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Detail

Excerpt: Maiden of a Darkness Shining

Over her shoulder, watching her friend pass through the wide arch and begin a prickly retreat through the bedroom, Heather said, “Molly, wait…”

She looked on as the petite brunette paused, only to recommence her walk towards the door.

Heather took a step toward her. “Molly…!” And then, in a gentler tone, “Molly, wait, okay?”

Molly stopped. Hesitating, she turned and began to slowly retrace her steps. The girls locked eyes, Heather instantly looking away, her hands fumbling before crawling into her back pockets.

“Okay, I’m…” Heather nodded and drew a breath, “I’m sorry, Molly.” Her roving attention found her companion and starting at her feet, worked upward. “I…I know I haven’t been a very good friend…haven’t been very nice to you ever since, well, ever since you and your Mom came here, really.” Her voice became soft, quiet. “I don’t know why… And I, I’m sorry for being like that, sorry for…for how I’ve been acting, for my bad behavior, and how I, uh…how I spoke to you just now.” Her gaze now running along the circular baseboard, Heather cleared her throat, her eyes misty. “It’s just…well, it’s just that I really want to find Grandma Dawn…and I keep trying and trying, but I can’t…can’t get any closer. I don’t know what else to do. And Aria hasn’t been much help, either, because, well, she’s never around anymore. I don’t understand why she’s gone…she’s never been away this long…”

Heather suddenly felt her fatigue. “I, um, I haven’t been sleeping all that great…and when I finally do get to sleep, lots of times I dream of her…of Grandma Dawn. And when I’m not dreaming about her, I’m thinking about her…a lot. I feel like I should be there in Evermore, and that she needs me, and-and I don’t know why, Molly, but the Bristol House doesn’t want me to…well, to get to her.” Heather took a deep breath in an attempt to check her emotion. “So, if you’d be really nice…a lot nicer than I’ve been to you…um, would you please share with me any ideas you might have that would help me find my grandmother? I’d really appreciate it.”