Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read aloud .txt) 📕

down on the dusty cot in the corner, and was quickly asleep, clutching the picture to his chest. Derrick's thoughts were racing, and the Dream Girl returned, closer this time. Her silver-blue eyes were sadder than usual, and her long red-blond hair whipped behind her as he tried to reach closer to him.
Come to me . . . help me . . . I need you . . . The Dream Girl thought to him, her arms reaching out to him, pleading.
Who are you? Where are you? He thought to her, hoping she'd hear him this time.
I am a friend. Please, you must help me. I'm hurting. The Dream Girl still didn't introduce herself. You must hurry . . .
She was a shadow in his mind, but her feelings were as clear as a bell.
Please, stranger, tell me who you are, so I can help you.
I'm sorry, I can't right now. You must find me, quickly. Goodbye, my Love.
With that, she was gone, and he was alone again.
He awoke moments later to the sound of his named being called. Quickly and softly as he had come, Derrick set the old things back in their boxes and locked the attic door behind him.
"I'm here, Dad!" He called down the stairs.
"Just checking!" Mr. Reading called back.
Derrick headed to his own room to think about his runaway plan more. He drowned out any noises with his CD headset. He lay on his bed and began to think, hands under his head.
The Dream Girl was always with him, returning to his thoughts as he closed his eyes.
Follow your pendant to find me. She whispered, pointing to his chest.
Sure enough, there was a strange-looking necklace hanging by a leather chain. He stared at her, noticing she had a similar necklace around her neck. Each necklace had an identical stone encased in it. His heart pounded as he grasped his, and she disappeared.
Determined, he snapped his eyes open.
Derrick brightened when he saw a way out.
Hold on, my beautiful Dream Girl. He thought with a grin as he packed hours later. I'm coming.
Before leaving, Derrick stopped by the attic one last time to grab the tiny reminder of the Reading family before everything started to go to hell. After unlocking the door, flicking on the light, and finding the box, he shifted through it until he found the only thing that had kept him hoping for the best. The one snapshot of him and his then-happy family. He raced out the front door.
Not once did Derrick look back at what he had once called home. Not once did he regret his decision either. As he walked, he thought.
No more fighting, no more parents, and no more hell.
It was finally time to say goodbye to his old life and get on with his new one. Derrick Reading was going where the wind would take him, and he was well on his way.  
Chapter Two:
Shadow and the System

Derrick sat on the bench in the park to rest, his feet hurting from walking so far, and so long. It was late and his body was telling him to sleep. He looked at his watch, but his eyes wouldn't let him focus on the time. It felt like one o'clock in the morning to him. He obeyed his body and slept for a few quiet hours before going on again.
He didn't know where he was going, or where he was. He didn’t recognize his surroundings. Was he still in Hill View, Michigan? Couldn’t be; he knew the city by heart. Was he even in the same state? Derrick had a feeling the Dream Girl knew, and was leading him right to herself.
He awoke a few hours later when he felt someone tap him on the shoulder.
Sleepy still, he looked at the man. He was wearing a trench coat and a brimmed hat. Derrick smiled. The man looked like he stepped out of a detective novel!
"Good evening, sir. Do you have a light?" The man replied.
"Sorry. I don't smoke." Derrick replied. He noticed the man didn’t look that much older than he did.
The man smiled. "Neither do I. It's a bad habit. My limo driver does, and there's no point in stopping him once he's stressed."
Derrick smiled. He liked the strange man.
"The name is Shadow. Come with me and I'll introduce you." Shadow introduced himself.
Derrick was hesitant. Should he go, or wait for fate to take him to his Dream Girl?
"Come on, I won't bite." Shadow tried to convince him.
Derrick rose and stopped for a second, pausing. "Hey, you don't even know my name."
Shadow led Derrick to the waiting limo. "Sure I do. Why do you think I'm here? To make idle conversation and leave?"
"Well, I didn't –" Derrick started.
"If you think that, you're nuts, pal." Shadow replied. He turned to a burly man sitting in the driver's seat of the limousine. "Derrick Reading, this is our limo driver, Adam Landry."
"Who are you, really?" Derrick asked him after shaking Adam Landry's hand. "I mean, you said Mr. Landry here was 'our limo driver.' What do you mean by that?"
"You're sharp, Derrick. I can tell these things." Shadow replied with a grin. "Unfortunately, I can't talk about it here. People are watching."
Derrick looked around. "I don't see anybody."
"You know the old saying, 'the walls have ears'?" Shadow asked. Derrick nodded, so he continued. "Well in this case, it's the trees. Hop in with me, and I'll explain everything about us."
"Only five minutes ago we met, and you want me to go with you?" Derrick replied, skeptic. "No way, man."
"Derrick, listen to me." Shadow said, lowering his voice. "If I were a mugger or a killer, I would have done it by now, right?"
Derrick nodded. "Yeah, but--"
"But nothing. Hop in.” Shadow smiled. “I promise not to kill you until later."
Derrick stared at him.
Shadow laughed. "I'm kidding. Come on, you can trust me."
Derrick decided to trust Shadow and moments later, he was sitting across from him with his knapsack beside him.
"How did you know my name?" Derrick asked. He watched as Shadow looked to his book-bag. Sure enough, it had his name on it. "Stupid question, huh?"
"Not really." Shadow replied.
Derrick looked out the window as the limo began to move. “Where are we going?”
Shadow watched him and said softly. "To a place you'll learn to call home."
"Oh." Derrick replied, thinking about the family he left behind.
"Let me start at the beginning." Shadow took a deep breath and began his story. "First, my codename is Shadow, but my real name is Shane Morehouse. I'm seventeen and am one of many Senior Detectives in a place called the System."
“What’s the System?” Derrick asked curiously. He was interested from the word ‘detectives.’
"The System is a secret agency in lower-eastern California that trains young teenagers a specialty so they can be on their own when they're old enough. We supply all the basics: Food, shelter, and even spending money, not that we really need it.
"The System building itself used to be a local university, but early on, it was closed down for repairs and Shannon's late aunt fixed up the place. To the city of Shore Point, the System is an agency where kids thrown from the foster-care system can go. We have co-ed dorms in which there are either one or two beds, depending on the floor and the project you'll be on."
Shadow wrapped up, and took a sip from a pop bottle. "Any questions?"
Derrick didn't know what to say. In a matter of hours, he'd been whisked away from hell to what seemed to be a detour to heaven. "It sounds nice," was all he could muster.
Shadow laughed. "I know it seems a little much for someone starting out, but by your first case, Shannon will have you memorize a lot more than that." Shadow thought for a minute, seeing the anxious look on Derrick's face. "Besides, we're taking you away from an abusive life, right?"
Derrick stared straight at him, amazed he knew.
Shadow shrugged. "Shannon told me. Don't worry, though. You'll be fine at the System." He paused. "Sorry I made the joke about killing you."
"That's okay, I guess." Derrick shrugged. "I guess I'm not used to anyone joking around with me. I'm known as a bit of a loner around Hill View."
Shadow smiled. "I know."
Derrick smiled. How could one man, whom he had just met hours ago, know so much about him without him saying a word?
That was one of the secrets Shannon Ryan would teach him.

