| Protector | - Part 2

The rest of the day was as uneventful as always, Cassey and I sticking to the back of the room as usual, my eyes constantly on Finn's back while I did my work. Finally, the day was over and as I said goodbye to Cassey and headed for my car I saw Finn boarding a bus. Was he going to Blake's place? Then I remembered. Yesterday his car wouldn't start and his father had taken it to the mechanics for a check up. He said it wouldn't take long to fix but for the meantime he would have to catch the bus to and from school. For a mean, selfish, popular football player, this was hard to hear, but there wasn't anything he could do. There was lots I could do, but catching the bus wasn't hurting him. Yet. I pulled out of the crowded car park and fell in step behind the old bus, slowly making it's way towards the exit. Once we were free of the busy students who were all excited to get home after a long week of learning and on to the highway, I let my mind drift to the weekend. Most people loved their two days of freedom but me? My parents were often away, busy looking out for their own Protected and even when they were at home I was out chasing after Finn and his friends, making sure they stayed out of trouble. It wasn't always easy either, especially when he and I turned 15 and Finn went through his "Risk-Taking Stage" as my mother called it, but I had gotten through it relatively unscathed. Still, I didn't enjoy the weekends. Ahead of me the bus stopped and let the first of the students leap out onto the grass and practically run home in glee. Probably to get ready for some party or something. I hoped Finn wasn't going but knowing him, if he didn't put in an appearance he would be tried and hanged for his crimes. I watched the bus trudge slowly through the streets and free laughing students every so often. Three stops later Finn appeared, leaping from the old bus as only an athlete could. Or a Protector. He casually walked past all the other students but when he was finally out of sight he broke into a run, wanting to get home as fast as he could. I followed behind him, driving far enough behind that I could just see his heels whip round the corner of his street and up to his house. I gave him five minutes to get inside, parking my car by a small frangipani tree, then getting out and following him round the corner and up his street. His house wasn't big but it wasn't small either. It was a two story building that sat on top of a small hill with a blue tiled roof and a matching mailbox with the faded gold numbers 24 out the front of a nicely mowed lawn. The street was empty when I got there as per usual, which made it easy to climb my favorite tree and find the blanket I had hid there a few days before. These days the nights were getting chilly as winter was on it's way, and I didn't want to be caught in it's midst. I watched as the sun fled behind the distant clouds and darkness took it's place and Finn turned on every light in the house. One by one, lighting up the darkness like a beacon of hope, leading it's neighbors to victory as they each in turn lit up the deserted street. After awhile, once the sun had finished it's grand decent and the darkness had finally settled in it's place for the night, Finn's father's old rusty ute pulled into the driveway. It's white paint was hard to see under all the layers of mud and it was peeling at the edges. The pale face of Finn's father emerged seconds later, the scowl of his mouth easy to see by the light of the street lights that were just starting to flicker to life. I could still remember the day when Finn's father got his new job, he had come home all flustered and excited. But excitement had turned to disappointment which led to resentment which flared an anger that had stayed with him for the next 6 years. Every day I watched as the hope that fluttered on Finn's face dimmed then stopped all together, leaving bitter loneliness in it's place. I knew Finn's dad loved him, but even I felt sorry for the guy as his father stomped up the short flight of steps leading to the front door and went inside, not even bothering to respond to Finn's desperate greeting. Dinner was a quiet affair, as it usually was, the only conversation being one of Finn's day and afterwards resulted in Finn's father sitting lazily in front of the tv watching some sort of sport, guessing by the noise. Finn packed up and neatly placed everything in the dish washer, setting it on full blast and proceeded to watch tv only to stop dead in the doorway when he saw his father stretched lazily across the couch. By his face I could tell he was considering it anyway, but then his face turned blank and he retreated from the room, up the stairs and shut his door quietly, trying not to distract his father's attention from the tv screen. On a normal night this would have worked, and regularly did, but as it was Finn's dad was waiting for it. As soon as he heard the soft click of his son's door he rolled off the couch, turning the sound of the tv up to disguise any noise. Curiously I watched as he crept out of my line of sight then reappeared in the next window, in