Catching Temptation (In Darkness She Fades (Book 1) by Sarah Erber Page B

possesses more secrets than answers.
“Thank you for the story Mrs. Peters, I guess I’d better be going. I’ll return
the novel to you tomorrow.”
    “Why don’t you keep it for a
while, I need to clean my house anyways, and I’d feel much better if I knew my
book is in safe hands.”
    Ascending the stairs two at a
time, I say, “No problem. Oh, I wanted to ask, what are the fireworks for?”
    “The Halloween Mask Ball of
course! I always have to hide the box with the finale fireworks in the top
balcony, because of a few rascals in town.”
    “Wow, it ties in with my holiday
too.”
    “Oh? What holiday is that,
Dearie?”
    “Diwali. It’s actually a five day
festival, but the second day lands on Halloween this year. We even get dressed
up and pass out sweets to family and friends. It was my Mom’s favorite holiday,
because of the fireworks and all the clay oil lamps we would light. The lamps
are supposed to signify the triumph of good over evil.”
    “That does sound interesting. Why
was this festival started? What sparked its creation?”
    I shrug. “My Mom told me it
commemorates the return of an exiled lord and the vanquishing of a demon king.”
    “How marvelous! Maybe I can incorporate
some of those things in this year’s festival!”
    “Really?”
    “Of course! We need some change
in this town.” Mrs. Peters bends and retrieves a few fireworks.
    I chuckle and go up the stairs.
“I’ll see you tomorrow at school, Mrs. Peters.”
    “Good night, Temptation, and
don’t worry about the walk home. He always guards those he loves.”
    I stop at the archway of the main
hall and glance back. The ballroom appears, once again, vacant. “Hmm…she
must’ve been talking about God.”
    The serenity of the quiet walk home
calms my boiling worries to a soft simmer. Only the hums of bugs, whisper in my
ears like an annoying lullaby. Once or twice, I think I hear an owl.
    Karma sends me a voicemail
laughing at my boldness in the classroom. It helps raise my spirit.
    Aunt Sally’s Victorian house is a
grim scene at night. Paint can fix it. The porch light flickers from moths
soaring back and forth. Sighing, I push open the front door, and tiptoe into
the kitchen.
    “Eek!” My body bangs into the
cabinets. “Aunt Sally – you scared me.”
    Hunching over the dining table,
Aunt Sally clutches a cup of hot green tea in her thin hands. Heavy eyes
scrutinize my dirty feet and clothes. “Where did you go? I searched for almost
an hour and never found any trace of you.”
    Not wanting to reveal my new
sanctuary, I shrug my shoulders, and stare at a spider scuttling across the
tiled floor. We need to fumigate this place.
    “Sit down and have some tea.” The
defeated slump of Aunt Sally’s shoulders causes me to regret my inconsiderate
emotions. Aunt Sally pores me some of the golden-green liquid. I add sugar;
never elevating my weary eyes. The tension in the room increases as Daniel
emerges from the shadowy staircase.
    “Finally came back, did you?
Didn’t have any friends to–”
    “Daniel, cut it out and come sit
down. We’re going to discuss this like adults and you two are going to listen
to one another. You both need to start considering one another’s feelings.”
    Daniel stomps over to the
farthest seat from me and drops on the chair. “Let’s get this over.”
    “Daniel, since you seem so angry
toward your cousin lately, why don’t you start by telling me what the issue
is?”
    “It’s her! We moved so we can
start over and she’s still wearing the same Goth crap, and freaking out
everyone in school.”
    “Wait a minute,” I interrupt
Daniel. “I don’t tell you what to wear. And as far as freaking everyone at
school out, they can look the other way.”
    “You see, Mom! She doesn’t care
how I get teased because of how she is–”
    “Well you both–”
    “Hold up.” I glare at Daniel.
“You talk of my weirdness, but what about those new friends of yours, the
Jenkins twins. One