Don't give up on me ✓

[56] The Tortoise and the Hare

Chapter 56: The Tortoise and the Hare

[Recap]

My eyes only saw in yellow. Everything around me was a shade of yellow. My senses were heightened. I could feel the exact pressure of my feet against the ground beneath me. The energy in the ground rose up through my body, just like the lightning did when it came through me. Except this was much less painful.

"Guardian! Reveal yourself!" Mrs Maythorne's voice came out of nowhere.

[End of Recap]

I looked around, but I couldn't see anyone anymore. Only animals. 

Big animals, strong animals came rushing through the forest and they were all colored in silver. A translucent silver.

These must be the guardians. They walked towards their human partners. We were all spread out in the forest, so I couldn't quite make out anyone in the darkness. 

Was my guardian amongst them?

If my ability was strength, I should have a strong guardian. Maybe a lion or an elephant. I waited. 

A tiger slowed down. I stared at the beautiful, agile creature. It tilted its head towards me, paws pressing down.

But then it walked past.

"Now that you have your guardian, swallow the second pill to remove the visions." Mrs Maythorne's voice again.

I didn't have my guardian yet. No creature had come for me. I gripped the second pill in my hand, waiting and waiting for something to claim me.

All the silver animals had disappeared now and I couldn't see any more coming.

Do I take my pill now?  I haven't seen my guardian.  Maybe I don't have one.  How lonely that would be to be a specter with no guardian.

I looked down at the pill in my hand and closed my fist.  Thirty seconds and then I'll take it.  I began to count...

But...

That's when I saw it.

And I understood why it hadn't come yet.

It was a turtle.

A flipping turtle.

And it was so damn slow.

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I swallowed the second pill, and the silver tortoise disappeared right when it reached me. The electricity through my body vanished back into the earth. We were alone in the forest once more.

I joined the back of the line. We started on our way home, but the atmosphere was different. Everyone was excited, on a high from what they'd seen.

"No one share your spirit animal," Mohan shouted, "Guard that secret with your life, because it is often tied to it. If you tell anyone, they will know more about your nature; your strengths and weaknesses than you would ever want. You may be friends today but enemies in the future."

I walked with my heart in my mouth. If our spirit was the source of our strength... then I was screwed. 

I had seen big predators in the forest. Those were the kind of guardians that would guide you through war or whatever it is we were training for.  

Not a tortoise.

I'm practically a snail.

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