the living room. He casually walked over to a chest of willow drawers, and then, checking left and right, pulled a wooden box from within them. The box was small, about the size of a jewelry box, and had hand carved swirls on the sides. It was simple yet strangely beautiful. Finn's father carefully lifted the lid, drawing from it's depths a single stone. I gasped. The stone was about the size of my palm, black as night and smooth as silk, but surrounding it was a weird purplish glow. It emanated from everywhere, giving off a surreal light. He picked it up and shook it, holding it close to his ear, then looking at it from every angle. He shook his head and closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fore finger and thumb, before opening them again and shaking his head once more. He stared at it, unmoving, for another minute or two before placing it gently back in it's box and cautiously putting it back in the drawers. Soon after he went up to bed, pausing to turn off the tv on his way past. I sat in my tree, utterly stunned, unable to comprehend what I had seen as the house and those around it gradually shifted to into darkness. I can't remember how long it was, but I remember sitting, unmoving, as if I was in a trance for a long time before realizing I should be getting home. Something in my head however told me not to. So instead I just laid back in my tree and rested my head against its knurled bark. Soon after I was asleep, the weird blurry tinges at the edge of my vision as I dreamed. I dreamt that I was standing once again in a library and a quick scan on my surroundings told me it was the same one as before. I hurried through the mountains of books, not even bothering to look at their covers until my eyes found what I was looking for. The red velvet book. I hesitated, scared. Of what exactly I wasn't sure but it was with caution that I approached its velvet spine and tried desperately to reach it. Once again my middle finger gently brushed its cover, but instead of waking I pressed it down, knocking it from it's place and into my outstretched hands. I grinned. Here it was, in my hands. I had gotten it, without magic. I took the book over to a nearby table, practically useless because of all the books cluttered onto its round surface, and rested the book among the others, taking a seat beside it. Gently, slowly, I moved my hand over its cover, feelings its smooth front before lifting it and inspecting the front page. Or at least trying to. No matter how hard I tried the book would not reveal its secrets and as much as I tugged and pulled it stayed shut, leaving me bitterly disappointed. When I awoke the next morning I felt tired even though I slept the whole night through, something I hardly ever did. I quickly checked on Finn and then ducked home and changed into some fresh clothes and has some breakfast, stoping by the coffee shop on my way back to Finn. When I arrived he was just pouring the milk into his cereal and I did him a favor and stopped him spilling it all over the floor. His father came in next, and the look on Cinn's face was priceless as his father said good morning to him on the way past. It only lasted a moment however and when he had recovered and replied in kind, chugging down the last of his cereal before leaving the house and getting into his father's car. I waited a few minutes before jogging back to my own car and drove the same way as he, struggling to stay with the speed limit as I hurried to catch up. A few minutes later I was tailing him, keeping a normal distance between us so he woukdn't suspect anything. He never looked behind him anyway. After a ten minute drive He turned off onto another street and I followed, curious. The houses here were all well kept, lawns mowed cleanly and the gardens kept neat and tidy. Finn stopped and pulled into a driveway and I continued up the street, casuly driving as if I lived here. Once I was out of sight however I doubled back parking just around the corner so I could still see. Finn was at the door and a motherly lady was beckoning him inside. I tensed as he accepted her offer and sat there's unmoving for five minutes while the door stayed tightly shut. Just as I was looking for a tree I could sit in the door opened and out ran two little girls, followed by Finn and the older lady. She called something and one of the girls ran up to her, wrapping her arms around her middle and hanging on for dear life. The other girl ran over and took Finn's hand and he guided her back to the lady so she could thank her. Once she and Finn were buckled in to their car and the lady and her daughter had stopped waving they made their way home with me close behind. After stopping in at the bakery and buying a loaf of bread, a pink cupcake and a chocolate covered donut they headed to the lake where they sat and laughed together, eating thief sweets and throwing bread to the ducks. Finn's sister was a great kid and sometimes I envied him. He didn't realize how lucky he was. But he did love her. I sat on the other side of the lake, watching their happiness and feeling a sense of loneliness I hadn't felt in a long time.