The Unseen Protector
1088 Words
Isabel sat quietly at the cafeteria table, stirring her drink absentmindedly. Her hands trembled slightly, and her face had gone pale. She stared at nothing, lost in her thoughts — in him.
Dina noticed immediately. She reached across the table and placed her hand gently over Isabel’s. “Hey,” she said softly, “you look like you’ve just seen a ghost. What’s wrong?”
Isabel’s throat tightened. For a moment, she didn’t know how to explain. But she trusted Dina — her best friend since childhood, the one person who could read her like an open book.
“I…” she hesitated, glancing around as if afraid someone might overhear. “I’ve been having these weird thoughts. It’s like someone’s watching me — following me, even. Yesterday, I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was warm, strong… but when I turned around, no one was there.”
Dina frowned slightly. “That’s… creepy.”
Isabel nodded quickly. “And it doesn’t stop there. Last night, I had this dream — it felt so real. There was a man with silver eyes, calling me his wife. He said he’d find me soon.”
Her voice trembled as she finished, her fingers tightening around the cup. “Babe, I’m scared, Dina. I don’t know what’s happening to me.”
Dina gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Hey, hey… calm down. I’m right here, okay? You’re safe.”
Isabel looked up, eyes glistening. “But what if it’s not just a dream? What if he’s real?”
“Did he hurt you?” Dina asked carefully.
“No… he didn’t.”
“Then maybe he doesn’t want to,” Dina reasoned. “Sometimes, people — or whatever this thing is — come into our lives for a reason. If he’s following you, maybe he wants to tell you something.”
Isabel bit her lip, uncertain. “You think so?”
“Yeah,” Dina nodded, her tone steady. “Next time you feel him near, try talking to him. Maybe he’s trying to reach out.”
“But I’m scared…”
“No buts,” Dina interrupted, smiling gently. “You’ve always been brave, Isabel. Just do it — for me.”
Isabel took a deep breath, then nodded slowly. “Okay. I’ll try.”
The two girls sat in silence for a while, eating quietly. The noise of the cafeteria faded into a dull hum around them. Isabel tried to act normal, but her thoughts kept drifting to that silver-eyed stranger. His voice. His touch. His presence.
Was he really just a dream? Or something more?
---
When the bell rang for the next class, Isabel gathered her books and stood up. “I have one more lecture before I’m done for the day,” she said, forcing a small smile. “You coming?”
Dina shook her head. “Nah, I’ve got something else to handle. You go on ahead. I’ll text you later.”
“Alright,” Isabel replied, heading for the lecture hall.
The afternoon sun dipped low in the sky as she walked, painting the campus in shades of gold and crimson. For once, she tried to ignore the feeling of being watched — but that familiar chill soon crept down her spine again.
She didn’t turn around this time. She just walked faster.
---
The last lecture of the day dragged on endlessly. Isabel could barely focus on what the lecturer was saying. Her mind replayed Dina’s words.
Try talking to him.
Maybe he has a message.
When the class finally ended, she felt a wave of relief. She stuffed her books into her bag and hurried toward the exit.
“Isabel!”
Her name echoed through the room. She froze.
She knew that voice.
Turning slightly, she spotted Ryan, the guy who’d been pestering her for weeks — her self-proclaimed admirer who never took no for an answer.
“Oh, great,” she muttered under her breath, grinding her teeth. “Not today.”
Ryan was already walking toward her, flashing that confident grin she despised. “Hey, I’ve been trying to catch you all week. You keep running away.”
“Hi,” she said flatly, giving a quick wave. Then she turned around and started walking again, muttering, “And I plan to keep running.”
“Come on, Isabel, don’t be like that!” Ryan called, trying to catch up.
She quickened her pace, silently praying, Please don’t reach me. Please don’t reach me.
Just as Ryan was about to grab her wrist — a sudden gust of wind tore through the hallway, strong enough to make him stumble backward.
“What the—?” he gasped, blinking in confusion.
Between him and Isabel, a tall, dark figure seemed to form out of thin air — almost invisible, like a shadow bending the light around it.
Ryan froze. The air grew colder.
“What… what is this?” he stammered, stepping back instinctively. His chest tightened with a sudden sense of dread he couldn’t explain.
Isabel turned briefly, but all she saw was Ryan standing still, looking terrified. She didn’t see the figure — not yet. She just assumed he’d stopped following her and didn’t care why.
“Whatever,” she muttered and walked away quickly, clutching her bag.
Ryan blinked rapidly, his breath fogging in the suddenly frigid air. The shadow before him flickered — and then vanished entirely, leaving only a faint scent of smoke and cold metal.
He rubbed his arms, shaking his head. “What the hell just happened…”
---
From beyond the veil, unseen by mortal eyes, Xavier stood watching — his form half materialized in the human world. His expression was calm, but his eyes burned with warning.
“Touch her again,” he said quietly, his voice echoing like thunder only the spirit world could hear, “and you’ll never see the light of day.”
Then he turned, disappearing into the mist that divided their worlds.
---
Outside, Isabel finally reached the school gate, her heart still racing. The feeling of being watched had faded again — replaced by something else.
A strange calm.
A feeling of safety.
She exhaled deeply, brushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“I guess I’m just paranoid,” she whispered. But even as she said it, she smiled faintly — because deep down, she could feel him.
Somewhere, in the unseen corners of her world…
someone was protecting her...
- Writer
