Guardian - Prologue - Part 2

I could see Jayeden roll his eyes upward in exasperation and heard him draw in a slow breath to calm himself down. “Aria, think logically. You have no idea where they are. You’re injured to the point of bleeding out. Even if you were in perfectly good health and you had a clue on where they were, you’d have no chance.”
He paused and stared at me for a moment as I swayed back and forth. “You’re also about to pass out on me again.” He muttered. He placed a hand on my shoulder and another on my left arm to steady me.
Getting a second wind, I suddenly felt enriched with new energy that chased the dizziness away. I straightened up and determinedly glared at Jayeden. “There is a chance. I’m going to find and help them if it kills me.” I attempted to wrench away from him.
Jayeden watched me with sympathetic eyes, keeping me restrained within his iron grip. Good grief, when did he start working out?
I finally gave up on getting away from him and huffed. Being a red belt in Taekwondo wasn’t really helping me right then.
The corner of his mouth twitching into a small smile, Jayeden drilled that green-eyed gaze into me. “Are you done yet?”
When I didn’t answer, his face grew serious again. “Aria, why won’t you let me take you to the hospital?”
Great. Exactly where I didn’t want the conversation to go. I felt my face grow hot. “It’s a long story. I just can’t go, okay? Please, please don’t take me.” I felt desperate.
He sighed. “Okay. I can’t believe I’m doing this, but okay. I trust that you know what you’re doing.”
Taken aback, I stared at him unblinking. Did he just say what I thought he said?
He nodded to the door. “So, where do you think they went?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know where they took the kids. I just feel that they’re getting further and further away.”
He raised his eyebrows. “Feel? Aria, if you keep talking like this, I’m going to have no choice but to-…”
“You won’t have to do that.” I interrupted. “Just trust me, okay?” I started for the door.
Jayeden reached out and grabbed my left arm, throwing it over his shoulder. He placed his hand under my right arm, practically lifting me off of the floor.
Startled, I craned my head to see him looking down at me. “What are you doing?” I asked, a bit of alarm creeping into my voice.
“You’re not going anywhere without me.” He said softly. His serious green eyes searched my face.
I nervously shifted. I appreciated the gesture, but if he felt my wings through my jacket…
I nodded jerkily and managed a shaky smile. “Thanks.” Determined to get his attention elsewhere, I started once again for the door.
We reached his car with no comments on his end, so I guessed that he was either too nice to say anything or just hadn’t noticed the unusual lump on my back. He let go of me and hovered there for a second, testing to see whether or not I could stand up on my own. Satisfied that I was okay, he unlocked the passenger door and opened it for me.
Once I had painstakingly climbed into the seat and gotten buckled in, Jayeden shut the door and jogged around to the driver’s side. I grimaced as I pulled the seatbelt to where it wasn’t so tight against my tender stomach.
“So, what do we do now?” Jayeden turned the car on and glanced at me as he pulled his Lancer out of the parking lot.
I sighed and leaned my head back. Somehow I knew where they were, like part of me was still with them and unconsciously documenting what was happening. I rubbed my eyes. So many weird things had been happening to me.
“I’m not sure…” I murmured as I closed my eyes. Maybe if I concentrated, I could pull the information out that I was looking for. It was right there, I knew it, but still out of reach. It was like looking at a picture and not being able to make out the object, but still able see the colors. I drowned out the noise of the engine and delved into my thoughts. I pictured myself standing with the others, wherever they might be.
