“Stop it! You’re hurting me!” Jacob screamed as his father dragged him down the hallway by his wrist. “Your fine, grow up and be a man.” His father growled. When they reached Jacob’s room his father pushed him through the open door way and followed him inside. He turned, closed the door and locked it. Jacob started to shake, he wanted to run but there was nowhere to go, nowhere to hide. His only option was to stay there and accept the beating his father was about to deliver. This was a typical night for Jacob; his father would come home drunk and beat him. As he stood waiting for that first hit he wondered how far his dad would take it this time. Would it just be a bloody lip? A black eye? A broken nose? Or would he once again break his arm or leg? His thoughts were interrupted by a fist to the cheek, then to the ribs and then his chin. Jacob fell to the ground; his father grabbed his arm and pulled him back to his feet while scowling, “Come on take it like a man stand up I’m not done with you yet don’t be such a wimp.” Jacob struggled to stay on his feet and after another ten minutes of his father brutally punching his entire upper body his father decided it was about time he was done. He grabbed Jacob by the arm and twisted it behind his back and waited to hear the pop of Jacobs shoulder dislocating from its socket. He threw his weeping son to the floor and went to the kitchen for another beer.
****
Jacob lied on the floor weeping with pain; he wonders out loud “Why does this happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?” “Why doesn’t he love me?” Jane, Jacob’s mother hears this from just outside his door and walks in. “Hunny, you’ve done nothing wrong, you don’t deserve this neither one of us do.” Jacob turned to look at his mother and noticed her swollen face and bruised wrist. “Once your father passes out were getting you to the hospital, this time we can’t just pretend you got hurt while playing. “ Jane paused, “I’m putting and end to this now before it’s to late.”
***
“See sir it’s gotten even worse I have to help him before it’s too late.” “Very well Samantha, you may go check up on Jacob.” Nathan replied. “But you must remember the guardian angel laws. You may only use your magic in dire situations that threaten Jacob’s physical being, other wise you are just there to guide, mentor and provide comfort. Do you understand?” “Yes Sir, I do indeed.”
***
Jacob and Jane arrive at the hospital ER a little after midnight. They sit down and wait for a nurse. It was about 12:20 by the time a bed was available. Jane had already been treated do to the nature of her injuries. She was given a bag of ice for her swollen eye and a wrap for a sprained wrist, Jacob on the other hand was awaiting the results of his x-rays. Dr. Anderson walks into the room and puts the x-rays up on the board to show Jane the severity of her son’s injuries. “Your son has three broken ribs a punctured lung and abdominal internal bleeding, along with a broken jaw and concussion.” “Oh my poor baby! Will he be ok doctor?” “He is going to require surgery to stop the bleeding, repair his lung and to reset his jaw. He will have to be here at least a week.” “A week? He can’t be away from home that long his father would….” Jane trailed off. “His father would what? Is that how your son sustained such serious injuries?” “Yes my husband is an alcoholic with an out of control temper. Do you no anywhere we could go after his surgeries to stay away form him?” As Dr. Anderson told Jane all about the areas women’s shelters and safe houses, Al was waking up from his drunken sleep. He went to crawl into bed and noticed his wife was not there, he stumbled to Jacob’s room the bed was empty. Flying into a drunken rage he grabbed the other set of car keys, his .357 pistol and headed outside. “That stupid b**** took him to the hospital again I just no it.” He sped out of the driveway and towards the closest hospital.
***

Al burst into the hospitals waiting room and scans the row of beds for his wife and son. Jacob had just been taken into another wing of the hospital for a CT scan of his head to check for possible injuries. Al finds his wife lying on a bed at the other end of the ER, he briskly walks over and as he reaches the foot of the bed his wife opens her eyes in shock. “A-A-Al what are you doing here?” Jane stammered. “You know da** well why I’m here! I’m taking you and Jacob home right now. Speaking of Jacob where is he Jane?” “I don’t know they took him for some tests.” “Lies you just don’t want to tell me where he is, but I will find out whether you tell me or not.” Worn out and tired of fighting Jane takes her husband to see Jacob. They walk into the bright white hospital room to see Jacob lying in the bed half awake taking to the corner of the room. “See what you’ve done by bringing him here Jane the boys gone insane he’s talking to the wall!!” But little did Al know that Jacob wasn’t insane at all he was actually talking to me, his guardian angel. While Jacob and I were talking about his life goals and dreams his parents became engaged in a heated argument and Al pulled the .357 from his waist line and shot Jane in the heart. “Mom! No! Dad how could you?” Jacob cries. “Shut up or your next.” Al raises the pistol and points it at his sons head, but before he can pull the trigger hospital security tackles him to the ground and cuffs him. Jacob sobs and stares at Samantha,”What should I do now? Where will I go?” Samantha responds the only way she knows how, ”You will be placed into foster care, which means you will get a new family and a new life, but don’t be afraid I will always be watching over you and if you really need my help I will be there.” “Wait you’re leaving me? Why can’t I just come stay with you?” “Because Jacob I am not living you are the only one who can see me; I am your guardian angle. I came to earth to protect you from your father and now I must return home to resume watching over you from the clouds above, but don’t worry I will never let anything happen to you.” Samantha fades away into thin air and Jacob starts to sob frantically. Felling alone and helpless Jacob cries himself to sleep.
***

A month later Jacob is released from the hospital and placed in his foster home, with two other children Tomas who was 8 and Jane who was 5. Jacob watched over Jane, she reminded him so much of his mother and he didn’t want to forget her, but one day Jane fell down and bruised her arm and even after a week the bruise was still there it hadn’t even faded. They take her to the doctors where they find out that Jane has Leukemia. Jacob goes into the bathroom and prays, “Samantha I know you’re watching me right now and you said you would help me if I really needed it. Well I need your help to cure Jane I don’t want to lose my little sister she’s got so much ahead of her…Please.” Jacob stands up, turns around and walks out of the bathroom to see Samantha standing in the hallway. “Jacob I can cure Jane but there is a price to be paid, I can only help her if I have a soul to take her place.” “You mean for her to live I must die?” “I’m sorry Jacob but it’s the rule.” “Alright I’ll do it.” “Jacob are you sure this is what you want? You’re willing to sacrifice your own life for Jane?” “Yes I am, she deserves to live a full life I feel that I’ve lived through enough pain in my life and she shouldn’t have to deal with this.”
***
Jane is now a healthy 15 year old girl who continues to cause trouble with her brother Tomas. She wishes she could remember her brother Jacob, but the memories are scarce. But somehow she feels that he is watching over her just like he used to back when she was a little girl.


“She’s right I am watching over her by giving up my life for hers I became her guardian angle.”