The Prophecy Of The Black Day

Chapter 5

Selene grabbed her bags on her way to the parlor. She tiptoed out of her room because she didn't want to wake her aunt up. Tianna was a very light sleeper.

It was still dark out. She needed to leave early if she wanted to arrive at the camp in time for the orientation. The first pick-up bus was about an hour away.

She rubbed her sore eyes, trying to decide if she was supposed to tell her aunt she was leaving. Tianna hated being disturbed when she was sleeping.

Selene had told Tianna the previous night that she'd leave early. She wasn't sure Tianna heard her because her aunt kept staring at the table where the answering machine had once stood.

Selene yawned. She decided to drop her bags in the parlor before going to see if Tianna was awake. Courtesy demanded that she inform her aunt before she left.

"You're awake and ready." A voice said the minute she stepped into the parlor.

Selene jumped a mile when she saw her aunt drinking coffee in the living room. Tianna had eye bags that morning. Her insomnia had gotten worse ever since her mother called a few days earlier.

Selene cleared her throat and offered some sort of mumbled greeting. Her aunt grunted a reply.

"Let's get going. We're already late." Tianna checked her watch. She tossed her cup in the sink and picked up her leather handbag.

She watched her aunt stuff her luggage into her car boot. She sat quietly in the car not sure of what to say or if she was even supposed to say anything. To make matters worse, Tianna didn't put on the radio which would have at least helped with the awkward silence.

For the first hour or so, Selene looked at Tianna, wondering why she was acting strange.

The week before she was supposed to leave for camp, her aunt sent her on various errands that took her far away from the bookstore. Tianna had also encouraged her to invite Larry on those errands which was odd since she was under the impression that her aunt hated her boyfriend.

Selene didn't know why her aunt disliked Larry. Tianna was usually civil to most of her friends. She'd never treated anyone the way she treated Larry.

At first, Tianna hadn't paid much attention to him. Selene wasn't sure when or why her aunt had decided to despise the boy she loved. It seemed like Tianna started hating Larry after she met Benjamin two years ago.

"I'm not entirely comfortable with letting you go. But for now, I think it's better for you to be out of the house." Tianna glanced at Selene.

Selene jumped and nodded earnestly even though she didn't understand a word her aunt had said.

The girl was so much of a pushover that sometimes, Tianna wondered if she had any real friends. She never spoke up or defended herself even when she was supposed to.

She could see anger in Selene's eyes from time to time but it always faded away as suddenly as it appeared. No matter how much she pushed, Selene never complained.

Selene fell asleep after two hours. She'd been too excited to sleep properly the previous night.

Tianna watched her niece while she slept. The girl was looking more like her mother with every day that passed. It was a pity she had such a low self-esteem. She'd have been remarkably pretty if she wanted.

Tianna anxiously kept her eyes on the rearview mirror almost like she had seen the black car that had been circling her shop a few days earlier. She didn't relax until they got close to the camp and Selene woke up.

Selene took off her glasses and rubbed her big brown eyes. Tianna wondered if her niece would mind getting contacts. She passed Selene the food she'd bought at a drive-through earlier.