The Protectors: New Generation Book 1

3 - What's Going On? - Daniel POV

Bored of being in this store smelling like a garden, I try to get Tally to leave. She seems too interested in the shop. She's happy, so I leave it alone. I just tell her that I will be back in an hour. Jared and I leave the store to walk down the street to the local arcade.

"What's your deal?" Jared questions.

"There's just something about that lady. I don't know how I know, but she's hiding something, and I just don't want Tally to get hurt," I answer.

"You're just overprotective." Jared says and it's the last thing I hear before my mind wanders back to the shop and the lady there.

After spending a few dollars on an old pinball machine, I decide it's best to leave before I sink more of my money into it. The arcade is dead anyway. Looking at Jared, I know he has the same idea. Waiting outside with a potential breeze is better than standing around in a partially air-conditioned room with stagnant air.

Heading back down toward the healing shop, we wait outside. I  lean against the wall between the shop and a now empty business. Seems to me like it was some type of fancy, fashion shop. I'm surprised it didn't last with people like Amber living in and around this town, but why do I care about that?

The streets always seem to be deserted, the only shoppers are people traveling by foot. Will this town ever recover? After Akkelmann Industries shut down and the invasion of big-chain discount stores, offering cheaper prices to people now on a tighter budget, the little town of Applewine, Tennessee, has never been the same.

Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn to see Jared standing next to me.

"What's wrong, D?" Jared asks.

Crossing my arms, I start. "I don't like that shop owner." I narrow my eyes at the shop door. "She's hiding something. I can just feel it, but I don't know how."

"Maybe you're worried about what might happen to Tally."

"Why would I worry about that?"

"Because you care."

"Of course, I care. She's one of my best friends, and someone I've known since I was five."

Jared smiles. "It's more than that, and the quicker you admit it the better. I mean shit remember the first time we met."

"Hey, you! What are you doing to my girl?" I call out to a guy with his hands on Tally.

"Nothin'. Someone had her pinned in the corner. If it's your job to protect her, you suck."

Tally's hand grips his forearm, and I bite back a retort.

That cute giggle leaves her throat, and I wish it was me causing her to laugh.

"Help me up big guy." Tally asks the stranger.

He bends down and helps her up.

"Okay you two." Tally points at both me and this new guy. "No fighting between potential friends. Jared, this is Danny. Danny, this is Jared. Jared just moved to our wonderful town."

I am dragged out of my memory by the sound of the door to the shop jerking open, and Tally running out. She doesn't even look back, even to see if I'm there waiting for her. This is unusual for her, since we do everything together.

My muscles tense, and I don't like what I'm seeing; she was fine when she went in. Something has happened.

I run up and reach for the shop door.

"Do you really want to do that?" Jared asks, but I've already cracked the door open.

"Did you see Tally?"