Guardian - 4. Chapter 4

At another quick stop for lunch, Gabriel went into a nearby gas station to get another drink since he had downed his water from the previous day. He didn’t know that outside the gas station, three stray cats and two dogs all sat outside the building. Not really ever seeing something like this, people were taking pictures of the strays that looked to be completely content. When Gabriel came out with a bag containing a few drinks and even some chips to snack on, he stopped to see the small group stand and walk straight to him, giving meows and tail wags in greetings. He gave a smile and knelt down, petting and saying hello to each one. Feeling for the animals that looked slightly starved, he went back inside and bought a plastic bowl and a large gallon of water along with a small bag of dry pet food. Giving his thanks to the man, knowing that his 40 dollars was now down to just about 25. He got back out and first put the bowl down and placed the fresh water inside it, the strays coming close to drink. He sat there on his heels and smiled. More people watched as the teen fed and cared for them. Ted watched as once again, each animal gave it’s thanks with a kiss on his cheek and a head bow. He was getting rather curious after the second time this had happened, the animals doing the same thing as the wild ones. Gabriel gathered up the supplies he still had and took them with him to the truck. Ted was smiling at him as the teen got into the truck and went into the back area where things could be stowed in the cabin. What he didn’t know was that people began to walk over and flock the truck. Ted finished paying for the gas and got in the truck. Giving a honk, Gabriel looked back from the cabin and noticed Ted buckling in and even saw the people staring at the truck. He walked over and placed his hands on the back of the seats.

“What’s going on?” he asked, Ted driving out of the gas station and back out on the access road.

“Nothing. Go ahead and get buckled in, we’ll be on the highway here in a second.” Gabriel moved to the chair and sat down. Buckling in he looked up to glance out the window and something made his body freeze. He saw three men staring intensively at him and it made his heart jump in his throat in slight fear. Looking away quickly then looking back they were gone. Had he imagined them? He opened his Gatorade and took a sip, once again lost in the sea of cars on the highway with Ted.

It was about another day and a half before we got to where Ted was delivering. I waited in the cabin for him to finish and then it was back to where we had come. But there was a stop ahead, and I knew where it was. Ted had told me several times that I had to be taken in and then whatever that needed to be situated could be done. So when he took me to a nearby station, I got out and got turned in. I can’t tell you how long I sat there, but as a goodbye, Ted gave me an old portable CD player that he’d just had for a while along with some headphones. I was overjoyed with it and for the first time in a long while I gave him a hug. I missed the warmth of hugs, and his hugs were nice. He ruffled my hair one last time and left and I found myself shaking as I watched him leave. I sat down in one of the chairs in the station and held the CD player in my hands, putting the disc inside it and pressing the play button. It seemed he left the batteries in and they still worked when I heard the songs playing through the earphones. I put them over my ears and lost myself.

I guess I had fallen asleep when I felt someone shaking my shoulder. The batteries had died and it made me slightly upset. I guess since my parents had refused to be contacted about my whereabouts, they decided to just go ahead and give me to the state. I didn’t have a place to stay, at least that’s what I was thinking. But one of the cops told me I could stay with him for the night. It felt weird getting in his car and the ride to his place was quiet. He lived in a small two bedroom apartment and let me use it and even had clothes from when his son would visit. I guess I was like a curious cat when I asked him about his son. I regretted it when he said he had died in the war and his wife had died the past year in a car wreck. He did smile at me though and say that I was free to shower and relax until tomorrow. When I took the shower I stopped to really think. All these people didn’t know me, but they were doing a lot of things for me. I didn’t really understand it. My parents, who didn’t give two shits for me and left me for dead didn’t bother to help me. But these other people, they tried to make me feel…comfortable. It was nice to get a shower for once. I dried off, got dressed and walked out, seeing that he had dinner all ready. It was the people I was with in these past days that I didn’t want to leave.”