Without warning, I was pulled into the pictures in my mind. I was suddenly sitting cross-legged in a dimly lit room that rocked and bounced violently. It took a minute for my eyes to adjust to the scarce light, but I could make out three faint figures huddled on the floor. I gasped slightly when I realized that each of the figures was chained to the wall.
“Chandler?” I said incredulously to the brown-haired girl hugging her knees beside me. My best friend paid no attention to me. I tried to touch her, but my hand passed through her body like it was vapor. I stepped back in shock.
They were being transported like animals in a truck. Where they were being transported, I didn’t know. I had to find that out. I closed my eyes with a hard swallow and imagined myself in the cockpit with the driver.
I opened my eyes experimentally, and found myself sitting in the seat next to a big, hairy guy behind the wheel. I wrinkled my nose at the smell that wafted from him. I looked around at the road before us and managed to get a glimpse of a few road signs that indicated their location.
I closed my eyes to will myself back into the cargo hold again, when a wave of weakness hit me like a sledgehammer to the head. I gasped and frantically concentrated harder. I had to hurry.
I rematerialized into the dark room with the kids. I hurried over to one of my friends’ side, my breathing becoming labored. I was slowly fading.
I leaned close to the girl, who I made out to be Liah, my friend Gallagher’s younger sister, and whispered quickly into her ear. “Hey, hang in there, okay? You guys are strong; you can do it. I know you can. Don’t give up. I’ll be here to help you soon. Just hang on till I get here.” My lungs felt like they were going to explode.
Liah gave a small groan and lifted her head. She looked straight at me, her eyes widening. She said nothing.
I nodded earnestly, and my heart fluttered. Maybe she could see me. “Alright, Liah. You’re doing great. I know it’s scary, I know it’s hard. But just stick it out, okay? Do that for me.”
Liah was silent, but her eyes grew ever wider.
I gave her a small smile and closed my eyes. I couldn’t stay any longer; already I was blacking out. I withdrew my presence from the picture in my mind.
I vaguely became aware of cool air blowing on my face and the scent of Jayeden’s car floating into my nose. I sighed deeply and relaxed. But that didn’t last very long.
I remembered the road signs I saw. I jerked up. “Turn left here, take I-71 south, get off on exit 220, take two lefts and a right.” My hand flew up to cover my mouth. Where had that come from?
His knuckles turning white from his death grip on the steering wheel, Jayeden threw an astonished look in my direction. “What? How do you know that?”
Sucking in the cool air, I shifted in my seat. “I don’t know; I just do.” I mentally kicked myself for being so careless about what I said. “Um, I think I remember hearing one of the bad guys saying something about going, um, in…that direction…” I trailed off, realizing that I was only making the situation worse by trying to explain myself.
Jayeden looked at me suspiciously for one moment, as if considering bypassing the hospital and going for the loony bin instead, then turned back to face the road. We drove on in silence.
Feeling embarrassed and ashamed of making a fool out of myself, I squeezed my eyes shut and leaned back. Why couldn’t I have been normal? I would’ve gotten along perfectly fine without wings, constant nightmares that scared the bejeebies out of me, and all this other weird stuff that was happening to me today! Why?
Why couldn’t someone understand?

