The Guardian Warrior

Chapter One

Ivy

The darkness seemed never ending as I made my way down the street. I could see the streetlight in the distance and hurriedly made my way towards it. I normally don’t mind the dark, but tonight was different. This time, it felt as though someone was watching me. I ignored the shivers running down my spine as I reached the edge of the circular ring that the light was producing.

I quickly fished through my purse for my phone. I try to never leave home without it. I normally don’t use it very often. It’s mainly a precaution so I don’t get stuck in a sticky situation. Dialing the number I knew by heart, I was disappointed when he didn’t answer. It is late though. My shift didn’t end until eleven-thirty tonight and Dad usually goes to bed around nine.

With disappointment still coursing through my veins, I put my phone away before making the long trek back to my living quarters. It’s actually a small apartment, but I think of it as a place that I’m temporarily staying. In my nineteen years of life, I’ve learned to never call a place home until it truly does feel like home to you.

I’m jerked away from my thoughts by a strange noise coming from my left. My fear level spiked, making me push my legs faster so I could reach my destination more quickly. The noise sounds closer, forcing me into a full out sprint. I don’t look behind me. Not only because of my fear, but also because I don’t want to lose my balance. I’m only a block away from my destination. If I fall now, the noise that’s behind me will undoubtedly catch up.

But as luck would have it, I didn’t need to look back in order to lose my balance. My own clumsiness and the uneven sidewalk did that perfectly on their own. I was able to stop myself from completely face planting into the cement, but that wasn’t without consequence. Throwing my hands in front of me, I felt the sting against the palm of my hands before I heard the sickening crack of a bone snapping out of place. I cried out as the pain registered into my fear driven mind.

My momentum forced me to continue forward, making me hit my head against the pavement below me. I knew I was going to lose consciousness as I felt blood begin to trickle down my face, pooling on the sidewalk. The pain from my broken left arm and the stinging from various injuries from my encounter with the sidewalk had me closing my eyes. The last thing I noticed was bright blue eyes as everything faded to black.