Another chapter has come!

Chapter 12: The Tears You Cry

Taranee's POV

Taranee opened her eyes and lifted her head off her bed. Where was she? Had she just had a nightmare? She grabbed her glasses and put them on looking around. Taranee couldn't help but to be confused. Her heart was still pounding loudly and she was sweating like she had just run a mile. What happened, she wondered.

She got out of bed and stretched. Every moment of her sleep had seemed so real. If it was real, Taranee couldn't be sure. She felt like it all had happened, but then she woke up. How could it have happened if she was asleep? Now she was more confused than ever. She walked over to her mirror and looked at herself. Her face that looked back at her was tired and pondering.

"Did I just have a dream like Will did?" She asked herself in the mirror. "Or was what Will told me about those Evil Guardians a dream too? Oh how confusing!" Taranee was staring so hard that she yelped when she saw a darkened version of herself flash in the mirror. She looked closer and saw her regular reflection again.

"Okay Taranee, stop being paranoid." She shook her head and her beads clicked together. "I need to call her and the others and find out for sure if it was real." Taranee walked to the phone and was about to dial Will's cell when she heard a lot of noise outside. She gently placed the phone back down and opened the door.

It was crazy outside! It seemed like all the animals in her neighborhood were making noises of depression. People were screaming to owners to quiet their pets and the owners kept trying to calm the animals down. The animals wouldn't quiet down though. They seemed very depressed, and noisy. Why though, Taranee wondered. What could make them behave like this?

She gasped as she realized her answer was running down the street toward her. Will came up the street fast and dogs started howling even louder. When she got close enough, Taranee could see that tears were rolling down her cheeks and her eyes were red and puffy. Will stood in front of her and was trembling, lost for words.

"Taranee." She whispered. Then she burst into sobs and started to fall foreword. Taranee caught her and dragged her over to the couch where she sat her down and came next to her. Will couldn't stop crying. Over her loud sobs, Taranee could still hear all the noises outside. She gently patted Will's back to comfort her distressed friend. Taranee was pained to see her like this. She would be even more pained to hear the answer. Will calmed down a bit but was still looking bad. Taranee went and got some tea and sat down again. She took Will by the shoulders and looked into her eyes.

"Will, what's wrong?" By Will's pained expression, Taranee thought she knew. She wouldn't believe it though, not unless Will said it was true.

She stumbled for her words. "Taranee, oh Taranee she's gone!" Then she tried to cry some more but all that came out was a choking sob noise. There didn't seem to be any tears left to cry.

Taranee's stomach churned. She knew that Susan was the person that Will had been worried about. Will's worst fear had come true. Taranee held her breath. She could barely imagine it! Will's mom was dead. How would she feel if her mom died? Taranee's heart ached for Will. But somehow, she felt that it was-

"My fault!" Will said in a hollow dead sort of voice. "If I wouldn't have transformed…"

"It wasn't you're fault!" Taranee spoke softly. "It was an accident that she found out, you know that." Will kept shaking her head.

"No! It is my fault. If I hadn't seemed so suspicious, if I had been more considerate to how she felt, if I hadn't been a Guardian…" Will stopped there, horrified at what she said. Then she buried her face back into the pillow in her lap. Now Taranee was lost for words. She didn't know how to make the pain go away. She didn't know how to make the guilt go away for Will and for herself. Again, if they hadn't been Guardians… Taranee felt terrible for thinking it too. Will pulled back away from the pillow.

"I don't know what I'm going to do." Her desperation was beyond tears. Taranee did the only thing that she could think of. She pulled Will into a big hug and let her cry. She couldn't help it. She cried too. It was amazing of how a simple hug seemed to lift you away from your troubles and make you feel better. Taranee knew that Will really needed it. They pulled away from the embrace and Will wiped her eyes and sniffed. She got up and walked to the window and just stared as wind ruffled and blew her hair back. She needed a moment alone.

Taranee walked into the kitchen to heat the now cold tea. She had a feeling that they were going to need it. The radio in the kitchen was already playing a song. Taranee just caught the end of 'Breakaway' as she worked on the tea.

I'll spread my wings and I'll learn how to fly,
Though it's not easy to tell you goodbye.
I gotta take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change
And Breakaway.
Out of the darkness and into the sun,
But I won't forget the place I come from.
I gotta take a risk, take a chance,
Make a change
And Breakaway…

This song made her feel worse. It was like the bible with a melody. Always telling the truth. What a perfect song for this situation though. All she wanted to do was breakaway from what was happening. If she felt that way, Taranee knew that Will wanted to fly out the window and get away. How horrible must she feel? She lost her mom…

Breakaway…

Taranee sat down the cups on the table and saw Will still standing at the window. She was mouthing out the words to the song.

Breakaway…

"Goodbye Mom." She whispered as the wind gently blew through the room. Taranee felt horrible for hearing that and decided to go and call the others. She had some terrible news to spread…

Half an hour later, Irma and Hay Lin came in looking very grim.

"Is she okay?" Irma asked quietly before Taranee shut the door. Will walked back into the room and smiled politely at her friends.

"Thanks." She said softly.

"Oh we're so sorry Will." Hay Lin said. They all went and gave her a hug. They sat back down on the couch. Long minutes of silence went by before anyone spoke.

"You can stay with me Will." Hay Lin suggested. "I don't have anybody with me anyway." She smiled and sighed.

"Thanks Hay Lin." There was more silence as they just sat. Grief was spreading through each of them. The cool night wind was blowing all around them. It made Taranee feel very empty and cold. Tears came down Will's cheeks again and she stood up.

"I'm sorry." She choked. "I just can't do it anymore! It's too much."

"Do what anymore?" Irma asked getting scared. Will took a deep painful breath and closed her eyes.

"Everything." Will cried. "It hurts too much! I can't do it anymore! I can't be a leader, I can't be a Guardian anymore!" And with that, Will walked over to the door and left into the night, leaving the other girls in their very troubled thoughts.

This chapter was more sad. What will happen to Will now that she has left? The next chapter will come in a few days. Until then please review!