For those of you who like Guardian then dont worry this is merely a side project for when I hit a small block in creativity with the other story, this one is going to be in the supernatural horror genre. Sorry if its a bit blah, this story might or might not last depending on how long a still have a liking for my characters or if I just merely forget about it, it is mostly rated M for safety because of the tragedy element and such. Anyway I hope you enjoy.

Chapter One

+BEGINNING+

Things change, after all life is a huge working clock. Ticking effortlessly, every part necessary to make it work. There are the parts you can see as clear as day such as the hands and numbers, but when you pick the clock apart you can see more and more, things you wouldn't have seen if you hadn't looked closely. On this earth there are things you wouldn't see unless you looked very closely, but even the most observant can miss a few things because you need a different kind of sight in order to see it.

Cars honking loudly, people yelling and always in a hurry, a pungent gas smell filling the air like an ominous fog, and the constant waves of cell phones. Because of all of this the city was a bit much for Rose to handle, not that she was a nervous wreck type but she just felt uncomfortable, like she was out of her element or at least claustrophobic. Her preference was rolling hills and an open road ahead of her to guide her to a new horizon. The reason of being here to begin with was strictly business.

"Are you sure this will work? Oh I hope this works I haven't been able to get a proper nights rest for a week now!" a woman's voice jittered.

A girl called Rose smiled calmly as she opened the windows to allow the sage smoke to release into the outside air. Once she was done the woman unleashed a relieved sigh, "goodness I feel better now!" she announced happily.

"Now those spirits can return so please answer a few questions so I can help you prevent this from occurring" Rose said politely. The woman gave a nod, with this Rose proceeded to ask the questions, "tell me of your family please and any people who have visited this home".

The woman smiled, Rose could tell she was one of those 'see the best in people' types. "Well there's my husband and my son Derek, their both wonderful, my husband works at a car dealership and my son goes to the high school near here. Everyday he goes to the library to study, he's about average but that's alright since he says he doesn't want to go to a very fancy college just one to get him good pay in the future. As long as he calls ahead I will allow him to have his friends over while I work at a local restaurant on the weekends" the proud mother chuckled as she talked about her son. "I think kids should be watched but allowed to be free".

They were slight but there were many tip offs, so Rose decided to ask yet another question. "Has he been having a hard time sleeping as well? Also have there been any strange odors?"

Thinking for a moment she finally shook her head, "my son stays up long nights and tends to sleep a lot on weekends, its almost as if he's in a coma, and yes but no as well with his schedule he tends to neglect bathing, and the coffee he drinks makes him pretty twitchy after a while" she replied.

Closing her eyes for a moment Rose debated on whether to break it to this mother or not, anyone could see what was up. It was extremely obvious, her son was using very dangerous substances most likely introduced to him by these so called friends and these so called friends had certain things attached to them. Fuzzy and black looking spirits that detached themselves from a bad person and infested a home like rats, slowly poisoning good residents someday making them equally as terrible as the person they were once attached too.

Pushing back her bangs of her long black hair that had been tied in a ponytail she looked to the mother. "Ma'am I hate to break this too you but perhaps you should became a parent that monitors the child closely".

Taken aback she uttered, "now what do you mean?"

"I mean that the one who brought those things in was your son and his friends. He's an addict, I suggest getting help before it gets out of hand" in one smooth movement Rose took her pay and stuffed it in her leather backpack, "have a nice day ma'am if you need another cleansing don't hesitate to post on the website" she then left out the door, leaving a stunned woman in her wake. Slinging one of the straps of her back pack over her shoulder she walked through the halls to head to the elevator, awaiting to reach the first floor. Once she had arrived she sauntered out the door, however stepping off to the side and holding the door for an elderly woman, then allowing the door to close by itself once she was safely inside.

For a moment she stopped and took in everything. Cities always felt caged to her, the high rising buildings like iron bars blocking the way out, millions of its prisoners rushing about like frightened mice, an act of torture by pollution. Rubbing her nose in a futile attempt to relieve the burning sensation. Finally she moved, avoiding business men and woman on cell phones as she made her way to her black vespa, it was like a motorcycle of sorts except with a few noticeable differences, one of the biggest was the price and the price of insurance. Very inexpensive. Putting on the helmet and then goggles to keep crud from flying into her eyes, she hopped on and started it up. Pulling out of where she had parked it and into the bustling early morning traffic. Nearly getting hit a few times as she did turns and went to new lanes to get to the motel, it was one of those old style looking ones, only god knows if the city one day decides they want to tear it down one day to build something new. She hoped that it wouldn't, the residents would miss the place dearly.