Gabriel came out dressed in soft pajama slacks, seeing the officer that had been nice enough to let him stay in his apartment cooking dinner. He had always watched his mother cook and enjoyed it. He caught the eyes of the man and he smiled at him.

“Want to help with dinner?” Gabriel had never cooked before and he blushed. His mother never had him help.

“Umm, I guess I can. I’m not too great though.” The adult gave a short laugh.

“No worries. Always room for learning.” Gabriel walked over to watch him cut up some vegetables. “Think you can handle cutting up these and some onions?” Gabriel bit his lip but nodded, taking the knife from the man. “Just small cubes will do. Take your time,” he instructed. Gabriel felt like he was accomplishing something, chopping the peppers and onions. He glanced over to see what else he was doing, seeing some ground beef in a pan as it simmered.

“So…what are you making?” He gave a smile, getting more things out from the fridge.

“I figured today could be a taco night. I was just going to stick with leftovers but now that I have company, something like this would probably be better.” Tacos? Gabriel never had tacos before. He blushed a little, watching as he got some lettuce and another chopping board out.

“I’ve never had tacos.” He noticed the frozen look on the man’s face, looking at the teen in a raised eyebrow.

“Never had tacos? Well you’ll like them. How about a movie too?” Gabriel hadn’t even owned a TV since his parents weren’t that rich to begin with, or they just didn’t like it ‘rotting your brain’. Gabriel gave a soft smile.

“Ok..thanks Mr. Watterson.” He gave a laugh and placed a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.

“It’s Lance outside work.” He was blushing and Lance just chuckled at the teen. He began to chop up the lettuce and put it in a bowl he placed out on the countertop that faced the living room like a bar. Pulling another smaller bowl out he placed it next to Gabriel “Here you go Bud, just put them in there.” Gabriel smiled and used the knife to help him put them inside the bowl set aside for him. He found pleasure in just helping and as soon as they started, everything was done. He watched Lance build his tacos and just followed suit. He took him inside the living room and started going through some movies.

“So what would you like to watch?” Gabriel bit his lip.

“Ummm, I’ve never really seen any movies..you pick.” Lance gave a smile and put in the Ring and came back.

“I’m a big horror fan. If you get scared let me know and I’ll shut it off.” Gabriel’s face was red but he acted tough which only made Lance smirk a little. “Don’t try and hide it. My son hated horror movies. Gave him bad night frights, even all the way up to his twenties.” Gabriel gave a scoffing sound, not believing him for a moment and biting into his taco.

Lance was right on one thing. Gabriel loved tacos. He had about seven which blew Lance’s four away, surprised on how much the kid could eat. He wondered if he just had a high metabolism. Gabriel hadn’t really paid attention to the TV until he was done eating and then began to get into the movie after they had started it over. Lance knew Gabriel was getting freaked and would occasionally look over at the teen who would twitch and flinch when something happened. It made the adult want to chuckle sometimes. At the point where the girl began crawling out of the TV, Gabriel had clung onto Lance and yelped, hiding his face into the side of the man who tried calming him, reminding him it was just a movie. When he asked if he wanted it off, Gabriel’s expression was priceless. The teen glared at him with a pout on his lips.

“Then I won’t know what happened if you turned it off!” Lance gave a laugh, the movie paused at the moment.

“But you’re not even watching it, you’re hiding.” Gabriel gave a huff and leaned back.

“Now I am, play it.” Lance smiled and pressed play. Gabriel only lasted just a few more minutes before once again he hid his face, peeking now and then until it was close to the end of the movie and he was done, forgetting that he was even leaning on the adult. When it ended, Gabriel slacked some. “…I might just have nightmares.” Lance couldn’t help but laugh and ruffle the teen’s hair.

“I told you.” Gabriel gave a huff and waved his hand dismissing the chuckle the officer gave. “Let’s clean up and head to bed.” Gabriel stood up after Lance did and followed him to the kitchen.

