and he stepped back shielding his wife. The new arrivals laughed, savoring the anticipation of trouble. Jacque licked his dry lips, but his intent stare didn’t last long, and his expression quickly changed to one of boredom.

  Turning his back on the wedding party, he addressed his companions. ‘Bring her to me when you are done with them,’ he said, before leaving the way he came.

  His gang edged towards the wedding party with their weapons raised. The bride screamed, and the sound brought my festering rage to the surface. I was sick of watching things like this happen; I saw it all the time, and yet I did nothing. I could make a difference, and this time I was going to.

  Without even meaning too I suddenly transformed, appearing next to the groom. My image was identical to the human form I’d created on the beach so long ago. A huge man at the front of the gang broke into a sprint, and the others followed. He swung a large metal bar over his head, and I nearly lost my nerve. But at the last minute, I stepped forward, throwing my hand up.

  What happened next was totally unexpected. I caught the bar and ripped it away from him. The jarring motion threw him backwards, and he landed heavily on his back. The rest of the gang stopped in their tracks.

  The man staggered a little as he got to his feet and approached again. A crimson flush rose from his collar as he examined my face. ‘Who the fuck, are you?’ he growled, but he didn’t give me a chance to answer, instead, he grabbed at the bar which I still held in my hand. ‘Give me that!’ he screamed, flecks of spit raining to the ground.

  I tugged gently on the weapon and once again it slipped from his fingers. He leaped back but held his ground.

  Silence descended, and I realized that I had no idea what to do next. Everyone was looking at me, waiting for me to speak. ‘Leave these people alone,’ I declared, with as much confidence as I could.

  But I didn’t need confidence, my ethereal voice rang out across the yard, its volume astonishing even me. Several gang members covered their ears while others made the sign of the cross. The man in front of me still didn’t look intimidated, and why would he be. I must have appeared so harmless—a small, pale, redheaded woman in a white shoe string dress. Glancing over his shoulder at his friends, I could feel the humiliation oozing from him. He turned and lunged again with a snarl, determined to reclaim dominance. I extended my palm forwards, hitting him in the middle of the chest. The blow threw him backward, and he flattened several of his companions before landing. The reaction from the rest of his group was instantaneous; they fled, leaving him unconscious.

  I turned to the wedding party, their expressions of shock, relief, and awe, left me nervous.

  ‘I will find Jacque and…talk to him,’ I said awkwardly, before chasing after the departing gang. I could feel the mass of emotions I left behind, and by far and away the strongest came from the guardians. Even in human form I could sense their bewilderment and their inability to understand what they’d just seen.

  It didn’t take long to find Jacque; he was shouting at several of the men who’d caught up with him. ‘What do you mean a girl knocked Dean out? You’re all fucking useless.’

  One of the group noticed my approach and a look of terror crossed his face. He pointed, mumbled something and ducked away.

  Jacque ran his eyes over my body. ‘Well, well, well…so you’re the one who knocked Dean on his ass? Would’ve liked to see that,’ he said, his eyes lingering on my chest. ‘Perhaps you and I should go somewhere more private,’ he added softly. ‘We can even get a little rough if that’s what you’re in to.’

  This disgusting little man left me feeling physically ill. I moved closer, and he looked expectant.

  ‘Go to hell,’ I snarled.

  He shrugged with a menacing grin. ‘Meet you there.’

  He snatched a gun from his waistband, and three loud bangs rang out. I leaped back shielding my eyes, but nothing happened. Dropping my arms, I looked up to see everything frozen. Then I noticed the bullets slowly spinning towards me. Everything was deathly quiet, and I stepped aside, watching with fascination as the bullets drifted past. Reaching up, I plucked one from the air, rolling it between my fingers. It was hot, and I could smell the gunpowder.

  Suddenly the world returned to normal, and I glanced at Jacque.

  ‘Fuck,’ he muttered, his smug smile well and truly gone. I flicked the bullet at his feet as though discarding a cigarette; he was trembling. ‘That’s not possible.’

  I covered the distance with a single bound, ripping the gun from his hands. I threw it to the ground and grabbed the front of his shirt. With one quick leap, I slammed his back against a wall. He grunted, and I could smell his foul breath; his forehead glistened with sweat, and his chin quivered.

  Tilting my head, I looked at his face, wondering how many people he had hurt; how many women he’d abused. ‘What’s the matter, Jacque? Thought you liked it rough?’ I asked. A small whimper dribbled out of him. ‘So, how does it feel when you are the one who is powerless?’ He didn’t reply. My anger surged, and I lifted him into the air. ‘I said how does it feel?’ He started to cry, and I shoved him against the wall. ‘You sad, pathetic man. If you ever touch another living soul, I will finish you. Do you understand me?’ He nodded lamely. I tossed him to the ground, and he scrambled backward. ‘Now go!’ I screamed, my voice shaking the ground.

  Jacque slammed his hands over his ears and fumbled to get up. The three other members of the group who’d been watching from a distance, sprang into life and Jacque ran after them.

>   I stood there alone, my breathing so heavy it hurt. I felt incredible, empowered—the pain, the guilt, it was all gone. Then I realized something else. It was quiet, not just in the slum, but also in my head…Isaac had stopped calling.

  Before the crowds could gather, I transformed into spirit form, rising slowly above the buildings. I could see the inhabitants flowing from their houses, searching for the cause of excitement.

  In the middle of the chaos, the bridal party hugged each other. Several fell to their knees, praying fervently. For the first time since becoming a guardian, I felt as though I’d helped, and I liked it.

  I began thinking about all the horrors that were occurring right now, just below me, in other parts of this city. Just imagine if I could help them all. Would it be wrong of me to inspire more humans to faith? I knew it wasn’t part of the plan but neither, it seemed, were the dark ones. Maybe this was my destiny—to balance out some of the wrong.

  All these thoughts and more raced through my head as I drifted away, and it didn’t take long to absolutely make up my mind. I would spend my days helping. I didn’t have to appear to crowds or reveal my wings, I’d seen what a small amount of fear had done. Only one thing concerned me, I would have to spend a lot of time in human form, and that meant dark ones could find me. But the thought of interfering with their hunting thrilled me more than it should have, and if Isaac had a problem with my plans, he could tell me. Until then I would assume his silence, equaled approval.

  Chapter 10

  I left the city, and I travelled many miles—I wanted to keep moving to avoid drawing attention, and I knew I would find desperate people everywhere I went.

  I found a landlocked town, in the middle of the desert, and I set about scouring the streets. I came across a high school where classes were nearly over, and I stopped to watch awhile, to see what might happen. I couldn’t believe how plain the school buildings were. This place of human learning was such a stark contrast to the planet created for the education of earthly souls. I found it most ironic.