The Guardian's Protector: The Chamber of Souls

by Debbie Kowalczyk

  After ordering their beverages, the mums and babies sat at the table next to the window. Amy took Tom out of his pram and sat him on her knee.

  ‘Ethan’s waking up,’ Kate said, looking at her pram. A few of the mothers stirred and some shuffled farther away, grimacing as they did. Amy was confused by their actions.

  ‘Ethan’s a nice name,’ Amy said, trying to lighten the air.

  ‘Thanks,’ Kate said as she took him out of his pram.

  Kate put the child on her knee, and as she turned him to face Amy, Tom jerked back and Amy, holding back a gasp, stared in horror. There was definitely something wrong with him!

  Amy had seen children with ageing disorders, but to her they were still beautiful. This was definitely a face only a mother could love. Amy cringed; she’d never had such cruel thoughts. She would scald a person who said a child was hideous, but this reaction couldn’t be helped.

  Ethan’s cheeks were screwed up and taut, his skin an odd, none-human grey with blue veined lines running throughout like marbled stone. The texture, she presumed from the way it peeled and flaked, must have been rough; it was like someone had taken all moisture from his skin. It could have been some kind of new and horrid birthmark, but Amy had never seen anything like it.

  In addition to this, his head was misshapen. His forehead too big or his crown too small, it looked like part of his brain had been squashed. His hairline was also too low down on his forehead, almost meeting his eyebrows, and his jet black eyes were fixed in a permanent scowl.

  As he turned his crooked head, catching Amy’s glance, his lip curled and he made a snarling sound, making him look all the more disgusting. Something in his glare haunted Amy. Physically repulsed, bile rose to her throat. It was all she could do not to retch.

  Amy had never felt such a strong aversion to anyone, especially a baby, but something inside her could sense his vicious nature. As he continued to raise his lip even farther, showing his dark gums, an intense feeling of malevolence and terror ripped through her. Amy felt cold, empty and lifeless, her eyes grew heavy and she began leaning forward like some force sucked her towards him.

  Tom screamed, which brought her round. She sat back, blinked hard, then averted her eyes away. As she did, her familiar warmth re-entered her state.

  ‘Aww…he’s smiling!’ Kate said, oblivious to any part of Amy’s experience.

  Amy took a deep gulp, her heart racing as she braced herself to ask the question. ‘What date was he born?’ Amy knew exactly what she would say next.

  ‘The fifteenth of April. Why?’ Kate asked.

  Amy’s skin goose pimpled; it was the day before Tom’s. ‘At seven p.m.?’ Amy cringed as she braced herself.

  ‘Wow, how did you know that? Are you psychic?’ Kate asked.

  ‘Something like that!’ Amy said, turning her head to Winston, who stood under the arch watching them intently. As her glance held onto his, Amy realised he was on guard. Amy’s hairs stood on end as she glared back into the baby’s unflinching black eyes, which shined like oil.

  Kate sat Ethan up and put him directly in front of Tom. ‘Here you are, Tom, a new mate for you. This is Ethan.’

  Tom’s eyes were wider than Amy thought possible, his body language clearly indicating he wanted Ethan nowhere near him. He pressed himself as far back as he could into Amy and made his body rigid. Amy edged her chair back, but Kate pushed Ethan right in front of Tom, close enough for them to see eye to eye.

  ‘Hello, Tom,’ Kate said in a silly voice, holding Ethan’s hands and waving them at Tom. As Ethan’s hand touched Tom’s, immense sparks of white and blue fired between them, the noise like wild static. A magnetic force pulled their hands together and the fizzing sparks grew and fired all around them.

  Screams broke out from the mothers as Amy struggled to break their hands free, but the rapid sparks, moving from one hand to the other, had an unbreakable force. They lasted for around ten seconds but the shocking impact made it feel like minutes. When the tie broke, Tom threw himself back as if he was choking and, just when Amy thought he couldn’t breathe, he let out the biggest scream she’d ever heard. He then let out a piercing, mortified ululation.

  All the customers had stood to look, confusion apparent on each of their faces. Amy stood and patted his back.

