The Soul Guardians

chapter 2

To all of our bewilderment, the rough voice belonged to an old woman. She stood very still for a moment, her white gown billowing ominously in a timely cold breeze that moved her long winter-white hair about too. Those blood-flecked, milky eyes, deep-set in her world-weary looking face stared at us like she was in a trance.

She was unsteady on her bare, crow's feet, wobbling even as she stood still. And in her feeble voice, clearly struggling to get every sound out, she called my name for the last time.

"Come here, my child," she added, a strong accent becoming clear as she rolled her R, calling to me.

Zayan immediately extended his arm behind him to block me, as if I was stupid enough to actually go to the old woman.

"Who are you?" He called out to her.

She made no response. She simply stood there and stared, eyes wide, pupils darting all over like she was trying to make eye contact with each bee in a silent swarm only she could see. Her already pale face seemed to grow even whiter as she froze over.

"She doesn't look so good," River said pointedly and I wasn't too sure if he was trying to say how ill she looked or if he was just talking about her general appearance, because River was the type of person to call out something like that.

Aisling, who still hid her face away, opted to take River's word for it instead of seeing for herself.

Zayan nodded, "She doesn't look like she should be out here."

"We shouldn't be out here either," Yaseerah reminded him. "Maybe she's a new patient here? And she got lost or something?" she suggested tentatively.

None of us replied, silently agreeing with Yaseerah. It was the only rational reason for the situation at hand. I mean, I've been at this hospital for 7 years and I didn't remember her old face in the slightest.

Etched with deep crevices, a face scarred by time, would've stuck in my mind somewhere along the 7 years I'd been at the hospital. There weren't too many old people who chose to spend their last days fighting their illnesses at St. Diana's.

"Are you looking for something ma'am?" Yaseerah asked.

"Yeah, uh," Zayan tried to take the lead, "can we help you with something?"

"How do you know my name?" I asked, trying to sound like I wasn't on the verge of peeing myself in fright. My voice came out too loud, the sound of my mile-a-minute heartbeat drowning out nearly everything else.

The old woman didn't give me an answer. Still she stood there, dry lips and mouth hanging open slightly. I took a step forward to get a better look at her and Zayan's arm immediately tightened around mine. But I didn't need to go any closer to notice that something was wrong with her.

"Z, she looks... scared," I whispered to him but he still wouldn't let me go.

The woman's legs started to shake ever so slightly and she swayed dangerously on her feet.

"She's going to fall!" I yelled out as I fought my way out of Zayan's grip and ran over to catch her just in time before her knees gave out.

I held her up by her waist, completely shocked at the fact that I wasn't struggling. The woman was feather-light! She couldn't have weighed more than Aisling, as a matter of fact. Zayan followed after me, quickly grabbing her other side.

"I-is she okay?" Aisling peered over from the side of River's neck, lips quivering.

"I think she fainted," I said as we brought her over to the bench and sat her down with her back against the table for support. Then it was our turn to just stare in silence.