My Guardian Angel

chapter 4; something dark

I was not creaed to sleep, and neither was breathing a character I opperated in.

I was to linger. To keep watch. To listen listen to everything, and everyone connected to her.

I was bound to her knitted with a thread too loafty for mortal eyes. She is my owner. Not by command, destiny made me subject to her. I existed for her, like an unspoken shadow that followed her every step, always near, yet never within reach, not even hers.

And I liked it so, that I am bound to her, even though I didn't lile it that she couldn't reach me.

I was made to protect her. To make things easier. But today, I had failed.in my duty.

Scarlet sat by the mirror that morning, brushing her hair slowly. No music. No humming. Not her usual "thank you" whispers for ability to see the rising sun. Just silence. Her eyes were dull, covered with faint darkness. Her body moved, but her spirit shy away from behind, like she had been left it behind in the previous night. For tye human eyes she had a perfect glow. But only I knew her. I have known her from when she was born.

Austin came up behind her, smiling. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her neck.

“Hey honey,” he murmured. Austin had spent the night at hers after she complained that she couldn't sleep alone. Because of the frequent nightmares .

She smiled at his touch but her soul didn't, her soul remained dull with no glow. Now this worried me. Her soul too was sensitive.

He didn’t see the heaviness for his human eyes, she had the perfect glory. He didn’t hear the silent pain in her chest, she is smiling so there's nothing wrong.

But I did I saw everything no human could see.

I leaned near her reflection in the mirror, scanning through her soul. Something had touched her in the dark. Was it a memory? Or a dream? No... not quite, I was in her dream the whole time so, it couldn't from there. How come I didn't see when she was touched?

Something was coming but she didn't realize it..at least not yet.

The barrier I’ve guarded for years... cracked? But how? Who could be responsible?

Last night, when she slept, something slipped through. A vibration, no, maybe an opening in the unseen net I’d woven around her home. Small. Curious. Hungry.

It layed closely into the veil like breath against glass.

It was fast, I chased it into the shadows,it was really fast. The was part was that it recognized me.

Whilst she went to work, I followed her closely not wanting her to leave my watch. She did once, and the tge repercussions grave.

I didn't follow het in form, but my essence followed. Just tge way my kind does, walking in between folds in reality, where sound blends and mortal eyes couldn't see. I waited just before the entrance of her building. She greeted everyone with a bold smile. She didn’t see the man across the street, in black wings dark.

But I saw him I noticed him.

He wore a face ;he wore quite perfect face. He stood motionless, eyes fixed on her office window. He was like me, but his energy was dark and his aura even darker. With no distraction, he just watched, fixed.

As I stepped forward into the veil.

He blinked. So did his perfection.

His skin melted like ashes in the wind, revealing a lingering grin and hollow eyes. Smoke took his place and he was carried by the wind.

A scout.

They found her. But how come I made sure to knot all loose ends.

I returned before her but before I did, I made sure she was safe, her car and everywhere else she will be heading . Austin was the only one in the apartment, I remembered when Scarlet gave him the key.He was setting the table, humming to some half-known song. He means well for Scarlet, He loves her. But love was not always enough, love couldn't defend her against what roams in the dark.

As he walked passed the hallway mirror he paused by only for a flight second.

Could he feel it?

That cold breath that brushed against his neck.

No he couldn't.

But I did I saw it I felt the thickness of the atmosphere.

I whispered those old words on her bedframe just beneath Scarlet’s pillow. I strengthened the glyphs behind the headboard. I marked the corners of the room with the same unseen symbols.

My strength weren't fading but tgere was something blocking, not stronger, just a block.

The Rules forbid me from revealing myself. I couldn't speak to her hear except she asked me to be in her world. It was left for her to want me, to demand for me. I am unable to show her myself unless she believed, unless she believed I exist.

So I will wait. I will watch over her like I always do.

As I pundered my the door flung open, it was her the other lady who had some lurking around her eyes. The one I didn't trust.

It was Zara again.

Always putting in the effort to look perfect each time she knew she would be appearing before Austin. She had such carriage that stirred something off about her presence . Her soul was clean before now before she changed, there was some dark aura lingering in those eyes,her eyes even though bright. it was bad, it had envy written in them. She looked like she like her but no, she didn't like Scarlet.

“Scarlwt has gotten home yet? She told me she would be in 15minutes and that was 40minutes ago." she said, handing over a bottlw of wine to Austin.

“Not yet but she's on her way. She needed to pick a few groceries .Austin replied, with geniuine smile on.

She walked toward him, brushing off dust that wasn't there from his shirt. “You are always impeccable in black."

He laughed shyly as he took some steps backward, adverting her touch. “Thank you" he said.

She did some testing of the veil today.

As she was walking past the hallway's mirror, she paused. Tilted her head a bit while focusing on something. She looked into it for a second more than usual .

Had she seen it? Had she see the smear, no she would not understand what it was.

Strange....it was visible to her. How did she see it?

It was a mark as if a wild beast had tried crawing out of the mirror.

No it didn't come from her, something darker was indeed loaming around.

Scarlet finally arrived just before sunset. She smiled when she as perceived the smell of baked wings and BBQ sauce. Austin heard the sound of the her car's engine steaming and then halted, so he walk out to receive his baby. They hugged as if he hadn't seen her for weeks. The house knew her presence and gave it warmth.

But then admiss the warm I still heard the whispers, not mine this time, not Austin's, not Scarlet not even Zara. It came from the walls, from tye spaces in between.

I wouldn't let harm near her, instead I will break the rule.