  ‘Ethan’s shaking!’ Kate said, panicking. ‘What the hell was that? Did they give each other a static shock or something? Is it the wiring in this dodgy place or what?’ she shouted at Winston.

  Amy caught Winston’s eye; he was anxious. He wanted confirmation, but Amy looked away. ‘I’m going to take him home, Kate. I’ll see you again some other time,’ Amy said, hoping she didn’t.

  ‘Yes!’ Kate smiled.

  Winston ran to the door to hold it open for her and, as Amy looked into his eyes, he gave her a weary smile. ‘You know where we are!’

  She nodded. She was defiant, headstrong and argumentative, but she wasn’t stupid. Her sense of reality crumbled, her beliefs shattered, she didn’t know what was right any more.

  Amy had tears in her eyes as she backed out of the door. One last glance to Ethan confirming their fate, a cloud of hopelessness descended upon her as the defeat set in. There was definitely a Dogod and that horrid child was it! If Adaizi was right about that, it meant she was the Protector. It meant Tom was a Guardian! Only one thing remained in her mind as strong as before: the overwhelming need to protect Tom.

  Tom sobbed so loud as she pushed him down the street that passers-by shot her disapproving looks. Hoping she could settle him, she stopped on a bench halfway down the road and took him out of his pram. She held him close, tears falling from her eyes and rocked him back and forth until he calmed down. She then sat him in front of her and wiped her eyes.

  ‘How can I save you from all this?’ she asked, feeling a painful compression on her heart. He gazed deep into her eyes as if considering her words, his expression resembling concern. He then looked from side to side as if searching for something and, spotting a tiny stone, he lunged to the side to grab it. His head almost hitting the bench, Amy had to grip him tighter to support his weight.

  His reaction was quick. He swiped the stone into his tiny hand before Amy could pull him back from its reach. His attention was fixed on what he held and, as Amy tried to take it from him, he pulled his hand back, squeezed it tight and smiled.

  ‘Ta,’ she said, smiling back at his new, cheeky expression. ‘Give that to Mummy…it’s dirty!’ She raised her eyebrows but the word ‘dirty’ had the same effect as the word ‘sausage’: he set off giggling. Her mind now taken from the bombshell, Amy tried to prise it out of his hand but his grip was strong. Not wanting the stone to hurt him, she raised her eyebrows and waited for him to open his hand.

  He focussed on his fist for a moment, then opened his palm flat. What he held out towards her left her spellbound. The rough surface of the stone began to morph into a shiny, smooth texture. The colour changed from a dull grey to a vivid orange, then red, then white. It brightened and grew on his tiny palm, pulsating and flashing with pure brilliance and, glancing from it to Tom, she became transfixed.

  Tom concentrated on it until all its previous qualities had disappeared and Amy found herself looking at a magnificent, crystalline diamond.

  She went to touch the beautiful circular shaped gem when two thin strips of glittery, diaphanous material began to grow out of the top. They stirred and wielded their way over the sides of his palm and grew in length until both strips came to a stop and bound together, making a solid but lightweight chain. A faint, iridescent shimmer continued to run up and down the unique, silky material. Tom’s gaze lifted to Amy’s before he pushed his tiny hand towards her.

  Tears trailing down her cheeks, she stared at it in awe. She gingerly took the necklace and as the sunlight hit, the stone became prismatic. The weightless chain, with a power of its own, rose from her hand and floated towards the top of her head, settling perfectly onto her neck. She moved her long hai
r out of the way and, not too tight and not too loose, it shrank to a perfect fit. A feeling of warmth overwhelmed her as it touched her skin.

  She didn’t know how she managed any words but, holding the stone and peering into Tom’s magical, loving eyes, which were sparkling intently with tiny, glittery particles of light, she said: ‘I won’t let you be harmed by that Dogod, Tom! Never!’

  Tom looked considerate, as if wondering how to answer. It was so strange the way he studied her. Then, as if he realised what she’d said, he smiled.

  THE CHAMBER

  THE OBSERVATION

  Her wings pulsing red, Nevaeh stood transfixed to the Disk in front of her. The worried look in her grey, glitter-filled eyes was nothing to the emotion she felt as she helplessly watched her lower self, Amy, hold Tom close to her chest like someone was about to hurt him. Nevaeh’s soul ached as she watched Amy rock Tom back and forth on that bench, but she knew it was nothing compared to what Amy must have felt because to Nevaeh, it looked like Amy had lost her mind.

