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yourself.”
    “Stop it! Like you really care about me. You kidnapped me!”
    “Sherry. Don’t. Please.”
    “Why did you lock my brother up in there then?” I asked, still inching back along the wall.
    “Because...I knew you’d wake up and I wouldn’t be able to fend you both off without hurting someone. So I put him in there, because he’s bigger. I’d rather worry about you than him.”
    I was too scared to be offended by that right then so I let it slide that time.
    “What do you want, Matt? Why did you do this?”
    “I told you, I’m not Matt. My name is Merrick, I’m a Keeper,” he seemed to be getting a little exasperated, but he was telling the truth.
    “A Keeper? Hmm...and what exactly is that?” I snapped, crossing my arms over my chest and waited for the slue of lies to spill out.
    “A guardian. I’ve been watching you, well Danny, every since he was born. I’m his guardian, a Keeper, and he is a Special. My charge.”
    All true.
    “A Special?”
    “Yes. Someone destined to do an act or something of importance towards the greater good of mankind, thus needs to be protected until that act can be carried out in the way that was preordained. That’s why I’m here.”
    Was he reading a script? I could tell he at least thought he was telling the truth but I wasn’t giving in that easy.
    “Matt- I mean Merrick, why would I believe you? You drugged me, you kidnapped me, and took me and my brother somewhere, where only you have the key.”
    Suddenly there were thoughts in my head, thoughts not my own, words I wasn’t speaking and his lips weren’t moving, but his eyes were glued to mine. Pleading.
     
    Sherry, please, I know you can tell if I’m lying. I don’t want to frighten you but you leave me no choice. I’m a Keeper and my name is Merrick and you are safe with me. Please. Come sit down and listen. I’ll tell you everything.

    My mouth dropped open. My breaths quickened but I couldn’t feel it in my numb shocked lungs. It didn’t sound like Matt, it was another voice altogether but it was coming from the being across from me. I didn’t break eye contact with him, I couldn’t. He did it again.

    Danny is fine. I gave him the same thing I gave you, I just didn’t want him to jump me before I could explain everything to you. Will you let me? So you’ll understand what’s going on. You will have to help me explain it to him. Please? Come sit with me. I won’t touch you, I promise.
     
    I couldn’t not go. My body moved without my permission. It wasn’t him doing it. It was pure fright and intrigue. If he could go in my mind, what else could he do to me?
    I walked slowly and carefully towards him, hugging the wall like I was balancing on a ledge. I sat in the white club chair he motioned to in the little vestibule at the end of the hall and continued to stare at him, drawing my legs up under me for some semblance of personal comfort. He began, not waiting for me to come out of the shock.
    “As I said,” he began and sat in the identical chair on the other side of the side table, “I’m a Keeper. We are not from your world. We watch over you, humans, the ones who are deemed as Specials. We have a forty eight hour time window, we see that far into the future so we can intervene if needed to make sure the Special is safe until the task has been fulfilled.”
    “What task?” I interrupted but it just popped out.
    “We don’t know until it happens. We just know to guard them until it does. There are others out there, we call then Lighters. They try to interfere from time to time with the Specials. Now they are here to mess with everyone. They are your black eye and hair persons that you have been reporting on. They remain undetected because they can not be photographed or filmed by your media, I’m not sure why. They are the Keepers opposites. They come to earth and claim bodies so they can take the lives of Specials before their time, to keep them from fulfilling the task. We