Until We Fly: The Guardian Legacy

Chapter 5: The Mysterious Dr Oaks

"Wait, wait, wait...you've been alive how long?!"

"Longer than eternity."

"How...how is that even possible?!"

"Well, I managed so it must be."

My attempts to get answers out of this freaky girl only ever seemed to result in more confusion.

"Alright. So where do you live?"

She sighed and turned, crossing her legs. As she did, her dress slid up a little, showing more leg.
Yeah, I couldn't help looking.
I'm a boy, you can't judge me.

"I've always found that question stupid. People don't live anywhere you just...live. You should say 'where do you sleep?' Or something like that."

She was already pissing me off.

"Fine. Where do you sleep then?"

"Oh, I have a castle."

Suuuuuure she did...
"...right. What about family?"

"I only have my sister left."

"And does she live with you?"

"No, she lives underwater. We can both breathe down there but we're just...we're just not meant to be close. We're safer this way. Happier too."

"You're happier alone?"

She turned again, giving me a small smile.

"I'm never alone."

The tone of her voice as she said this sent shivers down my spine.

I sat down in my desk chair, moving it to face her.
"Okay...so, what do you know about Guardians? Are you a Guardian? Or something similar at least?"

"Kid, I know almost everything about everything. You know how long I've lived. And no, I'm not a Guardian. I'm nothing like a Guardian."

"If you're not a Guardian, a Warrior or a human then what are you?"

She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hands and smirking.
"...I'm everything in between..."

We sat there in sincere silence, just staring at each other as her hair floated elegantly behind her.

"So, done with questions then, detective?"
She grinned, breaking the silence.

"Yeah...you know, you're not very easy to work with."

"I don't work. I live. Even if sometimes it's painful..."
She sighed, looking into my lavalamp as it delicately moved.

"...you don't have to be so depressing."

"Well, that can get pretty hard when you've been around as long as I have."
She snapped, her fists closing as she glared at me.
"People like you are so lucky. You have no idea what you have! All it takes is a bit of bleach or a certain vein or pill and that's it! You're gone! But what about me, huh?! What about me?!"
Her body raised from the bed, floating up in a far more threatening position.

"I-I'm sorry...but my best friends are all like you. They're Guardians. They all-"

"No, no, no! Even them, even those snobby little rainbow haired brats have a way out! They all have crystals! That's all...all it takes..."
The anger drained from her face as she slowly sat back down and sadness took its place.
"...I've seen...so, so many people die...people I cared about..."