To Be Like the Guardians

Part 1: The Plan, Chapter 2: Just Part of the Job

Beth Howard awoke to a feeling she had learned to recognize: the Fearlings' fear aura. She leaped out of her bed and rolled under it, starting up her Detector there. As she waited a second for the circular object to power on, she looked out from underneath. Her apartment bedroom was small, only having enough room for a desk, a bed, a nightstand, and a closet, but all the shadows were stationary. The Fearlings weren't here, at least. Still, however, she began to sweat. It was a familiar feeling, the cool moisture against her skin, warm from the summer heat, and it primed her fearful mind for battle.

The Detector lit up with a soft light, and on it appeared a radar-like visual in white. A cluster of maybe six ghost-shaped Fearlings was approaching the center, where the Detector was. Beth grabbed her Stunner, a long black gun-like weapon, and her two silvery bracelet-like Wrist Shields from under the brown framework of the bed, leaving the sword where it was. Agent H. Avery didn't want people to use swords against Fearlings, and with Beth's track record, she didn't need another reason to possibly get fired.

The Fearling shapes paused in their pursuit, then began surrounding the center. Beth's heart started to pound, but she told herself that she could do this. She grabbed the Detector and rolled out from under her bed, putting her hair up with a ponytail holder from her nightstand and tiptoeing out the door into the small living room, avoiding the windows.

She donned her shoes, went out the door to her apartment, being sure to lock it, and put the Detector in her pocket. Ignoring her fear, which always rose no matter how many battles she partook in, she dashed down the hallway, rode the elevator to the first floor, and crept out of the building. The Fearlings were after her; she was sure of it. It wasn't the first time they had come, nor was it likely to be the last.

Beth crouched down and hid behind one of the bushes surrounding the gray apartment building, watching the dark cloudy sky. She saw no movement there, so she would have to look harder for the Fearlings. Risking a glance at her Detector, she checked their locations. They were even closer to the center.

The L.E.R. agent ran along the edge of the building, staying low to the ground. Her heart beat as fast as a race car. It always did that before she spotted the enemies, and even more so afterward. She dashed across the street and around a closed fast food building.

There. Passing a nearby oak tree in the park across from her was a Fearling with a long dark sword. Beth's heart increased its rapid pace as she raised her Stunner; at least her hands weren't shaking this time. She pointed the weapon at the quickly-approaching Fearling. And- there. Got it. Beth took a deep breath as the Fearling turned a luminescent white and floated to the ground, dropping its sword with a clatter. She cringed at the noise and crouched down.

Something sliced right above her, and she saw a shadow loom from behind. She raised her wrist in time to block the second blow, a translucent white circle projecting out of her bracelet and protecting her from the dark blade. She shot the Fearling with her Stunner, and it also floated to the ground, now glowing like a beacon. Why did Stunners have to make it easier for other Fearlings to find her? Why had Agent F. Garcia even made it like that? At least Beth didn't need to wear ear protection when using it like when using a normal gun, though.

Another Fearling came out of the shadows and into the light, and it charged. Beth dodged its sword and shot its body. Right. This was all just routine, just part of the job.

The fourth one came, and Beth incapacitated it easily. And the fifth. And the sixth. When she was finished, she bent over and put her hand on her chest. She was fine. She was safe. It was just like always. A car passed by, and the driver gave her an odd look that she returned with a glare. Now it was time to dispose of the Fearlings.

She grabbed the first one by its misshapen arm and dragged the lightweight thing across the street via crosswalk into the park. She went all the way into the forest beyond, a boring journey, and left it behind a tree. And then she did the same with the next one. And the next. Another.

When she finished, she went back to her apartment for her long orange bag, walked back outside, and put the Fearlings' swords in it to take to work to be disposed of the next day. She was glad that the phantoms wouldn't remember that they had been coming to attack her, or else they might strike again later in the night.

Beth dragged her bag of swords back into the apartment building, up the elevator, and into her room. She wished that the Fearlings and Nightmares would stop coming. Their strikes had become more frequent lately.

She heard her phone buzz on her nightstand a room over, so she went into her bedroom and picked it up. A message from Irene Flynn.

"You okay? I heard you leave. Were you attacked again? I ran, too, but they didn't come after me."

Beth glared at the farthest bedroom wall as if she could see into the apartment on the other side of it. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm not weak. And it was only six Fearlings." She loved her friend, but she didn't like the question of if she was okay or not. It was like the asker was questioning her strength.

"I know. I saw them on my Detector."

"But I still wish I could leave the L.E.R."

"I know. And you know what happened when I tried."

Beth nodded, though her friend couldn't see. "I know." She didn't dare recount what had happened to Irene. Irene was even more scared of the Fearlings and Nightmares than Beth was, and the blonde had joined for nearly the same reason as the black-haired woman had: for weapons. Out of fear. There was a rumor that Tooth would pay for people who couldn't afford the L.E.R.'s protection, but the Guardians weren't aware of most of the attacks, and letters to them were often destroyed before they reached their destination. The Guardians helped with some of the fights, but not most, and Beth and Irene didn't want to take the risk.

"Well, I'm fine now. You can go back to sleep," Beth texted.

"You know I won't," Irene texted back.

The night Irene had tried to leave the L.E.R., the Fearlings and Nightmares had still come after her, and she had turned in all of her weapons. She had thought that if she left, they would stop attacking her, but she was wrong. She had barely made it through the night. Agent M. Bennett had had to come save her, for that was before Beth lived right next to her.

Beth frowned. "You know that I want you to try. Don't make me come over there and unplug your Xbox."

"The door's locked. I won't let you in."

Beth sighed, narrowing her eyes. "Fine. Just don't go complaining about it to me tomorrow."

"I won't make any promises."

Beth turned off her phone, put her equipment away, and got back in bed. She needed to sleep, especially with the massive attack that had occurred the previous night. Ever since she had become an L.E.R. agent, the Fearlings and Nightmares came after her.

In all honesty, Beth wished she hadn't joined the L.E.R. The Fearlings and Nightmares had never attacked her before then, just spooked her. But now that she was a part of it, she couldn't leave. The Fearlings and Nightmares wouldn't care if she did, just that she had been a threat before. She remembered that as a child, she had longed to be a hero, but this wasn't what she had had in mind.

She wished she could quit, but it wasn't as simple as that.