The Boy and the Wolf

Chapter 2

He lead me throughout the woods until were in a city-- but as soon as I looked back to watch the woods from afar, it was completely gone and was nothing but a mural on the strip.

I turned forward quickly as I figured Chris shouldn't have to babysit me as if I'm a five year old.

I tried to cover myself but no one seemed to care, zipping through in a hurry like I did sometimes, which begged two questions: why are they in a hurry, and why don't they notice? 

I guess Chris saw my expression because he chuckled and explained. 

"They all were in your position once, they understand and are bored of staring at newcomers almost every day."

"You mean all of these are guardians?" I shivered at the thought of having to live the rest of eternity rushing through the streets with no where to go and no where to stop alongside these guardians, but it's not like I wasn't when I was alive. 

"Well-- second guardians," he slowed down and turned his head to face me with a reassuring smile, "Once your angel fails, you have to stay here and work for the big man himself. And you, my friend, are called an angel. In this stage, at least. " I chuckled at his words, since he seemed to be so sure of himself. 

"So where are we going?" I asked curiously.

"Well, when angels fail they become guardians. And while guardians wait for an assigned angel they have to make a living, prepare a home..." He grinned that made my insides go gooey.

"So you are taking me to your house?"

"Our home. A studio apartment. But trust me, it's big!" I couldn't help but giggle, making him laugh back. 

It wasn't a long trip. We got up to his studio apartment with no one's eyes on us.

"Okay. " he sighed and opened his arms high, dropping them back down to his sides after a long second. "This is our apartment for now on. If you become a guardian, I'm kicking you out. " He winked. I pretended to look down in worry, but I was just holding in a grin.

He held his large hand out and I looked up at his soft eyes. I hesitantly gave him my hand and he took it, pulling me to the apartment closet. He opened it and there was a low plastic dresser under a couple of clothes on the rack. I pulled my hand away from him and smiled. " I doubt any of this will fit me. " He was surely a couple sizes bigger because muscles take up volume inside clothes.

"I'm sorry, I was never told how small you were going to be." I grabbed a pair of basketball shorts and a plaid button up-- both we're too big but I didn't want to agitate him any more. 

I sat on a chair near the TV, "Ethan, how did you die?" I gulped, wondering the same question back. Tell him it was a mixture of stress, weakness, fatigue, and pure stupidity because I walked into traffic or lie about it to save my humiliated ass?

"Car accident." My response was short and sweet. Should I elaborate more to get him to believe me? "Didn't see the bus coming from my peripherals. He holds back a laugh then snorts it out. "What?"

"I can read your thoughts, darlin'." My face blushed red, the mercury on the humiliation meter had risen fast.

" How about you? What was your fate? " I tried to change the subject quickly.

After composing himself, he answered me. "That's confidential. I cannot answer personal questions yet, if we get caught with you already knowing what side I am both of us would be damned to hell. " he looked at me seriously before breaking out into a laugh, but I didn't see what was funny about hell. Since heaven and purgatory is real, so is God and Hell and Satan.

He smiled after and got up, took off the jacket he had on. There was nothing under, which made me feel sorry for him to go pick me up in the cold like that. His mask came down as he unzipped the jacket. I saw his tattoos and it made me wonder if he was bad. He was friendly enough to me though.

He put down the jacket and took off his mask, putting the mask on the wall. I asked, "Why do you need to wear that mask?"

"So you can tell the difference between an angel and a guardian, and what type of guardian is in. I'm protective and loyal, so I got the wolf. "

" Why do you have to protect angels? We're already dead. "

" I don't have to protect angels, I have to protect you. Even if you start a fight, I have to finish it. Plus, if you die here- there's no coming back. You go straight to hell. " I gulped and my mouth got dry. So he had to follow me around as if he's my dad? Pathetic. God probably thought I was a child since I was dumb enough to get in front of a bus blindly.

"Great."