Derrick sighed, staring out the window as the limousine sped on the highway, passing each state. He missed his sister and brothers. Badly. Maybe when he got to where he was going, he'd write them a letter? Maybe.
A single tear ran down his cheek as some of the best memories of his siblings flashed before him.
"Hey, man." Shadow replied, waking Derrick from his daydream. Derrick stirred and faced Shadow, sitting up. "Are you ok?" Shadow asked, worried.
When Derrick nodded, Shadow just shrugged and returned to his book. Derrick turned back to the window and his wonderful daydream.
The Dream Girl entered his thoughts again, and he noticed the locket that hung around her neck once again.
Help me, love . . . I need you now more than ever . . . Hurry to me . . . I'm hurting. . . The Dream Girl chanted to him. Her voice was clearer, as if he was getting closer to her.
What can I do? Derrick pleaded. I'm here, waiting for you to tell me your name, but you won't.
You must hurry. He watched as the locket glowed around her neck, and the girl noticed it as well. Our world is in shambles, and I need your help.
She reached out to him, and he was closer in reaching her this time.
I can't reach you, my Dream Girl. Derrick replied. Please, tell me at least where you are.
I'm in the Dream Realm. Please, hurry my love. I need you.
The girl left then from his thoughts and he opened his eyes.
"Have a nice nap?" Shadow joked with a grin.
Derrick couldn't speak for a moment, so he nodded. He noticed the limousine had stopped.
"The System awaits, lads." Adam Landry called to them.
"Thank you, Landry." Shadow replied as he and Derrick stepped out and headed in the direction of the immense building. Shadow turned to Derrick. "He's the resident Chauffeur. Gotta give 'em credit sometime, eh Derrick?"
Derrick shrugged, throwing his knapsack over his shoulder. "I guess." He surveyed his surroundings, his eyes falling on Shadow. The mysterious agent had a serious and faraway look in his eyes.
Shadow paused at the doors. He turned to Derrick and said seriously. “I have one request.”
“Yeah?”
“Call me Shadow.”
“Why do you call yourself Shadow?”
“I’m like a shadow in the dark, remaining to be unseen and mysterious.” He shook his head, getting down to business. “Come on, we've got work to do."
The boys stopped at the doors. A frizzy-haired blond acknowledged Shadow and buzzed them in.
Derrick noticed that on the tenth floor of the building was the shadow of letters reading "Shore Point University." He wondered why the college closed down in the first place.
“Why am I here?” Derrick asked.
“Our boss, Shannon Ryan will explain it to you.” Shadow said. "First stop on your unguided tour are Shannon's office and the Main Computer Lab, where I'll leave you and go on to