Dark Secrets • Cardinal Copia

Chapter Four

Embry walked around the Walmart, looking at different things with her mother. She walked passed a row of flowers and her mind immediately flashed back to the Bouquet of flowers sitting beside her bed and the ones for her mother on the dinner table.

Embry smiled to herself. She had the best day two days ago. She couldn't help but miss Papa and his Angels.

Maybe her mother could take her to church today for a little while? Her and her mother are very religious of course.

But Embry felt wrong for only going to the church to see Papa. The church is supposed to be for praising the Lord and worshipping God, not for some man she happened to like.

She sighed, grabbing her mother's attention.

"What the matter, sweetheart?" She asked, looking at different spices.

"Do you think I could spend some more time at the Church today?" Embry asked, mimicking her mother and looking at the different spices.

"No can do sweetheart, I'm sorry. We are kinda busy today, you know how much I love you wanting to go to church. But tomorrow we will go, I promise." Her mother explained, finally picking up the ones she was looking for and then putting them in the buggy.

"Yeah but we go every Wednesday and Sunday. This church is open every day of the week!" Embry argued.

"Embry, enough. We are busy. We have to go to your Aunt's today for a Family gathering." Her mother scolded her child.

"Yes Ma'am." Elbry left it at that, knowing if she argued with her mother she would be in a world of trouble. Heaven knows she doesn't need her mother to be upset or mad.

Embry continued to walk around the store with her mother, picking out food items for the cook out and drinks as well.

Embry replayed Sunday in her head over and over, even the funny feeling she felt.

When she got in the car her mother played religious music to make up for Embry wanting to go to church, but that's not why she wanted to go.

The ride to her aunt's seemed to have taken forever, but they soon arrived, parking in the grass to make room for everyone else.

Embry got out of her mom's car and grabbed bags and helped them inside, setting them on the table. Her mom thanked her and Embry nodded and walked out of the house to find her cousins.

Derik was only a year older than Embry, while Derik's older sister, Jayden was 23. They called her Jayde for short.

"Wow you actually got that tongue piercing?" Derik said amused. Even her aunt and her husband and children were very religious, just like Embry and her mother, but not to their extent...

Embry nodded, knowing what was coming.

"You got a piercing that a satanist had?" Jayden added.

"Allen wasn't a Satanist. He just didn't believe. There's a difference." Embry fought.

"Yeah, well your brother was weird." Derik spat, looking Embry up and down.

"Also there's such thing as an Atheistic Satanist, so your brother was a satanist." Jayden argued, picking up sticks and throwing them off to the side.

"Atheistic Satanists worship themselves, and see Satan as a symbol. Allen just didn't believe." Embry mumbled, trying her hardest to defend her brother.

"How do you know? Also I thought satanists believe and worship Satan?" Derik asked, looking up at his older sister.

"Theistic Satanism, yes. They worship Satan and believe he is real. They also work with him in witchcraft in some cases." Embry explained, remembering the stuff she had looked up.

She wanted to learn more about others religion after her bother had told her he was an atheist. She wanted to be able to spread some light on the situation.

While she would never be friends or date someone who is a satanist, she respects their decision.

"So the godly little bitch knows about Satanism? You're going to hell just for knowing it!" Derik screamed, annoying Embry at this point.

"Whatever." Embry said and walked away, she's never been close with her cousins, in fact she knew for this whole gathering she probably wouldn't talk to anyone here!

She pretty much despised her whole family, they treated her and her brother like they didn't matter, they picked on her.

Her brother was all she really had, but that year... He was just... Gone.

She didn't get to say goodbye. She didn't even get to see him at the hospital after he shot his brains out. He died hours later after he was in that hospital bed.

He was the light of her life, he would play videogames with her and watch movies. He made her dinner and ordered her favorite pizza, he would always stock up on her favorite snacks for when she did go over to his house. And even kept her favorite drink. Monster energy drinks.

With her mother and father never knew she drank it, because if they did she would be in trouble. But that was her and her brothers little secret.

Her brother killed himself because of a girl. He was being controlled by her and she refused to let him see his family, and if he did, she would ask to go home early. She stole from him. She was a narcissist. She told him to do it.

At least that's the only reason Embry could think of as to why he would have done what he did.

He was a strong man, but he never talked about his problems.

She missed him and she loved him.

While Embry walked around the backyard of her aunt's house, Papa was having a talk with his Ghouls- I'm sorry... Angels...

"Did you find anything on her?" Papa asked to Sodo on the phone.

"No, Papa. I'm looking at her right now and she isn't changing into any type of entity. Maybe we should just leave her alone." Sodo replied, his voice soft, but loud enough for his boss to hear.

"No, she'll have to do something sooner or later. If not... Then... You're just making sure she is safe and doesn't get attacked. Okay?" Papa protested.

"Yes Papa." With that Papa hung up and looked at the rest of his Angels.

"Maybe she just special. Not in an entity kind of way, but just special in our lives. Maybe she's here because of Fate?" Sunshine tried to make sense of it all.

Papa sighed, "Maybe.... But something is just... Off... Not in a bad way... Just... Off..."