Anything for Him - The Idiots of Stonehaven, an original book series

Prologue

The outline of a small boy lay peacefully asleep, his figure bathed in moonlight. His brow twitched as he dreamt and he abruptly inhaled sharply. A small, nearly unnoticeable creaaaak sounded from the other side of his room, just loud enough to snap him awake.

His eyelids fluttered, popping open and he found himself wondering why he'd woken up. He glanced up at his window and noticed the full moon high above. He watched it with immense interest, smiling up at it. The distant stars glimmered beside it, scattered like fairy dust. The dark sky was gorgeous and the more he stared, the more glittering speckles he noticed. He sighed contentedly, then wondered why he'd woken up. As if to answer, another small creak sounded and he shivered, his eyes wide.

The small boy slowly, cautiously, rolled over to face the source of the noise.

On the other side of his room, inhabiting his chair, sat a darkened, humanoid, wisp of a being. Its wide white, exhausted eyes stared, seemingly abyssal from the boy's point-of-view. The figure cocked its head curiously, studying the child.

"Hello," it said; Its voice sounded as though someone had put a recording through a computer and distorted the sound. "Did I wake you?"

"No..." murmured the boy. "Who are you?" Wonder sparked in his eyes as he slid out of his bed and crept up to the figure. It leaned backward slightly as the child cautiously reached up to touch its face.

"I am your Passed Guardian. We have never officially met, but I am the one responsible for keeping you alive and safe."

"What's your name?"

It shrugged. "I don't know."

"You don't know your name?" The boy touched what would've been the figure's cheek, if it had flesh. A painless spark flicked between them, running up the boy's arm. He watched in awe as it traveled down his torso and was absorbed by his skin. "Woah," he whispered. He looked up at the figure. "What was that?"

"That was a Bonding Link," it said. "As your appointed guardian, I am to emit that spark."

"What will it do?" the boy asked, glancing down at his body.

"It links us," it explained, leaning forward. It stroked the child's face. "If you need help, you just call for me in your mind and I'll appear."

"Wow," he whispered, aghast. "What do I call you, though? You don't know your own name!"

"Most of us are named by the one we guard," it explained. "So my name is your decision." The little boy climbed into the chair and plopped down onto what appeared to be the figure's thighs. It wrapped its arm around the child's shoulder to keep him from falling backwards.

"Other kids have people like you?" He gazed wonderingly up at the figure.

It nodded. "But most guardians don't like being seen by the people they protect."

"Why not?"

It sighed. "I'm not entirely sure."

"I think that that's a little silly," announced the boy. "You're way too cool to not see!"

The figure watched him curiously. "Are you not afraid of me?"

"Nope!"

"Why not?"

"Because you won't hurt me," he said, smiling up at the figure. "You're supposed to guard me!"

The figure nodded. "That's true."

The little boy nodded. "Do you come to see me every night?"

"I do."

"So you've met my stuffed animals already?" he asked, sounding disappointed.