Protectors Chapter 2

 Chapter 2

    Introduction to poetry was the class, about thirty-five people, small classroom, little balding teacher up front. She of course took front seat, book on desk, glasses on, and eyes up front. I sat in the back corner, hidden once again from the world, chin resting on my palm, elbow propped on desk, and eyes on her. My jet black hair, shagged in front, dropped over my forehead, covering the fear and danger raging from my dark green eyes. I looked down at my dark blue jeans, old, ripping, but still useful and my black boots, massive, thick, and covered in years of hard work.
“Malory, last stanza please?” She smiled, you could physically see how excited she gets and how connected to the poems she felt. She cleared her throat and began.

“For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes

Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;

And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling- my darling- my life and my bride,

In the sepulcher there by the sea,

In her tomb by the sounding sea.”

Her voice was smooth, angelic, sweet and caring.
“What's it about?” With a smile, she answered.
“Love, his dying love for this women, the everlasting feeling of peace and joy when with her. It's beautiful.”
“Not!” I turned my attention to a young man, about twenty, sitting along the side, near the back, feet up, and arms crossed in front of chest, laughing, laughing at her. She just rolled her eyes and ignored him, wise choice but me, I couldn't just let that go. I found myself itching to smash his face in for saying simply one word yet embarrassing her. End of class, she met up with Jessica, she's known Jessica ever since the biking accident at age six.
    Hot summer afternoon, Malory always rode her bike down to the creek to get craw fish. Something she found pleasure in, adventure, and an only child in a childless neighborhood, well it was fun. Sitting along the water, feet dipped in, she loved to feel the cold water rush between her toes and close her eyes to focus on the sound of the smooth traveling water. She'd often bring her poetry books there in a little red wagon and read them, cover to cover. Today was different, she stood up to her knees in the water, orange net in right hand and eyes peeled. She slowly reached down with left hand to remove a huge rock, readying the net, she smiled. With a scream and a splash, Jessica flew in, her red hair a fiery glow, freckles covered her cheeks, nose, and arms, and green eyes wide. Her purple bike splashed right in front of Malory as she herself landed on Malory; both dripping wet, they just looked at each other and laughed.
    Ever since then they'd been friends, did everything together, called themselves sisters. Both wanting to major in English, Malory poetry and Jessica an English teacher, which means they came to the same school. As they walked down the hall, I stood silently by the door, waiting. With one quick motion, I had him against the wall, the boy that embarrassed her, my forearm against his chest, pressing him to wall, I glared deeply in his eyes as a warning.
“Leave Malory alone.” Nothing more to be said, I disappeared. Coffee shop, was the next stop, she got a small job working here but didn't pay much and not good hours. She sat with Jessica on the small couch, gripping a hot cup of a double shot latte, no sugar, extra milk, topped with whipped cream. They came here every Thursday afternoon to just sit and talk, like tradition.
    She had a simple schedule to follow, school, apartment, friends, work, but never a lot of new places. Not many dates, kinda stayed to herself, didn't attend many parties, was just there for education, which was rare.I found myself staring, memorized by her beauty, her eyes, but most of all, her smile. I'd give anything to see her smile, she lit up a room, she cured sorrow, but most of all, that smile made my heart melt. We the protectors are somewhat human, we once lived a normal life, a century or two ago we had parents, families, friends, everything our assignments have now. Then, at the peak of our lives, our healthiest, strongest moments, we were taken, to the world of the protectors. Alternated to be the best, the strongest, the fastest, and the only ones willing to die for the ones they gave their word to protect. We could throw a car without breaking a sweat, beat a train to it's station with a simple jog, and do things that couldn’t even be imagined yet. Our job is to protect, forever, and that was easy, we are designed to never die. By taking us at the peak of our lives, we stay there, staying strong and healthy, never growing old, getting sick, never failing our task in life. Basically, this job is our lives.