The Green Guardian

Chapter 26: Lore of the Green Guardian

"But I don't want to get better." Mateo clutched his shoulder with his other hand.

"Don't say that," Thebes begged. "You're going to."

"But I don't want to."

Thebes narrowed his eyebrows. "What about your baby? She can't grow up without a dad."

Mateo cringed. His baby. That was what Thebes said. He gulped. "Thebes, my baby does not deserve me."

"But you love her!"

"She doesn't deserve me! I'm already a horrible father." Mateo removed Thebes's hand from his shoulder. He pulled his blanket over his head. The next time he spoke, his voice was muffled. "I wanted to write her a song, but now I can't."

Thebes grasped the young man's knee under the blanket. "Who said you can't? You just need to get better."

"Isabella will hate me." Mateo buried his face in his pillow. He said nothing more. He was too distressed.

Thebes let him be. He just had to be patient until he calmed down. He picked up his weapons and went outside to do a little hunting.

Now all alone, Mateo tossed his blanket and pillow off him. He fell from the couch and landed next to the coffee table. Struggling to his feet, he stumbled into Thebes's spotless kitchen. Even he couldn't keep his own kitchen clean. To himself, Mateo whimpered, "She doesn't deserve me."

He dug through Thebes's kitchen drawers. He discovered old plants, cups, napkins, and some plates. It wasn't until the last drawer he found what he was looking for–a knife.

"What are you doing, kid?" Thebes had just returned. There were a few hares over his shoulder.

Mateo jumped. He grabbed an apple from a fruit basket and set it down in front of him on Thebes's counter. "I got hungry." His tummy flipped. The knife wobbled in his hand.

Thebes took it away from him. "I'll make something for you. In the meantime, I want you to return to the couch."

Mateo did. While he rested, Thebes fumbled around in the kitchen. He hid every knife, sword, and dagger. Afterward, he fixed Mateo some soup.

On the couch, the ranger lay on his side with his head on his hands. He stared at the vast room in front of him. He thought he saw something enter the den from the wall–a black angel.

He flapped his feathery wings and gestured for the young man to join him. Of course, it was all in Mateo's head. Shaking it, he turned his back to the angel.

"I'm a terrible person," he muttered to himself.

***

Evie, her group members, friends, and family returned to Paperblank Village. Nobody smiled. Everybody looked defeated and worried, especially Maria. She was at the point that the volcano growing on top of her head was about to erupt.

Ms. Julie met up with the party under the maple tree. She searched them and asked, "Where are Mateo and Sam?"

Maria huffed. She tightened her grip on the straps of Mateo's bag she wore on her back.

Ms. Brook stopped next to her. She returned her engagement ring.

Maria did not thank her. Instead, she closed her fingers over the ring and glared at Ms. Julie. "Why on Earth did you guys send Mateo here when he is clearly burnt out? Do y'all not even realize how long you've been working him? Nine months! Nine freaking months! The wedding is ruined!" She chucked her ring onto the ground.