Pulling into the parking lot she stuffed her helmet into her back pack along with the goggles after turning the engine off, the best thing about getting something cheap for transportation was that not even a man struck blind would steal such a thing.

Rose walked inside. Greeted by a few people who recognized her, after saying her own hello's she headed to her room.

Closing the door firmly behind her and locking it. "Maybe if I save up enough I can go see a chiropractor" she rubbed her left shoulder and attempted to massage it a bit as she threw off her dark grey hoodie that seemed a bit big for her from time to time. It landed on the newly made bed and her black boots were thrown to the side as well, they weren't really anything fancy, actually they were spotted on those who worked a lot and when you hike as much as Rose one needed sturdy shoes that didn't break easy. Taking off her clothes she headed to the shower and washed.

Her black hair now cascading down to the middle of her back, closing her golden brown eyes to keep the soap out as she washed her fair flesh. Her form was skinny but not pole skinny, her C chest disguised by baggy clothes that never revealed much of anything. After washing up she turned off the shower, dried off then put on some black pants with a shirt she got on sale from the men's shirt aisle, using the towel to dry off her hair as she walked out of the bathroom. Immediately her eyes land on some paper that had been slipped under her door. "Pete must have come by" she whispered as she bent down to grab them. Seating herself at a table she looked through the papers, first reading a letter.

A hot spot seems to have been found in a small town. Over five minor cases that require a cleansing, reports of poltergeist activity and a finally the good old 'demon' reports. I supplied a few pages of the towns history so you have a feel for things and a map. It should take you a few weeks, hopefully you will be done before Halloween comes. Good Luck.

~Pete Grays

Sighing softly Rose began to look at the gathered research. These demon reports were always the most difficult since well, there was a lot too the situation then what the person being tormented thought. Grabbing a piece of paper she organized all the cases in alphabetical order by last name as well as grouping them, she would do the more severe first and do cleansing on the side in early mornings as always. Once everything was done she leaned back on the seat, "I'm finally done being here" she muttered as she closed her eyes.

Its been two years since she started doing these things. Back then she was only fourteen. Never attended school as far as she knew however she did read a lot, never hung out with friends but she has met a lot of people from different parts of the USA, never worried about melodrama since she had to deal with people almost being killed by the things that went bump in the night. Never a normal girl, perhaps she would never live a normal life and die on the job one day but she didn't mind much.

Stretching her arms and yawning she got up to cook herself some food.

Her legs stopped abruptly, her eyes blinking. "What's up?"

Behind her was the ghost of a woman wearing old Victorian clothes, her eyes brown and her brown hair pulled tightly into a bun she elegantly sat down on a chair and looked to Rose. "So your leaving?" she asked. Nodding to this she walked into the kitchen area and started to cook herself something to eat to make up for missing breakfast.

"Yes, my assistant Pete found a hot spot with a lot of spiritual activity. Once I'm done there I will leave to a new location and fix their problems, then to another location once that is finished. My never ending cycle" she explained.

The ghost woman tilted her head, "don't you ever get tired of dealing with us? Why not be with the living for a while?"

Rose was silent for a moment. Leaving had always been a thought in the back of her mind, but where to go was the real problem.

"Settling down is tempting yet frightening, I don't think I could adjust to a normal life with the living. All I can do is be the spiritual mediator, even if I reach my end goal I might well keep doing this" Rose stirred the boiling water filled with a cup of rice. Was there ever once a time when she didn't do this? Did she run from her gifts or did she embrace them like she was doing now?

"I see" the ghost woman disappeared like a fog.

After adding seasoning and tuna to her cooked rice Rose grabbed a glass of juice. Sitting down to eat, and suddenly greeted by the ghosts of this motel, all twenty of them.

Children, women, men. Colored or white, once a hard worker or once a guest. All content with how things are but not moving on for their own individual reasons.

The ghost woman appeared in front of the group with a smile on her face.

"It is only proper that a friend is seen off by friends, you have only been here for a few days but in those few days we thought we were alive again. We thank you" she curtsied elegantly. Seeing the faces Rose couldn't help but smile to them all, "thank you Sophia".

The reason for not being able to leave this profession was simple. They were much like the living, some good and some bad, they need to be protected just like the living needed protection. She will calmly enter every dangerous situation to assure the safety of both sides so the world can become more peaceful, one day many others will be able to see this world of spirits, see what was within the clock-what was within the box. Is the cat dead or alive? Until the rest of the world sees the state of this cat she will become the warrior. I haven't seen it open all the way myself, but someday maybe I will see it truly.

Throughout the day they all hung out, the night consumed by smiles of happiness.

In the new morning Rose said final good byes, grabbed her things and left for the new destination.