“I just told you I would have nightmares. We should watch another movie, not a scary one though.” Lance began cleaning up, the teen helping where Lance needed him.

“I have to wake up early. You can stay up and watch movies and I can come pick you up at lunch after we get some paper sorted out back at the station. How does that sound?” Gabriel put the shells away and smiled.

“Can I?” Lance gave a nod, wiping the counters.

“Yep. The movies are along the wall in the bookshelf, help yourself. Just don’t stay up too late ok?” Gabriel gave a nod and Lance ruffled his hair one more time before he headed to bed. Gabriel waited until he heard the door close and went right back to the living room, going through the movies. He had no idea that he wouldn’t be sleeping that night.

Raoul got to the gas station, the brother sparrow perched on the roof of the establishment. His nose was planted on the ground. Gabriel had been here. Where was his human? His head snapped up, watching a car drive in with its high beams up that night and he quickly moved from the front of the gas station. The sparrow glided down, perching itself on the wolf.

“Brother shifter, we have been searching all day. You should rest.” Raoul gave a scoff. He didn’t want to rest, not when news had spread and he knew of a wolf tribe nearby that was ruled by a tyrant. If news travelled to him and he found Gabriel first, it could spell disaster. The sparrow, rather irritated with the shifter, gave him a peck, earning a growl from him.

“Fine..only for a bit.” Happy that he was able to get the wolf to listen, he flew off in search for any help. The sparrow landed where some dogs where resting.

“Brother,” whispered the sparrow, earning the attention of the stray mutt whose ears perked at him. He stood to walk over.

“Yes brother bird?”

“I ask for your help. A Jarkla is separated from his guardian. Have you by chance seen him at all?” The mutt sat, his memory not the best but giving a bark slightly.

“Yes, I remember him. He was with another human. He took him to the police station in the next town over.” The sparrow gave a cheerful chirp.

“Oh thank you so much brother dog! He will be delighted to hear.” The dog shared a bow with the bird and they separated. Still letting Raoul get the sleep he needed, the sparrow went in search, using the aura he remembered from being with the Jarkla. Instinct drove the bird to the officer’s apartment, perching itself on the window. Inside he saw the sleeping form in a bed. Jumping to the next window, the flashing of the TV gathered its attention. It gave a chirp and tapped on the window.

Gabriel, who was zoned on the movie that was playing, was pulled out when unknown tapping began. He looked around and then at the window, seeing a bird outside. Getting up he walked over and opened the door, at once recognizing the sparrow from the rest stop.

“My friend, how did you find me?” He gave a soft chuckle, the bird fluffing its feathers then prancing on the boy’s head and shoulder. “Would you like to watch a movie with me?” Gabriel said smiling, the sparrow giving a chirp but in urgency flying off the boy’s shoulder and outside, chirping then flying back and chirping again. Gabriel tilted his head. “I can’t follow you Sparrow, I must stay here.” The bird landing on the windowsill and flapped. Why won’t he listen? The sparrow was now frantic to get the Jarkla to come and finally with much coaxing, watched the boy slip on his shoes. Success!

Gabriel very quietly left the apartment, walking down and meeting the sparrow outside. “Alright, you got me out here,” he said to the bird as it landed on his shoulder. Gabriel looked around and saw the empty streets. “There’s nothing out here.” The sparrow at once took off and flew, turning and calling the human to follow. Luckily, Gabriel did, getting a sick feeling in his stomach as he did. What was the bird trying to take him to and would he be able to find his way back? Trying to ignore the bad thoughts that flooded his head, he just followed the sparrow. He followed him for a bit but then a scream was caught in his throat as, suddenly, arms engulfed his waist and a hand covered his mouth. The sparrow, turning to see a shifter holding the Jarkla swooped to try and deflect the werewolf. He smacked the bird away with a snarl and instinct made Gabriel swing his arm down, nailing the male in the nuts. Wincing himself that he even did that, the grip holding him turned loose and he bolted right into another pair of arms.