CHAPTER 1- THE GUARDIAN
ON THE STREETS
Loren was walking down the street. She sees a guy standing in the middle of the road.
"Does he want to get himself killed?"
Just then, she sees a car pass through the guy and stopped in her tracks. The guy looked at her, smiled, and vaporized.
"Am not going nuts am I?"
She pinches herself
"I'm definitely not dreaming. What's going on?"
AT HOME
Loren was thinking about what happened earlier and sees her diary on her study table. She goes to it and tries taking it but her hands just passed through. Just then, Mary yells from downstairs
"Loren dinner's ready."
"I'll be down in a sec."
Loren stares at her diary before exiting her room
DOWNSTAIRS
Loren arrived and stood in the doorway watching her mom. Mary was removing the chicken from the oven
"You gonna help or you'll stand there looking at me all day."
Loren got startled and walks away from the doorway and stood behind the dinning chair
"You knew I was standing there the whole time?"
"Yeah I knew."
Mary places the chicken on the diner table before continuing
"There's a bowl in the refrigerator containing salad, go take it out."
Loren let's go of the diner chair and heads to the refrigerator
"Sure. But how did you know I was there the whole time? You do not have super powers or invisible eyes behind your head do you?."
Mary laughed at her daughter's statement whiles taking a seat. Loren took out the bowl containing salad, placed it on the dinning table before taking a seat.
"It isn't funny mom. It gives me the creep. Today, weird things happened.
Mary started dishing out the food
"What weird things?"
Mary finished dishing and Loren took a bite of the salad before she continued
"Today, I saw a guy standing in the middle of the road..."
"And??"
"A vehicle drove through him."
Mary looked worried. She noticed Loren's stare and masks it with an amused face.
"You must have imagined it."
"No mom, he was real. He looked at me and smiled before vaporizing."
Mary takes one more bite before speaking
"You sure about this?"
"Absolutely. I thought I had gone insane. Also, before I came downstairs, couldn't hold my diary."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Before I came downstairs, I tried taking my journal to write today's happenings but I couldn't. My hands only passed through."
"Stop joking around. It isn't funny."
"I'm serious."
"For your safety, please keep this to yourself. Don't go spreading rumors."
"It isn't rum....."
"Loren! Please. Just. Stop.... Just stop."
"You don't believe me?"
"I don't know okay, everything sounds crazy. I don't want people to say you're crazy"
"I'm not. I know what I saw. Mom..."
"Eat!"
Loren was pissed at her mom. They ate in silence until the meal was over and did the dishes after.
"How about we watch a movie?"
"I'll pass. I'm heading upstairs. I'm very tired see you tomorrow."
"Sure. I love you."
"Love you too mom."
Loren left. Mary was thinking aloud
"I wish I could explain what's going on honey, but I can't. You're new to our world and I want to keep you out of harm's way. I wonder what Stephen will do if he finds us and the sapphire."
"You have to explain everything to her one of these days."
Mary turns around and sees Roland seated on the couch. She goes and joins him.
"I know Roland, but I just can't. I don't know how she'll take it. Tell me something was it you she saw?"
"I didn't expect her to see me yet she did and you made her think she'd lost her mind."
"What could I have told her. It's best if she thinks she imagined it. Please keep an eye on her okay? Especially now that she's seeing things like a guardian."
"Sure I promise you Mary. Good bye."
Roland vaporized
2 DAYS LATER
AT SCHOOL
Loren was in the washroom then an unknown officer entered.
"E'm this is the ladies room officer."
"I'm fully aware. I'm actually her for you."
"Me?... You're mistaking. I have never caused problems ever since I started this school. You can't arrest me."
"I have some questions for you."
Loren became confused
"You can't interrogate me in a ladies room."
"Oh I can"
Saying so, the officer's hand turned into a sword and Loren became terrified. She tries calling for help but the officer cover her mouth with his hand.
"You promise to be quiet and answer the question I have for you?"
Loren nods. The officer removes his hand from Loren's mouth
"Now tell me where your mother hid the sapphire."
Loren's expression changed from being scared to confused
"E'm excuse me, I dont know what you're talking about."
The officer points the sword hand at Loren.
"Stop joking around and tell me or you'll die. Where is the sapphire?"
