The guardian and his last chance. Realization

IX

Just as the sun past zenith, I saw the end of the road. A smile came to my lips. Soon I will leave this town. And it´s people. No chains had formed, to my happiness and sadness. I sighed. My feelings are mixed. As much I don´t want to let innocent blood spill, I want to settle down with my gemstone. As I was in my thoughts, trying to get a hold of my feelings, the wind shifted. With it came a scent that made me stop in my track. Totally froze me to my core. And lit a fire that has been cold in ages. A scent so alluring, of wild-honey and mountain dew. I shut my eyes close, swearing in my mind. The chain started to form as I smelled this scent. By the density and strength of the scent, the person must be near. Close, really close. In my head I swear all words and curses I know. I opened my eyes and turned my head into the wind. As I laid my eyes on the girl, I already knew. She is my gemstone. Her long dark brown hair is up in a ponytail. Even if it seems she is just five, six years old, I knew she was a candidate to gemstone. Bloody hell. She is just a child. "Holy mother, what did you think now." My thought eco in my head. Another thing I knew well was that she will grow up to be a real beauty. All of the girls that made me feel like this were real beauties. I shook my head franticly. If I leave now, I will never be in her life. Ever. She will find someone else. And she will not feel the chain until a decade later, as well. A deep sigh and I started to walk again. If I linger any more. The chains will form, just for me, for now. But I stopped to a halt, when the sound of a motor that turns. I look behind me. The car that turned in on the road, is the same. Exactly the same that run past me a few days ago. The red car paint was shimmering in the sun. I could hear the speakers blast loudly. If the driver is living near this place, this will be so much fun. An involuntary smirk on my lips as my forehead and brows crunch. As I am looking at the car, I realize something. He is not slowing down a bit. Then I hear a woman shout a name. My head snaps in that direction. A girl, she who the mother thinks are worthy of me, has followed a butterfly right out on the road. I started to move on instinct, as the sound of brakes clamp shut are heard. I dropped the rucksack. And launched myself out. As I literally threw the girl up in my arms, I turned my back to the car. She was crying in fear. The small body shaking hard. I jumped. Against my back I felt the car´s windshield and roof. both buckling under my weight and the forsce. As I jumped a dampened my regeneration ability. When we crashed to the road, I rolled. The rough asphalt scraping my clothes and skin. I could smell the blood. The way I hold her, will ensure her safety. Soon I skid to a stop. Lucky enough on my back. My skin is throbbing. I just lay down a second to gather myself together. The girl´s sobbing, echo in my ears. Slowly a sit up, loosening the protective stance around her. She has clutched her small hands on the front of my jacket. My back hurt, the shoulders are aching. Everywhere is in pain. I feel how blood is coming, flowing from a cut in my head. I shifted my grip on the girl. With the help of my now freed right arm, I could stand up. I sigh in relief. No broken bones. But my muscles are sore and bruised. I limper up to the walkway. A crying woman comes up to me. She must be the girl´s mother. I reunite the child with her mother. I hear the mother say her thanks. As I turn to the car slowly, because of the soreness of my muscles, the driver came out. His skin is pale. And he looks around, in fear. My mouth twitch in the corner. He is in a bit of chock. My arm flies out and grips the young man´s collar. My wounds still bleeding, and will continue as long I dampen my regeneration. As well using my body. I push the man against the car. He looks so scared.

“You are reckless.” I said with no emotion. He tries to answer, but I don´t let him. “To day you could have killed a child, by your actions.”

He doesn´t look me in the eyes. “I didn´t see her.” I heard the panic in his voice. “I don´t know what happened. The road was empty.” The voice cracked a bit. “Then she was standing there.”

Still holding the young man. I gripped my axe. Inside I smiled as I saw his eyes go to the robust blade. Without hesitation I lifted the axe and let it fall on the hood of the car. The metal buckled under the weight. A scream echoed. All my wounds was felt, as I shifted my weight, to see inside the car. A young woman sat on the passenger side. In my sight she blushed as she tried to get her cloths in order. With just the movement of my eyes I looked at the man´s pants. They were undone. My grip on the axe hardened. “You didn´t see her, she is small.” The man nodded. “A few days ago, you almost run me over, little shit.” My anger was spilling out. He looked terrified. “And you can´t call me small, can you?” He shook his head. I smacked him again against the car. “For all´s sake, keep your focus on the road.” I let go of my grip. And he crashed to the road.

With one smooth movement I pulled out my weapon, and sat it back in its loop. I shook my head in frustration. And a dampened growl slipped my lips. Slowly I made way to my rucksack. I could feel people´s gaze upon me. Inside I knew that most of the gazes are coming from wolfs. I picked up my rucksack. When I threw it on my back, I flinched by the sudden pain. After a deep breath, I started to walk. But a voice stopped me. I looked in the corner of my eye. The woman, who still is holding her daughter in her arms, are coming up to me. She walks up and stands in front of me. The girl is still sobbing lightly. Her mother´s tears have gone dry. The girl turns around in her mother´s arms. My heart could have skipped a beat. She looks me right in the eye. Still are tears dripping from her small eyes. I didn´t think, before I lifted my arm to wipe of some of the tears.

“Thank you.” She says sobbing.

With a smile I ruffle her hair, softly. “No problem, little one.”

The girl smiles big, still sobbing. Now very lightly. When I see her small cheeks turn pink, I take back my hand from her head. With pink cheeks she hides her face in her mother´s neck. The mother opens her mouth to say something, but I dismiss her by starting to walk. I need to get out of here. But a small tug on my sleeve hinders me. And it is the girl. She has griped my sleeve. I smile as I loosen her grip gently. But when I released her hand, it flew out and griped my sleeve again. “No” she said low. She looked at me with sad eyes. “You hurt.” Her eyes getting filled with tears again. “Sorry.” She sobbed. “So sorry.”

“It´s not your fault, little one.” I sighed.

She looked at me with eyes, that would have teared my heart. I need to say something to her, to let her go of her sadness and guilt. Because she don´t need to feel those feelings. She hasn´t done anything to harbor those feeling. But it was her mother that spoke up. “Mr. What do you say, about I fix your wounds and you can eat dinner with us?”

The girl shined up. “Please, mister.” She used puppy eyes on me. They were pleading me to comply. So, I did. People can say what they want. My heart is soft for children of all of the kin folks. They are so innocent. Not knowing of the bad of the world. I let them lead the way to their house.