The New Guardian
I sat in the cold, hard chair all night waiting for the call. Lou slept on the ground next to me, on a pile of blankets that had been half-eaten by moths. She found a chest of them, the blankets that is, in the other room. She did offer me one, but I couldn't risk getting too comfortable and falling asleep. We didn't know when the call would come in; I had to be prepared.
The next thing I know, it rings. One long, two short, and the final buzz.
"It's too hot for cocoa." I say, recalling my conversation with Jack days earlier, when he revealed his, well my, I guess, our secret identities along with the instructions to get Lou to safety.
"I know what you did!" The voice says on the other end, before abruptly slamming the phone.
Wait, that's not the code, who was that? Where is Jack? Are the others okay?
"Lou!" I yell out, violently shaking her from her slumber.
"Lou come on, we have to get out of here!" I scream, now in full panic. I wasn't prepared for this, what did he mean? Have I been compromised? I've only been a guardian for three days, I don't know how to handle this; I don't know how to handle any of this.
"Okay, okay, I'm up. What has you in such a tizzy?" Lou says, rubbing her eyes and sitting up on her makeshift bed.
"I think we've been compromised." I say, explaining the strange phone call. "We have to go!"
"How do you know?" she asks.
"I have a hunch, Jack said guardians were born with one, remember?" I explain in my nervous state. "There's no time to argue." I say finally, before grabbing her arm and rushing out the door.