"I swear I have no idea. I don't know anything. Now will you let me go?"
"No little girl. I'm sure one of the cleaners will find your body."
Loren eyes started to water. The officer noticed and began laughing. Suddenly, someone drove a sword from behind the officer and he exploded into ashes. Loren looked up and saw the same guy who was standing in the middle of the road
"You.. you... kill... ed.. an.. offi.. officer."
Roland gets closer to Loren
"You thought he was an officer huh?"
"Yes...yes."
"He's not. He's a devil"
"Devil?"
" Yeah. Come on, I need to take you home."
"How can I trust you? I don't even know your ... name?"
"Roland. I'm Roland."
"I'm Lo..."
"I know who you are."
Loren was caught off guard
"Wait,What?"
" You heard me. You're Loren. Mary's your mom."
Loren became alert
"How do you know my mom? Are you also searching for her? You're one of them aren't you? You want to hurt me?"
"No I'm not one of the bad guys. I'm good. Infact, I saved your life and I don't even get a thank you."
"Oh right. So, I'm supposed to believe you? How do you know my mother?
"She's was a good friend of my mother's. Let's get you home. Come on Loren.....trust me."
Roland gave his hand out to Loren. She hesitates a little before she puts her hand in his. Roland pulls her closer and before Loren could regain her composure,they vaporized.
AT LOREN'S HOME
Roland materializes with Loren. They notice the whole room have been vandalized. Roland panics. He begins looking around with Loren following behind
"Shit!... Mary! Mary.. "
"Mom"
"Where are you Mary?"
Mary came out suddenly startling both Roland and Loren.
"What happened? Why isn't she in school?"
"Stephen must have sniffed her out."
Loren emerges from behind Roland and gets closer to Mary but not close enough. Roland began feeling uncomfortable which made all his senses alert. Mary gets closer to Loren but then, Roland hurriedly crosses Loren and stabbed Mary. Loren snaps at Roland
"What do you think you're doing?"
"Saving your ass. She's not Mary."
Mary explodes and turn into ashes
"You have to be careful"
"Sure but where's my mom?"
"I'm here sweetie"
Mary materializes and Loren goes to hugs her
Loren breaks the hug and looks at her mom
"Don't ever scare me like that again.
"Sure. I promise"
Roland clears his throat before speaking.
"They found you. We need to leave it's not safe."
Mary looks at Roland and nods.
"I'll give you two some time alone."
Roland leaves. Loren grabs Mary's hand in hers before speaking
"Mom what's going on?"
"Honey, I hope what I'm about to tell you you'll understand and know that I did it to protect you...You're a guardian."
"A what?"
"A guardian. You peotect the mandanes (humans) from devils, vampires and shape shifting creatures."
"Vampires? They're really real?"
"Yes they exits. Someone powerful is after me. I hid a sapphire from him. Find the sapphire."
"Where did you hide it?"
"In.....the...."
"Mom? What's wrong?"
Mary coughed blood and Loren realized Mary had been stabbed. Mary fell and a devil emerges from behind. Loren starts walking backwards
"It's good that you're alone. Eliminating you will be easy as killing a fly."
The devil leapt towards Loren but she dodged. It stood up and leapt towards her again but it got hit in the back by an arrow and vaporizes before reaching Loren. Loren looked in the direction from where the arrow emerged and sees a different guy. Roland heard the commotion and came back. He sees Mary's body and also his friends
"Nick, did it hurt her?"
"Nah. I killed it before it got to her."
"We need to get out of here. More devils are on their way. Come on."
Loren gets up and kneels beside her mother's lifeless body
"We can't leave my mom's body here."
Roland gets closer to her
"We don't have a choice."
"You don't understand. You wouldn't say such things if you did."
"You aren't the only person here who's an orphan. We all are."
Loren realized she hadn't spoken well
"I'm sorry. But at least give her a descent burial."
Roland nods to Anna. Anna stretches her hand towards Mary's body and it caught ablaze. Loren realized what's going on and she began shedding more tears. Nick gets closer to Roland and whispers
"We'll go on ahead."
"Sure"
Roland's friends vaporizes leaving them behind
"Come on... we don't have much time."
Roland stretches his hand out to Loren. Loren nods before placing hers in his and they vaporized
