Dark Angels - Chapter 1

Audra Simpson walked up the stone steps that led to the entrance of Crystal River Secondary School, squinting in the early Monday-morning sunshine. Behind her, she could hear the soft hushing of the ocean. She sighed, wishing she could be stepping on to one of it's white sand beaches instead of the cold linoleum floors of the corridors of Crystal River Secondary.
She stifled a yawn. She'd overslept that morning; her mother had had to practically drag her out of bed so that she would be in time for first bell. But it wasn't her fault. There'd been another meeting last night, and the final ritual had been completed at three in the morning.
She pushed her way through the throng of students, wishing for the thousandth time that her locker wasn't in the middle of the busiest corridors in the school. Finally she reached the bank of lockers where hers was situated, surprised to find that her best friend Stacie Horwitz wasn't leaning against it, waiting for her, as she always did.
Come to think of it, Audra hadn't seen Stacie since school on Friday. Nobody had answered the phone at the Horwitz's home all weekend. And Stacie hadn't come to the meeting the night before - it had been the first time she'd ever missed one.
But Audra wasn't overly concerned. Mr Horwitz was infamous for springing surprise boating weekends on his family, though they were usually always back by Sunday afternoon.
Audra glanced at her watch. As it was, she only had a couple of minutes before the warning bell to get her books from her locker for first period.
She quickly dialed the combination on her locker, and it fell open with a pop. As she was searching through the array of multi-coloured notebooks for her History notes and textbook, she felt a light flutter on her shoulder and saw a flash of a bony, white hand with long, black fingernails.
She turned. Celeste Davidson stood behind her, staring at Audra with fiery green eyes. Her ebony hair fell in soft waves to her shoulders. She was wearing a gorgeous black cashmere sweater over a tight black mini-skirt, black pantihose and black knee boots. Her startling eyes were outlined heavily in thick black eye-liner.
"Hey, Celeste," Audra greeted her, feeling a stab of unease in the other girl's presence.
Celeste nodded her acknowledgement, her silver dangly earings jingling. "Hey. I just wanted to remind you that we're meeting again tonight." Her voice was rich and thick.
"Oh, yeah, right. The Worship of the New Moon. Arden told me about it last night."
"I'll see you there, then." Celeste fluttered her black-tipped fingers in a farewell and turned to leave.
"Celeste! Hold on!"
The girl turned, one perfectly-manicured eyebrow lifted in question.
"Have you seen Stacie around lately?" Audra asked.
Celeste's blood-redlips curved into an ominous half-smile. "Not since Friday."
"Because I - "
She was interrupted by the shrill ring of the warning bell for first period. And when she looked again, Celeste was gone, leaving her standing in the middle of a throng of students, her mouth gaping open.

* * *

Later that day, during the eleventh grade lunch period, Celeste glided over to the group's usual table at the back of the cafeteria with her tray balanced on her arm, giving fierce looks to the staring students as she passed. She enjoyed watching them shrink back in fear, averting their eyes, biting down on their lips.
She slid in next to Arden McKenzie, glancing around the table at the others. Since she, Arden and Claire Elfman has established their little coven nearly a year ago, six new members had been sworn in to join them. First had been Stacie and Audra, who had been friends with Claire since grade school. Arden had inroduced the twins, Maria and Alyssa Fairchild, who were the daughters of a family friend, or something like that. Soon after that, Alyssa's best freind Hannah Richards had joined. And only a month ago, a new girl had arrived in Crystal River, Shannon Carter, and had quickly caught on to the coven's activities. She was an old hand at Wicca and the coven had welcomed her into their midst.
Celeste quietly studied the faces of Maria, Alyssa and Hannah, the eleventh grade members of the Dark Angels. The tenth grade members, Shannon, Claire and Audra had their lunch period earlier than they did, so they weren't present.
And, of course, Stacie wasn't there.
Arden turned and smiled at Celeste, lazily twirling a strand of honey-blonde hair around her index finger. "Good of you to join us," she teased.
Celeste scowled. "Mr Cooder kept me in after Biology to lecture me in the virtues of staying awake during class."
Arden chuckled, her blue eyes shining. Celeste noticed her usually glowing skin seemed dull, and her eyes were shadowed by dark circles. She figured she was just tired.
"Everything still on for tonight?" she asked, taking a brave bite of the cafeteria lunch and promptly screwing up her face in disgust.
"Yeah," Arden replied, pushing an empty yoghurt carton away. "Shannon said she may not be able to make it. Family birthday, or something."
"That's why fake headaches were invented."
Arden smiled, resting her chin in her hand and half-closing her eyes.
"Tired?" Celeste observed.
"Hmm. Any news?"
"Well..." Celeste took a deep breath and expelled it slowly. "Audra's been asking questions."
Arden raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Her eyes drifted around the crowded cafeteria aimlessly. Then suddenly, she asked, "What did you tell her?"
"Nothing."
Arden nodded slowly. "Good. Don't tell her anything. I've asked the others to keep quiet about it." She began to chew her bottom lip.
The nervous gesture irritated Celeste. "She won't find out," she snapped harshly.
Arden leaned back, visibly stung. "I know!" she said defensively.
"And she'll probably leave the coven anyway," Celeste continued. "The only reason she was with us was because of Stacie. So now she has no reason."
Arden darted a glance at the surrounding tables nervously. "Celeste!"
"We don't know if Stacie talked to her or not. And you know what'll happen to her if she leaves," Celeste forged on with this final statement. Arden gasped, looking as though she'd been slapped.
For a few moments, the two girls just stared at each other. Then Arden jumped up and mumbled, "I . . . I have to go." She fled from the cafeteria.
Alyssa, Hannah and Maria fell into silence. Glancing back from Arden as she left, they turned to stare blankly at Celeste. She glared back at them, and began scooping the unidentifiable cafeteria lunch into her mouth.

* * *

Arden sat hunched on the toilet of the cubicle, scrubbing at her eyes with a sodden pink tissue she'd found buried at the bottom of her shoulder bag. Black eye-liner smeared dark smudges on her cheeks, and her soft pink lips trembled. She choked back a sob of regret.
Poor Stacie. And Audra! The news would devestate her.
She'd fled the cafeteria, terrified that she was going to start weeping in front of Celeste. Celeste detested weakness; she lashed out at anyone who showed it. And as far as Celeste was concerned, the very actions Arden was now regreting were totally justified.
A sob ripped itself from her body, racking her bones.
She had never, ever meant for it to go this far. Never. When Aunt Sarah had handed her The Book of Wicca and encouraged her to establish a coven, she'd agreed, wanting to please her favourite aunt. Her words, the soft Spanish lilt to her voice, still rung in her ears.
"This is who you are, child. Embrace it; there is no way to fight what has been given to you by your blood and your heritage. You have already discovered your powers, you've been using them since you were a little girl. Now it is time to stop denying your gifts, I think you are old enough to accept them. I would give this to my own daughter, if I had had one, but I know you will make your ancestors proud."
The overhead intercom crackled. Arden heard the voice of her principal, announcing that there would be a short assembly at the end of the day, during the last period.
Arden dropped her head into her hands. No doubt, Mr Finch, the principal, was calling the assembly to announce to her teachers and fellow students the death of Stacie Horwitz.

<End of Chapter 1. If you would like me to email you the rest of the novelette, you can mail me at [e-mail]. Please rate chapter 1!!>