  Amy had built up so much resistance that Nevaeh knew there was no way she could communicate to her through emotions to trust the people around her. Amy was resisting in so many ways that Nevaeh felt helpless. After watching what Amy had been through, Nevaeh understood Amy’s anxiety, confusion and fear, but she also knew she’d be okay if only she could allow them to help, which she knew at this point Amy would never permit.

  Seeing Amy looking so young, lost and helpless, Nevaeh wondered if this human part of her would be able to handle the mission at all. Nevaeh knew before her soul had split, before she said goodbye to that part of herself until death, that what she’d taught others was right—that life was so very emotionally challenging, but she thought any part of her would have been more accepting of the truth, no matter what environment they had been a part of. As she watched Amy read about angels, psychics and mediums throughout her life, Nevaeh had been convinced that, when the time came, Amy would receive the information well. She now doubted whether her lower self could cope with the infliction at all.

  Turning towards the Omni-Pod to her right, the brightest pod on level one, she pushed the tip of her wing to the wall, squinting her eyes to cope with the blinding light of the soul inside. The Bright One, who glowed a phosphorescent gold, turned to her, pushing his luminous wing on the wall of his own Omni-Pod, which meant they could communicate.

  I love you, Tom, Nevaeh thought.

  The Bright One smiled, his green eyes beaming with rays of violet as he did. I love you too, Mother, he thought. Then, after feeling the Decision Maker’s presence above them, they both gazed up.

  After smiling lovingly at the souls in Omni-Pods who were having the Test, the Decision Maker turned to the Guardians’ patch, interested in just two specific adjoining souls.

  ‘Why do you look so sad, Nevaeh?’ he asked, his wing turning a compassionate pink as he did. ‘You are doing very well.’

  Not well enough, Decision Maker, she thought, knowing he could read her.

  ‘What makes you think that?’ he asked. ‘You have done better than we thought, and you certainly make a good mother.’

  Nevaeh turned to look at her disk again, her heart aching as she watched the tears fall from Amy’s eyes. I’m not of sound mind.

  ‘You will be,’ he said. ‘He will show you the way.’ He nodded to the Bright One, who faced her as the Decision Maker spoke, his glittery eyes full of concern.

  Yes, Nevaeh thought, turning to him and placing her wing back on the Omni-Pod. I’m sure he will. Nevaeh then turned to her Disk, feeling every ounce of her own old protective instinct for the Bright One, as well as the new, strange protective instinct that Amy had for Tom.

  ‘She’ll be all right, Bright One,’ the Decision Maker said to Tom’s soul.

  The Bright One nodded respectfully and turned, just like his mother, to carry on observing his own lower self.

  CHAPTER 6

  THE IDEA

  Amy sat wide awake in her bed, twiddling the crystal between her thumb and forefinger, allowing the soothing sensations it mysteriously emitted to penetrate her skin. The diaphanous material, weightless and comfortable, sent stimulating waves down her spine as if making conscious attempts to calm her. The knot in her stomach, however, lay heavy. A burden had settled and wasn’t about to shift.

  Staring at Tom sound asleep in his wooden crib, she wondered how this beautiful yet unnerving enigma of a child could be destined for such trauma. Amy may not be stupid but she was still stubborn and headstrong; she would never let Tom fight such evil. All night her mind searched for a way out. She knew if she asked herself How? long enough, she’d find an answer.

  At seven a.m., she heard Luke ascending the stairs to get ready for work and sat up on full alert. He entered the bedroom, took one look at her necklace and froze.

  ‘What the hell is that?’ he asked, clearly startled.

  ‘This?’ She held up the crystal, which flashed as it caught the light. Luke stepped back, holding his hands over his eyes like he’d seen an eclipse of the sun. As he did, the pulses inside the crystal picked up the same rapid pace as her heart.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Amy asked.

