The New Guardian

Chapter 3

Walking into the foundry, my sling bag at my side, I nodded to Mrs. Claire behind the check-in desk. "You aren't due in for another two hours Sterling." she said without even looking up from the green check-in book that she was tasked with taking care of. Mrs. Claire always kept backup files, especially when I came around, computer crashes happened often around me it seemed, so I smiled when I saw the computer already off.

"Watching the security cameras for me to show up, Mrs. Claire?" I asked, signing in, writing the time I was actually due in at. "I've just come to get a decent meal before I start anyway." She just kind of glared at me for the camera comment.

"So, you forgot to go grocery shopping for the week I take it, Sterling." she replied, pulling the check-in book away from me.

"Bingo!" I said, heading into the foundry. The break room was small, but the pre-prepared meals were at least half decent, especially compared to what I had back at my apartment. As I let the food start to cook, I cracked open my book.

I just got to the section on the Ways of the Fae when I felt someone behind me. Just one of those sixth sense type things. I glanced back over my shoulder, and there stood Joey, reading over my shoulder. "Ain't you alittle old for fairy tales, Dev?" He asked, a smile spreading across his face.

I shrugged alittle, "Still a decent read..." I shut the book and looked at Joey as he sat down with a sandwich. "What the hell are you doing here this early anyway?" I asked, sliding the book back into my sling bag. There was no way I would get reading done with Joey here now.

"Get away from the wife. Do yourself a favor Dev, don't get married.... Ever." Joey had been married for five years and from all the stories he's told me they don't fight, they just don't see eye to eye. "But seriously, what are you reading that stuff for man?"

Joe was always curious as to why I read the kinds of books I did at work. Considering most of them were ancient in the way of literature or very high fantasy. "Just more research for the game." I said, stretching slightly. There was no way I could tell him about the whole world that lies just beneath the common mortals. He'd either think I was crazy or joking, so I just told him earlier that I played Dungeons and Dragons, that excused worked well enough.

"I can't believe you play that kind of stuff, Dev. Just don't seem like the type." he said, getting a soda from the machine. "I should try and join you all sometime. Always wanted to try."

"Oh... yea... definitely sometime, Joe." I nodded, thinking that simple little phrase could unravel the not very carefully put together lie. His watch timer went off, time to get changed so we could start our shift. Night security in a foundry that ran a skeleton crew at night wasn't exciting, but I had enough excitement for the week already.