The Guardian's Protector: The Chamber of Souls by Debbie Kowalczyk Page B

whole play area. Next, a blinding flash of light appeared in the ball pit. Everyone in the café exchanged dark looks and Ethan began to scream manically. As Amy climbed into the pit, Kate flew backwards and began to shake.
    Amy waded through the balls towards her but, Ethan, red-faced with rage, hissed at her. Saliva dripping from his few teeth and eyes bulging with evil, he shot towards her. As he got close, Amy saw a flicker of fear within his glare. As his eyes darted towards her pendant, Amy realised he could sense the talisman.
    Kate stopped shaking, grabbed Ethan, and scrambled her way out while Amy made her way to Tom who sat, eyes wide, with his concentrated expression. As Amy reached him, blood streamed from his nose.
    ‘Get me a tissue!’ Amy screamed at Jack, Mark and Winston, who stood at the entrance, looking nervous. Jack ran and was back with her tissue as she reached the door.
    Everyone in the café gathered round to watch, most of the mothers whispering amongst themselves.
    Kate, noting the unwelcoming glances, turned to Amy. ‘Is he okay, Amy?’ she asked sheepishly, her tone indicating she knew it was Ethan’s fault. ‘I don’t know what happened, do you?’
    ‘It won’t stop bleeding!’ Amy cried while Jack passed her more tissues. Tom sat expressionless as she frantically wiped blood from him.
    ‘What happened?’ Jack asked, bemused.
    ‘We don’t know,’ Kate said robotically.
    ‘That boy went in the ball pit with Tom,’ a lady said, pointing toward Kate, ‘and the next minute…’
    ‘The next minute, what?’ Kate snapped.
    ‘This!’ she said, shrugging and indicating she was merely stating a fact.
    ‘We don’t know how it happened,’ Amy said, trying to diffuse the angst. Winston bent down and clicked his fingers in front of Tom’s face.
    ‘Tom… Tom, ’ he said.
    Tom didn’t respond.
    ‘Tom, look at me.’ Still no response.
    Amy turned him to face her. ‘Tom,’ Amy cried, still trying to catch the blood, ‘sing mummy the alphabet.’ The alphabet song was usually a stimulus, but Tom remained dazed. ‘Oh my goodness, what’s wrong with him?’ Amy’s eyes filled with tears.
    ‘Tom,’ Mark said, bending down to touch Tom on the shoulder, concern written across his beautiful face. Amy’s eyes were so close to Mark’s scar that she could see it contained what looked like tiny bits of shrapnel.
    ‘He’s okay!’ Jack shouted to all who were watching. Amy quickly looked back at Tom to find him blinking and looking confused. Everyone looked relieved.
    Tom’s body then relaxed. ‘What dis?’ Tom said, touching the sticky blood under his nose.
    ‘That’s blood,’ Amy said. ‘Are you okay, Tom?’
    ‘Okay me.’ He smiled. ‘Okay you ?’
    ‘Yes, okay me,’ she said, squeezing him as her tears fell. ‘Let Mummy wipe again,’ she added, holding the tissue.
    ‘Tom do!’ he said, putting his hands over his nose, spreading the blood sideways all over his cheeks. For a fraction of a second Amy saw white light emit from under his hands. ‘All gone!’ he said, letting go. Amy wiped the blood away and this time it had stopped bleeding. As gossip broke out, Amy turned to see Kate and Ethan leaving.
    For the rest of the day it was all everyone spoke about. After Amy made sure he was fine, Amy allowed Tom to rejoin Mark for the rest of it. Before he left, and after an awkward moment where Amy hoped he’d give her his number, Mark gave Tom a present of his own to take home and put under the tree. Tom hugged him like he knew he wouldn’t see him for a while.
    ‘It was so nice to meet you,’ Amy said, hating the fact that she wasn’t confident enough to ask for his number.
    ‘The pleasure was all mine.’ The way he smiled left her feeling sad.
    Before closing, Amy decided she would clean any balls that had blood on them. Tom followed her in with his cloth. As she scrambled through the pit, something sharp scratched her legs. As she looked down, there were