Free Guardian by Valerie King Page A

coffee.”
     
    *****
     
    He left for work each morning at nine o’clock sharp. I glanced at my wristwatch constantly; the minutes creeping by as my mother and I made our way through the busy streets of New York, steaming hot coffee in hand. My nerves were on edge, but I knew what I had to do. I had gotten this far. There was absolutely no reason to turn back now.
    Stopping in front of Strand, a local bookstore, I watched as my mother ran her fingers along the glass of their display window. “Look at that book, Mac. A book about angels for the eyes of the average human.” She shook her head. “Ha! If they only knew the real truth about angels.” She took a sip of her coffee and kept walking ahead, the morning sunlight beginning to fill the sidewalks of the city.
    I stopped suddenly, my hand grabbing my shoulder as I groaned aloud.
    Mom spun around and stared at me, a look of fear now bubbling over in her eyes. “What is it? What’s the matter?”
    “My mark, it burns…I can hear his heartbeat. He needs me,” I lied through gritted teeth. I did my best to act uncomfortable, but made sure the people that swept past us didn’t grow suspicious. I only needed to convince my mother that leaving now was imperative.
    “I-I really don’t want you going alone, Macy.” She shook her head, uncertainty and aversion twisting her mouth. “Maybe I should come with you…”
    “No, no, I’ll be fine. Really…I’ll be fine,” I reassured her, my hand now resting on her shoulder. “I have to go, Mom.” Without giving her another opportunity to argue with me, I turned around and began walking briskly to the corner of 12 th Street. Hanging a sharp right, I wedged myself between an overflowing dumpster and a stack of wooden crates, dematerializing instantly, only to reappear in the alleyway of his apartment building seconds later. Looking down at my watch, I only had a minute to spare before he left for work.
    “ Where is he ?” I said under my breath. Individuals walked past me, unaware that I stood only inches away from them. My eyes never strayed from the front door of his building. Maybe he had left early this morning, or maybe he was running late? My breath quickened as a sinking feeling fell over me…what if they had gotten him? My hands weren’t meant for killing, so perhaps they had taken care of him for me as a peace offering. I bit my lip in apprehension, drawing blood, the foul metal taste filling my mouth. Pushing the noises inside my head aside, I focused on his heartbeat. I had to find it, hear it, to ease my apprehension. Slow and steady, the beat of life permeated my mind, allowing the heat of worry I felt for him to slowly dissipate. The sound of his heartbeat had never sounded so beautiful before. But where was he? Without his direct prompting, I couldn’t materialize where he currently stood. I could only place myself where he might be.
    Dread pulsed through my veins as I searched my mind for answers. I concocted a scheme to find Evan; a tug at his soul to fizz over, allowing me to intervene. So I took my place on the bench in front of his apartment building…and waited for the right moment. The right moment to save the one I loved.
     
     

Chapter Thirteen
     
    Departure
     
     
     
    His figure started out small, but grew ever larger as he sauntered his way through the floodgates of individuals, half-eaten bagel in hand and earbuds blaring. Relief spilled forth as the truth washed over me; he was safe, alive, and walking towards me. Standing, I shut my eyes and called out to his spirit. I was toying with the dark arts, but I had to do what I had to do. Pushing my thoughts into his head, I begged for his feet to move toward the busy street, leaving the safety of the sidewalk. At first, there was no response. Then almost instantly, his course changed.
    Stepping out onto 72 nd Avenue, a bold yellow New York City cab slammed on its brakes, crushing the passenger side door of a white Mercedes as it