My Guardian Essence™

The Camera Lady Visits

It's now morning. After that intense day Nate had yesterday, once he brought Andrew back to Joanne's house, he immediately went to sleep. Joanne stayed up to keep watch while Nate, Andrew and Natalie slept. But now, Nate is up and is enjoying the sunshine radiating through the window. He then exits the bedroom and goes downstairs to see Natalie having a cup of coffee while Joanne is packing some stuff into some bags. And Andrew? Well...he's eating a crazy amount of food. Everyone looks at Nate and smiles.

Joanne: Good morning, Nate. How are you feeling?

Nate: I'll be fine. I guess. How are you guys?

Natalie: Well...I have a headache. After all that kicking and screaming from trying to escape those biker gang assholes, it gave me the wickedest headache known to man.

Joanne: I'm fine. Just...concerned about you guys.

Andrew: Well...as you can see, I'm stuffing my face. I haven't had a good meal in 2 whole weeks. That psychopath only fed me small pieces of burritos and 1 cup of water.

Joanne: Speaking of...what happened to him?

Nate: Let's just say that he "fell apart" after Andrew and I double teamed him. But he won't be bothering us ever again.

Natalie: Okay. So...what now? Joanne mentioned something about you wanting us to leave town for good. Why?

Joanne looks at Nate nervously.

Nate: Well...after all that happened recently, I think a change of scenery would be good for all of us. You got kidnapped by the most dangerous gang in Minnesota and Andrew got kidnapped by some psycho who tortured him for days. We all need a break.

Natalie: Well...I'm glad you mentioned that. Bill got released from the police station yesterday and he's planning on heading out of town too.

Andrew: My mom doesn't know that I'm back as yet but I heard that one of my aunts arrived yesterday and took her over to Idaho. So she's good too, I guess.

Nate: Well...that settles it. We leave today. Let's start packing.

UNKNOWN VOICE: I wouldn't do that if I were you...

Everyone immediately gets up and prepares themselves for battle.

Joanne: Uh...did anyone else just hear that creepy voice???

Andrew: Yeah, I heard it. Where did it come from???

Natalie: I don't know. Nate???

Nate: I...don't know either. Who are you? What do you want???

UNKNOWN VOICE: You can't see me but I can see you.

Nate: How???

UNKMOWN VOICE: The cameras. I travel through them. And this house has 13 different cameras, according to my calculations. With this, I can watch you and I can also travel freely.

Natalie: Travel through cameras? What the hell...???

Andrew: You wanna fight us? Show yourself!!!

UNKNOWN VOICE: I don't wish to fight. I wish to talk. I am what you call an Essence. You may call me...CAMERA LADY. [Original name: PAPARAZZI.]

Nate: Camera Lady?

UNKNOWN VOICE: Yes. But I won't be speaking to you. My master will be doing all the talking.

Everything is interrupted by a suddenknocking on the front door. Nate and Andrew pushes Natalie and Joanne behind them and they approach the front door and quickly open it to see who it is.

Nate: What the...?

Andrew: No way...

Delilah: Hello kids. Can I come in?

Joanne: Miss Germanotta? What's going on?

Natalie: Isn't that your guidance counsellor? What's she doing here?

Delilah: I didn't want you kids to behave hostile towards me so...I sent my Essence to announce my arrival before I came here. We have much to discuss.

Andrew: Can we trust her, Nate?

Nate: Let's hear what she has to say first. Then we decide what to do.

Everyone agrees and, after allowing Delilah to enter, they all have a seat in the living room to start their discussion.

Nate: Talk. We're listening.

Delilah: Now...as you all must know, I am employed to Medicamento Consolidated. I have been for quite a number of years. But there's more to that business than you think. And its not just me. There were others too...

Andrew: Brad, Evan and Jonah. Right?

Delilah: Yeah. Them. We were all apart of that company. Not by will or by choice. But by force.

Joanne: Okay. So...what's with the rocks? Why are they so important?

Delilah sighs and reveals her Essence "Camera Lady" to them. Nate and Andrew aren't really shocked but Natalie is terrified by it. And Joanne can't see it.

Natalie: W-Whats that behind you?

Delilah: Thats my Essence. Once you come in direct physical contact with one of the rocks, it merges with your body. This can either kill you or give you an Essence. And by the looks of it, only 3 of you can see it but 1 of you can't. Isn't that right, Joanne?

Joanne: You're... right. Natalie is looking at you with a terrified look on her face but I can't see why...

Nate: Wait. Natalie has an Essence? How???

Joanne: I placed the rock on the couch and Natalie slept on it. I'm sorry...

Delilah: So...that means that 2 of the rocks are accounted for. One gave Andrew his Essence and the other gave Natalie her Essence.

Andrew: So...how did Nate get his Essence then?

Delilah looks at them and takes a deep breath then creates a photo from the tip of her index finger. She hands this photo to Nate.

Delilah: It was 9 years ago. These 2 scientists found out the truth and took a piece of the rock away and tried to escape. It has to be the rock that gave you your Essence, Nate.

Nate looks at the photo first, followed by everyone else. They can't believe who the 2 scientists were.

Andrew: Whoa...

Joanne: Oh my God...

Natalie: That's...not possible...

Nate: ..............

Delilah: At the time, they told me their names were Robert and Malia Brown. I did some digging into Nate's past and found out who they really are. Their real names are...

Natalie: Robert and Malia Sprayberry...

Nate: My parents...

After this, everyone looks at Nate, who has an angry expression on his face, one they've never seen before. But one question remains. How did the rock his parents stole in 2013 end up inside Nate's body in 2022???