Guardian - Prologue - Part 1

I awoke with a start, jerking upright and panting heavily. A sharp, searing pain shot through my abdomen that made me feel like I’d been shish-kebabed. I clutched at the left lower part of my stomach, wondering why I wasn’t dead yet. Biting my lip and holding my breath, I tenderly pulled my jacket up and peeled back my blood–soaked shirt. I cried out in agony as I strained to pull my undershirt off of the crusty wound so I could get a better look at it.
I gently propped myself onto my elbows and looked down at the gash in my stomach. It was about two inches across and who knew how deep. Burly Man must have dug the blade around in there quite a bit after I’d lost consciousness. I lay back down on the floor, exhausted.
I should be dead.
I closed my eyes and rested for a minute. With every heart beat, my stab wound sent a tidal wave of unbearable pain throbbing throughout my body. I didn’t know what to do, I couldn’t possibly yell for one of the kids…adrenaline suddenly burst into my veins. The kids!
Gathering every bit of will I had, I struggled to my feet and clutched at my injury. Had the kids gotten away? Or had they been captured by Burly’s men because I failed to keep them distracted while the kids made their escape? I took a step and faltered slightly. There wasn’t much I could do. That fact by itself made me want to scream.
About to pass out again, I limped slowly toward the door. My legs felt like Jell-O in 90 degree weather. I grimaced with every step, but gritted my teeth and kept on. I had to help them.
I finally reached the door and pushed it open, only to have my legs buckle under me. I crashed through the doors and to the floor in a heap, flopping onto my right side in order to avoid jarring my injury too much. A small squeak escaped my lips.
My heart dropped. The fatigue totally wiped out my will to keep on. Who knew where my friends were by now? They could’ve been captured by those men, or they could’ve gotten away. Either way, they were still in danger. I was the only one to help them, and there I was writhing on the ground with no hope like a dying snake.
Great friend I am.
With a deeply exhaled breath and a surge of pain following it, I closed my eyes and relaxed my whole body. My wound was still bleeding, though I didn’t really notice as I rested; I was too busy imagining my overexerted muscles melting into the floor.
A sound came from the main doors; I cracked an eye open slightly to see what it was. Most likely Burly Man coming to make sure that I was dead.
I squinted at the blinding light. A figure emerged from the glow, paused for a moment, and then started slowly toward me. I opened my other eye and blinked, wanting to confidently meet Burly Man’s evil glare as he ended my existence. The figure grew taller as it got closer, taller than Burly was.
I wrinkled my nose. Burly Man sent one of his men to kill me instead? The person stopped suddenly, and I heard a small gasp. “Aria?”
I tilted my head a little, straining for a better view. Was that someone I knew? Evidently he knew me. I sorted through the people I was acquainted with in my head.
The guy rushed to my side and knelt down next to me. I looked into his face, struggling to identify him. He had brown hair that was slightly spiked at the front. He looked like he hadn’t shaved in two days… I blinked several times. My thoughts were so foggy, I couldn’t get anything straight. Did I know this person? He looked so familiar.
I stared at him hard, not even recognizing that he had lifted me off of the ground and held me in his arms. His lips were moving, but no sound was coming out. The realization that I wasn’t going to last much longer came like a punch in the gut. I watched him as he flicked his gaze from me to something before him. His eyes transformed from a blue tint to a vivid green as light spilled onto his face. My heart jumped in recollection.
Jayeden.
For some reason, relief flowed over me like healing water. If there was going to be anyone at my side when I died, I wanted it to be him. I closed my eyes with a small smile. It was nice to have a friend there for you. I was vaguely aware of the sweet numbness enveloping my body. I nestled into the growing darkness.
“No; no, Aria, don’t do this! Don’t die on me...”
Something pulled me back. I wanted to shake off the command. The darkness was so comforting, so…safe. I drifted back into the nothingness.
“Oh no. No. Hold on, Aria...”
I wrenched myself from the plea. Leave me alone! Why can’t you just leave me alone? I felt like curling up in a ball and crying. Go away… I felt a hesitation. “Aria?”
I wanted so desperately to fade into the darkness. No…I’m so tired. Leave me alone.
“No. I refuse to leave you alone.” Something yanked me back into the blinding light and excruciating pain.
I screamed in anguish. I didn’t want to hurt anymore, didn’t want to face the pain. I was too exhausted.
Yet something kept pulling me out into the open; out where I wasn’t safe. It was so cold. “Okay…okay, we’re doing well. Hold on.”
I groaned as shivers wracked my entire body. Why were they doing this to me? Why? Let me go! I kicked and fought and struggled against the force that reeled me back into the torture.
An impression of happiness that wasn’t mine touched my thoughts. “Good. Keep fighting, Aria. We’re almost there.”
