The Guardian

Prologue

"I'm in the school play, Mommy", said Julianna as she walked down the street. She grabbed her mother's hand and gave a little skip. "I'm a sheep." She gave an enormous yawn, her only indication that she had been asleep just fifteen minutes before.

"That's good", said her mother, distracted. "Being a sheep is a very important part, isn't it?"

"Yup, and I'll be the bestest sheep ever!" She gave an extra hop and skip in excitement as she thought about her role.

"I'm sure you will." Her mother looked around her and shivered. There had been a rash of murders in town over the last few weeks, and Celeste was worried about walking from the sitter's to her apartment at such a late hour. The streets were empty – people knew better than to go out at night in such a poor area of town. However, Celeste's bartending job meant that she was getting off work in the wee hours of the morning. She had no choice other than to go home at that time.

Her daughter was wide awake for such a late hour. Celeste let her daughter's chatter wash over her, her attention more settled on the odd feeling that someone was watching her. She looked around her again. Her heart stopped as she noticed a dark shadow following her. She squinted into the alley across the street, and jumped as a startled cat ran in front of her with a sharp meow. She smiled shakily, picked up her young daughter and hurried up the road.

"Can I have a glass of milk when we get home, Mommy?" asked Julianna. At four years of age, Julianna was growing quickly and Celeste was having trouble filling her up.

"Of course, you can", said her mother. She looked around quickly and sped up until she was almost running. She couldn't wait until she got home. She looked ahead and saw her apartment building ahead of her. Fifty more steps should get her into the building. She took a deep breath and speed-walked as fast as she could.

Julianna trustingly snuggled her head into the crook between her mother's shoulder and her neck and closed her eyes. Celeste adjusted her daughter until she was more comfortable. Thirty steps left.

Twenty steps.

The shadows on her right moved, and a young, strung-out man sauntered out with a knife in his hand as if he had all the time in the world. "Give me your money", he said with a laugh as he stood between Celeste and the door of the building, "and I'll leave you alone."

"I don't have any money", said Celeste nervously. She looked around her. Fear flashed in her eyes as she saw three teens surround her from behind.

"See, that's the wrong answer", said the first youth. "We'll carve up your pretty little girl unless you give us all your money and your jewellery."

"I don't have any money, and I'm not wearing any jewellery", said Celeste. Her eyes frantically darted from one person to another, and she bent down and placed her little girl on her feet. Julianna held onto her mother's legs and hid her face. "However, you can take my purse. You can have whatever you would like in it." She took her purse and threw it to the person in front of her. "Run, Jules", yelled Celeste.

Julianna, immobilized in fear, simply stood there, holding onto her mother's leg as tightly as she could.

A shadow ran across the rooftops and stopped at the edge of the apartment building. He looked down at the scene. His face twisted in fierce determination as he planned his next move.

"I have no money", said Celeste. Her voice wavered in fear.

"Wrong answer", said the teenager. He walked up to her and ran his knife down her throat. "You'll get us some money."

"I'll happily take you to the ATM", said Celeste. "I'll give you everything I have. Just let my daughter go."

"But she's so pretty", said the boy as he leered at Julianna. With a laugh, one of the other teenagers seized the little girl and peeled her fingers away from Celeste's legs.