Black Candle

Black Candle

Chapter 1

Odd One Out

I surveyed the outfit I had chosen for today in the foggy bathroom mirror. I had picked out a plain green polo and depressed navy jeans with gaping holes in the knees, but it would have to do. I was running late, and I did not want to miss my first class on my first day of high school.

I gasped as I thought of this. My. First. Day. Of. High. School. High. School. Not elementary school. High School.

" Erin , get downstairs and eat something. The bus will be here in fifteen minutes!"

I gasped, quickly checked to make sure that no tags were sticking out anywhere, and scurried out of the bathroom and down the stairs, nearly colliding with my calico cat, Bonkers, who was heading toward his litter box.

"Sorry, Bonks!" I muttered clumsily as I stepped on his tail and he let out an irritated "MrrrrrrOOW!!!!!!!"

I skipped the last few steps and pounced on the plate of peanut butter toast awaiting me at the table.

"Thanks mom!" I said with a flourish as I sat down to munch on my toast. It wasn't Karen Shanona's custom to make me breakfast, but today was special. My first day at a new school had to bring around some cause for courtesy. Mrs. Shanona was as far away as you can get from being a morning person. If she could help it, she slept in as late as she could, but when she had to wake up early for work-her occupation was as the secretary at the dentist's clinic-anyone in their right mind stayed far away from her. She was grouchy, demanding, and forgetful, so all her friends usually minded their own business until about 12:00, when she began to perk up.

I could tell that Mrs. Shanona was trying her best to keep up a positive attitude this morning-she washed the dishes in peace, fighting off a grimace and trying hard not to complain at the same time.

I wanted to thank her for her attempts at serenity and tell her that she could go back to her normal self-I was far too used to waking up with a grouchy mom and this new side seemed weird-but that would probably just hurt her feelings. If she was trying hard to make me happy on my first day, then I'd just play along.

I wolfed down the last few bites of toast, cleaned up my dishes and departed to the bathroom to brush my teeth.

The enticing aroma of my favorite berry smoothie shampoo wreathed around me as I entered the bathroom; I tried to concentrate on the smell of that instead of enduring the disgusting, tasteless mint toothpaste I was piling on my tongue like dog poo.

I traipsed downstairs and was in the middle of downing a brimming glass of orange juice when my mom yelped, threw my backpack at me-it hit my chest with a dull thud and propelled me straight back into my chair-and announced to the whole world, "The bus is here!"

I stole a look out the window-the bus was just rolling up to my driveway-and rushed to the door, wrenching my coat off its hook as I left.

"Goodbye, I love you!" Mrs. Shanona called after me, "Have a good day at school!"

I acknowledged her with a slight wave of the hand, and then her worried face disappeared from view as I slammed the front door shut and hurried outside to the waiting bus.

A rush of icy wind hit me as soon as I was clear of the house; I pulled the lapel of my navy blue jacket close to my neck and shivered in the crisp fall air.

The bus driver, an aging, overweight woman wearing a brilliant red parka with a lime-green baseball hat, looked me over once as I climbed the stairs onto the bus.

"You Erin Shanona?" she barked; she sounded as if she were growling.

"That's me."

She nodded and scribbled something down on a clipboard; I winced, turned around, and surveyed my seat choices.

Nearly all of the seats were filled; I spotted an open space next to a white-blonde-haired, slim-figured girl gazing absently out the window.

I stuffed my enormous backpack through the aisle, and upon reaching the girl's seat, I asked,

"May I sit with you?"

She appeared startled by me; she looked me over with vague interest and then nodded wordlessly.

I set my backpack down, plopped into the seat, and folded my arms across my stomach, wondering if I could strike up a conversation.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw her scoot a little closer toward to window, and I grimaced. Apparently talking was out of the question.

The bus ride was long and tedious; the vehicle was old and rickety, and it reeled around corners as if it were indestructible; I had to grip the seat in front of me to keep from falling into the aisle.

At last Moorview High School came into view.

I had toured the school before and already knew where my classes would be; but it seemed ten times more foreboding with buses racked up along the sidewalks like dominoes and students pouring in through the doors.

Everyone stood at once as the bus screeched to a halt alongside the sidewalk; I had almost forgotten about the girl sitting next to me, for she had not spoken a word since I got on the bus.