Fighting? I quit thrashing around and relaxed. Maybe if I stopped struggling… I let myself drift away in the river of black. Just let me go… Overwhelming fear tackled my mind as I descended, almost out of the force’s constant grasp. I wasn’t the one who was afraid, though.
“No! Aria, don’t you dare! I will not let you die!” Heart-driven power exploded all around me as I was grabbed and jerked upward, out of the darkness. All of my senses were overloaded at once. My body automatically gasped for air, something that felt extremely foreign and almost painful.
I suddenly became aware that it was very cold. I coughed violently as my lungs grew accustomed to the oxygen that it had been deprived of. I couldn’t open my eyes for fear that I would be blinded.
“Where am I?” I choked, asking no one in particular. I grimaced at the volume of my voice.
“You’re at the school.” An exhausted voice sounded beside me. I forced my eyes open and tilted my head toward the person. Jayeden Storm sat on the floor below me, looking like he had just fought a battle. His weary eyes searched mine.
I blinked and realized that I was lying on a couch. My head was pounding with the amount of information my senses were sending it all at once. I unconsciously placed my hand on my stomach, my fingers brushing the sticky hole in my shirt. With a start, I jerked up, thinking that my wound had disappeared; I couldn’t find it. An agonizing pulsation caught me by surprise. I gave a loud groan. Never mind. I found it.
Jayeden jumped up as quickly as I did. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”
I eased myself back down to the soft couch, a small bit of air escaping sharply from my mouth. Throbbing rivers of pain coursed through my abdomen and dissipated among my muscles. Ouch.
I turned my head and looked at Jayeden, who was hovering over me with a freaked-out expression on his face.
I gave a small, lop-sided grin, trying to be brave. I had been through worse before; I could handle this now. “What’s up?”
Jayeden’s freaked-out look turned into one of incredulity. “Uh, you just got stabbed. That’s what’s up.”
Wiping the silly grin off of my face, I sighed and grimaced. “Yeah, I know. The pain won’t let me forget.” I looked at the carpet, replaying what happened earlier as images in my mind. Without warning, fear struck my innermost heart. I jerked up again, this time ignoring the throbbing that screamed at me angrily for straining myself. I clumsily stumbled to my feet. “The kids!”
I wobbled and almost threw up as my world suddenly started tossing and turning before my eyes. Thankfully, Jayeden leapt to his feet just in time to catch me before I hit the floor.
The guy kept a hold of my shoulders to steady me as the never-ending dizziness struck me as if I’d just downed enough alcohol to intoxicate an elephant. The unstableness eventually subsided, and the room was returned to its original place. I blinked to focus my vision and testing my endurance, took a hesitant step away from Jayeden.
Jayeden caught my arm and whirled me around so I was facing him. “Where do you think you’re going? You’ve just been stabbed! You should be in the hospital right now!”
I tilted my chin up stubbornly and met his gaze. “The kids are in trouble! I’ve got to do something to help them. I’m not going to sit around while they’re probably getting tortured or something!”
“You’re in no shape for any rescue missions right now.” Jayeden narrowed his eyes. “We’ll call the police and let them find the other kids. But right now, I need to get you to the emergency room.”
I did my best to keep my eyes from tripling in size and my face from turning a deep shade of red. The last thing I needed was some poor doctor or nurse doing a routine check stumbling across a little secret that I liked to call my wings. There was no way that I would let myself be placed in that position. Who knows what they would do to me - a freak?
Ducking my head down a slight bit, I scratched my neck nervously. “No, I refuse to go.” My voice quivered as I tried to sound strong and commanding. Looking down, I shook my head and bit my lip; tears were starting to pool in my eyes.
Jayeden placed a finger under my chin and pushed upward, catching my wavering gaze. “You’re hurt, Aria. You can’t go on with a big gaping hole in your stomach. You need someone to fix it up.”
I clenched my fists tightly for one last defiant stand. “I don’t need anyone to fix me up. I can go on just fine on my own.” My confidence quickly faded as I felt a warm, wet sensation on my skin under my shirt. My wound was bleeding again. Defeated, I looked back up at Jayeden. “Please…don’t do this to me.”
Jayeden stared at me for several moments longer, trying to understand what I had just said. He dropped his voice down to a calmer tone. “Aria, I can’t just leave you here to bleed to death. What do you expect me to do?”
My vision becoming edged with black fuzzies once again, I blinked and strained to see Jayeden’s expression. “I…I don’t know. But they need my help…I can’t leave them to die, I just can’t.”

Ahh, A New Story??

Yes, please.

The next few posts will be a story entitled "Guardian", working title, of course. I haven't really gotten around to coming up with a better one, but comments or thoughts about it (and the story itself) are appreciated.

So....

Let the story commence!