  ‘I…don’t know,’ he said, a mixture of terror and confusion across his face. He looked lost for a moment, pitiful even, and then his head spun to her, his face hard and threatening, his eyes darkening with his glare. He took a step forward as if to attack, then dropped violently to his knees, writhing in pain, like some force shoved him down.

  ‘Luke!’ Amy said, jumping out of bed.

  ‘No!’ he screamed, waking Tom. ‘Keep away!’ He stumbled to his feet and, with a terrified look, ran down the stairs and out the door. The door thudded loudly behind him and Amy was left, heart racing and perturbed.

  ‘Mummy!’ Tom said, which startled her even more. His hands stretched out, his face filled with desperation. She couldn’t believe he’d spoke. Shaking, she lifted him out, sat back on the bed and, after staring into his frightened eyes, burst into tears. Tom placed his tiny palm on top of her head, his expression full of concern, and began to concentrate on his palm. She knew he was looking for the light to heal her.

  ‘Mummy’s okay,’ she said, taking his hands away. ‘I’m going to find a way out of this, don’t worry.’ With Tom listening intently, like how a dog would look at its master when catching a word it recognised, she sensed he understood what she was saying.

  Suddenly, as if her mind was a transmitter receiving a signal, she remembered the new age shop on a side street in the northern quarter of town which had many mystical things in the window she’d often wanted to visit. She dressed herself and Tom and, before having breakfast, caught the bus. If anything could come close to helping, Amy thought, she would find it there.

  She stepped off the bus and placed Tom in his pram then marched down the main road, past the noisy fruit and vegetable stalls, to the side street just past the Buddhist centre where she had been to meditate on occasion. Just walking past the elegant three-storey building made her feel calm. She made a mental note that she must visit it more often.

  As she turned the corner, she saw a sign on the new age shop’s door saying ‘Back Soon’. Amy sighed and stepped to the side to look through the tall glass window. Adorning the shelves behind it were crystal balls, tarot cards, books on mediums, psychics and dreams, and surrounding all of these were bizarre and beautifully detailed, yet creepy, ornaments.

  A set of wind chimes rang as a woman with long, scraggly, straw-coloured hair popped her head around the door.

  ‘Come in,’ she said in a lethargic tone, her many bangles jingling as she used her forefinger to lure them inside. The lady held the door open wide enough for Amy to push the pram inside, and her long gypsy skirt swept the floor as she moved.

  As Amy entered, Tom’s head turned from side to side as he took in the ceiling-high shelves lined with hundreds of books that Amy presumed were filled with anything and everything strange. The smel
l of sandalwood tickled her nostrils and as she reached the counter she met the culprit of her irritation: incense, halfway through a burn, stood smoking in a blue, ceramic holder.

  Amy settled the pram by the counter and took in the full extent of the ominous shop. There were candles and trinkets, weird jewellery and strange oddities that made the stuffy room look like an old antique store. With nothing in any kind of order, Amy didn’t know where to start.

  The lady’s squinting eyes lit with excitement as she closed the door. She smiled dreamily and, swaying her head from side to side as if dancing to music, glided ethereally towards them.

  ‘Who have we here?’ she asked, her eyes wide with interest as she peered over Tom’s pram.

  ‘This is Tom. My name’s Amy. I’ve just come to have a look around.’

  ‘Tom,’ she said, staring into his wide eyes, ‘and Amy,’ she added, peering back at Amy with a disbelieving smile.

  ‘Yes,’ Amy said, bewildered. The woman stared for a moment like she’d been placed on pause. Her strange attire and behaviour, her odd mannerisms and ageless yet serious face made her as mysterious as the shop.

  ‘He’s impressive,’ she said, gazing intently at Tom. ‘And gifted!’ she added, turning to Amy, her eyes wide and intense.

  ‘Are you psychic?’ Amy asked.

  ‘Something like that.’ The woman smiled. A flicker of hunger shone in her eyes as she turned her attention back to Tom. ‘But he…is a very special boy!’ Her eyes were fixed on his. Just as Amy began to feel uncomfortable, the woman prised her eyes from Tom and turned to Amy. ‘My name is Rose. What is it you desire?’ she said in a tone that told Amy she shouldn’t bother trying to lie to her.