Chapter 8

Harold stood beside the bridge, watching over his town. He felt unsettled, but he didn’t see anything coming that he needed to deal with. However, he knew that anything could happen at any moment. This feeling always came when he needed to be prepared to slip through the veil and interact with the physical world. But there was nothing. Thor beside him was just as on edge.

They both jumped at the sound of someone clearing their throat behind them. Jacob. He chuckled at their startled reaction. “You two have been on guard for a long time. You should be used to the unexpected by now.”

Harold gave him a half smile. “Ain’t nothing that happens on the other side of the bridge surprises me, but I don’t expect anything from this side. Yer quieter than a injun countin’ coue.”

“I apologize, my friend.”

Harold nodded “Why are ya here, Jacob? When y’all show up I know something big is comin’.”

“Several things actually. First, activity in your sector is about to pick up. We’ve gotten word that the enemy has convinced a couple of locals to allow some of his agents to take up dwelling with them.”

Harold’s face set in determination. “Which locals?”

“You know I’m not allowed to tell you that. You just need to watch and act. You’ll figure it out when you’re supposed to.”

Harold tossed his hat on the ground in frustration, and Thor pawed the ground. “Ain’t right us not having the information we need.”

Jacob just looked at the Guardian. “Are you saying that the Creator doesn’t know what’s best, Harold?”

The cowboy swallowed as he realized the slippery slope he was on. “Nah, I ain’t sayin’ that. I’m jest bellyachin’. Y’all said that was the first thing. What else are ya here to tell me?”

The ancient Guardian nodded. “Yes, your second choice is also approaching.”

Harold and Thor’s heads shot up. “Second choice? What second choice?”

“To continue, or allow someone else to replace you.”

The cowboy and his trusty steed looked at each other. “I didn’t know that was a possibility. When all this started, ya said if we chose, we’d do this here job till the end of time.”

“Normally, that is true. However, because of the amount of increase that is about to come to your workload, the Creator has picked a replacement, if you want one.”

“What does that mean?”

“All Guardians have to make a choice. This you know. Normally, there is only one choice ever offered in a single place. But the Creator has a man who is about to face the same choice that you made. Live with his one true love, or forsake her to save another. At the moment he makes his choice, you will be given a similar choice. A very hard choice.”