Chapter One: Untitled Story

         Liseli had been Josh Cunningham’s Guardian Angel for five years, the longest time she had ever been for a human. Usually they did something she felt was wrong and she left them, afterwards they usually died. Some of the other Guardians would always try to persuade her to stay with one, saying that humans always made mistakes. In Liseli’s training, any mistake had meant probable death. She would never protect someone who hurt others.
         Josh was different though, he was a straight A student, getting ready for college and life after school. She wondered where they would go after high school graduation. Josh wanted to study abroad, go to Italy and Spain, but he worried about his mother. Either way Liseli was happy to have finally found a human to guard who was honest, caring, and innocent of the horrible things she had seen in all of her years of guarding.
         She waited outside the door to his house and followed him down the street to school, Central Valley High. He walked in and she took her usual spot near a few of the other Guardians. Angel looked up and smiled when she approached, unlike several other Guardians who moved out of the way.
         "Hey Liseli, how’s guarding goin’ for ya?"
         "Same as ever Angel. How’s Kate?"
         Angel scrunched up her face in mock annoyance. "I spent two hours watching her choose which outfit she's gonna wear tomorrow night. She should be spendin’ more time studyin’ for finals next week!" ~
         Liseli smiled and closed her eyes, letting her mind wander…drifting to Josh…
         He was in Calculus. They were having another lecture and Josh was doodling on his notebook because he had heard the same thing over and over again this whole week. Finals are coming up. Study. Final exam is thirty percent of your grade. Blah blah blah.
         Liseli drifted back to her own body and smiled, somewhat glad that Guardians were not allowed in some places. An hour and a half of Mr. Jennings’s end-of-the-year lecture didn’t sound like something she would be able to sit through.
         Half way through the day Liseli had a strange feeling. Suddenly a loud pop rang through the school. Liseli was already running towards the doors and knew the other Guardians were right behind her. She burst through the double doors and let her mind wander to Josh while she rushed down the halls. Her body followed the faint feeling of Josh’s consciousness…
         So much blood coming from his body, it felt warm on his fingers…growing numb…the edges of his vision were growing dimmer…
         Liseli turned a corner and saw Josh bleeding on the floor and someone with his back turned to her. He wore all black and something about him triggered something…
         A flash of silvery-white wings…stained glass…
         Liseli’s body took over and she ran forward to tackle him. As she neared him, he moved away with reflexes she had only seen in a Guardian. She turned and saw him halfway down the hall, his wings now unfolded. Definitely a Guardian. She let her own wings unfold and used them to propel herself down the hall. He disappeared again and reappeared back down the hall. He took one last look at her and smiled before vanishing.
         She turned and raced back to Josh. He was bleeding profusely from a bullet wound in his chest. She looked up and down his body to see if there were any other wounds and noticed that his eyes were looking right at her. She hesitated, not sure if his eyes were really seeing her or if he was losing awareness. She watched as he lifted a hand and touched her wings. He lifted his eyes to her face and smiled before a shudder ripped through his body, jolting her back to reality.
         She took a deep breath and calmed herself once more so she could touch Josh’s consciousness…to find what had to be fixed…
         Thank you, but I think you have already done enough.
         Josh?
         So my angel knows my name. I am glad that an angel would care enough about me to learn my name.
         How did you see me earlier? You aren’t supposed to see us.
         I don’t know, but I am glad I did. You can let go of me now. You have already done so much for me. I guess I always knew there was someone or something watching out for me, and I am glad I have finally met my angel.
         Liseli looked down at Josh’s body while the police called for an ambulance. Just this morning he had been alive and well and now he wouldn’t come home to his mother and sister. All because of some rogue Guardian who was killing humans instead of protecting them.
         The EMTs came and lifted Josh onto a gurney and Liseli noticed something clutched in his hand.
         A single bloodstained feather.