Page 10 of The Chosen Two

“No, I’m good, thank you. And yes, my name’s George.”

I nod as I pull down a giant mug and pick up my carafe. Once my coffee is ready and I take a long, long, long swallow, I look up at this guy.

“So George, how old are you?”

“Twenty-four.”

“Cool. Cool. Cool.” I take another sip. I close my eyes and slowly move the creamy caffeinated perfection around inside my mouth before allowing myself to swallow. I breathe in. And out. I open my eyes and look into George’s. “And George, what, and I mean this with all due respect, what the fuck is happening to me? I have a feeling you know, and I would very much like to stop from feeling as though I’m losing my mind.”

Now it’s his turn to take a deep breath.

“Okay, Miranda. I can explain. Just try to stick with me until I’m done, okay?”

I raise my eyebrows and nod, tightly and quickly. It’s all I can manage to do without screaming.

He gestures toward the kitchen table. “Do you want to sit down or something? This may be a hard to hear.”

I shake my head, but my muscles have tightened up so much that my head makes basically the same motion as a nod.

“Okay.” He breathes in and out again, then clears his throat. “On second thought, can I have a glass of water?”

“Spit it out, George.”

“Right. Okay. So…first of all, you are not losing your mind. Are you familiar with the idea of ‘The Chosen One’?”

A chill hits me as I remember that shrill voice from the pharmacy, whispering,This chosen one is a joke. The chosen one…

“The Chosen…what, exactly?”

He begins to pace, taking a couple of steps before turning around and retracing his steps, back and forth, all while he continues his explanation. “Every generation, a girl is born who’s destined to be the Chosen One, the Guardian. Basically, there are all sorts of baddies and creatures—beings that no one thinks are real. And we need someone to keep it that way, to keep these creatures under wraps.”

“Ummm, okay. So, Chosen One. Guardian. Creatures… Got it. Please, go on.”

“Okay. When a Guardian’s born, she obviously can’t fight because she’s a baby, right? So, the powers that be, the League of Docents, identify the next one long before the previous Chosen One is...done.” He stops pacing across from me and brings his hands to rest on my counter top.

“Wait, what do you mean, when she’s done?” The look he gives me sends chills up my spine while rooting me where I stand. “What do you mean ‘when she’s done,’ George? When she dies? What is she chosen todo, George?” I don’t enjoy the shrillness coming from my vocal cords, but I’m having a hard time keeping my tone under control

George stares down at his hands, one of which is picking at the other’s thumbnail. “Yes, when she dies. She’s chosen to protect humanity from those creatures I mentioned, because people en masse are not supposed to know they exist. Sometimes, the Guardian needs to just remind the beings to stay better hidden. Sometimes, she has to fight them. Sometimes, she has to kill them.”

I feel like the room is closing in, the air being cut off from my lungs. “What kinds of creatures are we talking about here?”

He shifts uncomfortably on his feet. “Well, lots of different ones, from different regions, cultures, religions.” He stops and stares into my eyes for a second, or I have him glued to the spot with my own gaze. He swallows hard, then continues. “Miranda…you’re The Guardian. You’re The Chosen One.”

I stand still and stare at him, unable to blink. I can’t seem to look away from him, so I close my eyes and drink the rest of my coffee before my heart can beat again. I put the mug in the sink basin and walk over to face him. I lift my chin and look him in the eyes. Then, I burst out laughing.

“This is amazing! The Chosen One! Me?” I wipe the tears from my eyes. “Did Eliza put you up to this?”

“Of course not. She has no idea about any of this.”

“Then, how do you even know who Eliza is?”

He plops the folder onto the counter between us. Before I pick it up, I read the clean page pasted to the front of the otherwise tattered folder.

CLASSIFIED

Property of the League of Docents

Guardian #417: Miranda Jones Gold

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