The Wardens Boxed Set

by Heather D Glidewell

  “Marshall, get Dawn another shirt,” Kelly demanded. The boy moved quickly, opening the trunk of the car and digging into my bag, pulling out a gray t-shirt.

  I changed quickly and was back behind the wheel of the car. Now that this was over we had to get back on the road. I should have known that she was going to throw in some twists and turns along the way. If I didn’t make it to El Paso by the next day she would have reason to hurt Nadine. Sheridan had no heart, so she was going to do everything in her power to make sure that I didn’t make it.

  My phone rang as we were pulling out of the parking lot. My father’s name scrolled across the screen of the radio and I hit the ‘accept’ button. There was nothing he could say that I didn’t mind being said in front of the other girls.

  “You OK?” His voice was panicked.

  “Yes, Dad,” I said as the tires hit the concrete and we were finally headed out of hillbilly hell.

  “Your mother had an odd feeling, like something had happened.” His voice was calming but I could still hear the concern.

  “Just got attacked by a cursed one outside of a diner a moment ago,” I said, trying to make it sound funny so that they wouldn’t be worried about me anymore.

  “Not good.”

  “Well it definitely wasn’t great!” I exclaimed.

  “Listen, Wesley took off last night headed towards Austin. You are welcome,” he said tensely.

  “Thanks, Dad. How long till you tell him where we are really headed?” I swerved into the left lane and went around the slower-moving car in front of me. Adam was hot on my heels.

  “You have about five hours before he figures out that you aren’t there.”

  “Who’s with him?” I asked.

  “Here’s the funny thing, he left alone,” he answered.

  “What about the compound?”

  “Everything is fine here. Nothing happened the morning after you left. We have our blessed and cursed ones working on portals. Hopefully we can grasp on to your blood signature and be able to transport troops to your location once you need them.”

  “Yeah, you might want to do that before I finally face her. She made me kill a vampire for his pink eye.” I heard a groan on the other end.

  “I was hoping that was a joke.”

  “What was?”

  “That a warden went rogue. Don’t worry about it honey, we will take care of things from this end. You just get to El Paso and save Nadine.”

  “Will do, Dad,” I sighed. I hated this conversation.

  “We love you, princess,” he said.

  “Love you, too.”

  The connection went silent and I glanced at Prudence. She sat there with her ankles crossed, her eyes on the road. I almost thought she was off in her own world when she turned to look at me.

  “Your parents love you, dear,” she smiled.

  “You know, when I look at you I see myself,” I said, looking back out the windshield.

  “That’s funny. When I look at you all I see is myself,” she laughed.

  ***

  We pulled into the drive of the old trailer early the next morning. My mother hadn’t sold the place. She couldn’t come to terms with the idea of letting it all go. I got out of the car and waited for Adam to cut the engine.

  “I don’t know if there is any power. We took all the furniture but at least it will be cool enough; we can open the windows. The living room is where I suggest we set up camp.” I pointed towards the house and searched through my keys for the front door.

  “How long have you guys been gone?” Adam asked, eyeballing the state of the trailer.

  “Just over a year. I know it looks bad.” I turned and walked towards the door.

  Taking the steps one at a time I had a flashback of that young girl scared to death. I had climbed these steps before, looking for answers. I put the key in the door and noticed my hands were shaking. I pushed the door open and the smell of wet carpet invaded my nostrils, making me gag.

  I reached over and flipped the switch. Amazingly there was power still running to the old trailer. My mother must have never shut it off.

  “We are lucky, there’s power.” I smiled at the group and looked around the place. The furniture was of course gone and the place had taken on that sitting smell but all and all it was dry.

  I was taken aback when I looked to my right and saw piles of pillows and blankets sitting against the wall. I could tell that they had been here for some time based on the large amount of dust that had accumulated on the top items. The others dragged our bags and other items into the house and set them in the kitchen.

  “So this is the old place.” Adam looked around, amazed. “Doesn’t seem fitting after being at the manor for so long.”

  “My room was the first door on the left. My mother’s was at the end of the hall. The second door is the bathroom.” I grimaced. I didn’t even want to know what the bathroom looked like.

  Adam started grabbing blankets and throwing them on the floor.

  “I suggest we get some rest now, because she’s going to show tonight.” He tossed a pillow on each pallet.

  “How do you know it will be tonight?” I asked.

  “Because she knows we just got here. So she’s going to let us sleep. You are within your timeframe.” he promised me.

  “I don’t want her to hurt Nadine,” I sighed.

  “I don’t either,” Adam said, his face paling. Even though they weren’t together he still had a fondness for her. She would always be special.

  I reached out and grabbed him roughly, pulling him to me. I needed comfort after all this shit and he was the one that was going to be able to give it to me. He wrapped his arms around my waist and buried his face in my hair and held me. Neither of us cared that the others were watching. This was something that we needed to do together. Nadine was everything to us. Without her there never would have been our bonding friendship.

  “We aren’t going to let her hurt Nadine,” I said softly so only he could hear.

  “I know.” He hugged me tighter.

  There was a buzz coming from the light above us. It was comforting to hear in this moment that low hum that could easily be mistaken for a fizzle. Nothing was going to keep us apart.

  Epilogue

  We slept in the living room of the old abandoned trailer. The wet smell of carpet invaded our senses. The slight breeze from the window made it bearable.

  When the sun disappeared into the west and the cool wind of the desert blew, we knew that someone would come. I heard a noise from the back bedroom and shot up like a bullet to my feet. Everyone else was still sleeping soundly.

  I padded down the old hallway as I had a million times before and opened the door to the room that had been my mother’s. Standing in the corner was a dark figure, his appearance hidden by the lack of light. I reached over and flipped the switch; the light brightened the room and the dark figure had a face.

  “Can’t believe you actually pulled it off,” John said, giving me a creepy smile.

  “Anything for Nadine,” I said to him.

  “Then I suppose you are ready for the next challenge.” He took a few steps towards me and smiled widely.

  “What is it?” I said, determined not to falter.

  “You have to come with me now,” he said, holding out his hand.

  “What?” I stepped backwards.

  “You have done well with your companions but the rest is up to you alone. You have to come with me now or Nadine dies.” He pushed his hand out further and I looked over my shoulder.

  “What about them?” I asked, pointing back to the group of travelers asleep in the living room.

  “This is not offered to them, only you.” He smiled again, his hand still not moving.

  “And if I don’t?”

  “Then she dies.”

  I took a moment to think. What would they do if it had been someone they loved? Would they have jump
ed at the chance to go with a neutralizing demon just to save their friend? I hesitated for just a second before slowly reaching my hand out to his.

  “Will it hurt?” I had never traveled with another.

  “Only as much as you want it to,” he answered as my fingers touched his.

  I love all of you.

  That was the last thought I had before the room spun and everything around me went black. They were alone without me. Wesley was going to be pissed. I closed my eyes and fell.