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The Dark Within Them

E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
250 Seiten
Englisch
Fly on the Wall Presserschienen am28.03.2024
A TIGHT-KNIT MORMON COMMUNITY.Faith-healer Amber is hopeful about Lehi, the safe Mormon town to which she, her new husband and two kids have just moved.BODIES BURIED IN THE GARDEN.After the sudden death of her daughter, Amber discovers the community will do anything to keep its secrets.ONE FAMILY DIVIDED.When nothing feels certain anymore, will Amber take a leap of faith, for love?

Isabelle Kenyon is a Manchester writer and the author of 5 chapbooks including Growing Pains (Indigo Dreams). She has had work and articles published internationally and newspapers such as The Somerville Times and The Bookseller.mehr
Verfügbare Formate
TaschenbuchKartoniert, Paperback
EUR13,60
E-BookEPUBePub WasserzeichenE-Book
EUR6,99

Produkt

KlappentextA TIGHT-KNIT MORMON COMMUNITY.Faith-healer Amber is hopeful about Lehi, the safe Mormon town to which she, her new husband and two kids have just moved.BODIES BURIED IN THE GARDEN.After the sudden death of her daughter, Amber discovers the community will do anything to keep its secrets.ONE FAMILY DIVIDED.When nothing feels certain anymore, will Amber take a leap of faith, for love?

Isabelle Kenyon is a Manchester writer and the author of 5 chapbooks including Growing Pains (Indigo Dreams). She has had work and articles published internationally and newspapers such as The Somerville Times and The Bookseller.
Details
Weitere ISBN/GTIN9781915789181
ProduktartE-Book
EinbandartE-Book
FormatEPUB
Format HinweisePub Wasserzeichen
FormatE101
Erscheinungsjahr2024
Erscheinungsdatum28.03.2024
Seiten250 Seiten
SpracheEnglisch
Dateigrösse2570 Kbytes
Artikel-Nr.14244532
Rubriken
Genre9201

Inhalt/Kritik

Leseprobe


 
31ST JANUARY, 2015

AMBER

 

 

The resort woke in a haze of sunrise. Amber was awake to see it, downstairs and seated towards the rising light as the staff began their day, bustling around with the breakfast tables. They blinked when they saw her and then nodded, wished her a good morning. She gave them a warm smile, accepting the offer of a blanket which she wrapped around her legs, but refused a hot drink: no one needed to entertain her. She just wanted to absorb this moment of quiet before her guests arrived.

The resort doors were ajar from the dining area to the gardens and she closed her eyes, back to a large wicker chair, face towards the gardens. Behind her, she heard the staff greet someone else, and then the clink of a jar, a spoon. She opened one eye and glanced behind her. A man so tall he could block out the sun; the spoon, spilling sugar, ridiculously small in his hand. The chair was tall enough to hide her, so she watched him curiously, undiscovered. He was operating the coffee machine with confusion, quickly rising to irritation, and then, just as quickly, relief as a staff member showed him how to release a stuck coffee pod. His blue eyes smiled.

So, he isn´t a Mormon, she thought, as he sipped an espresso drowned in brown sugar. Mormons weren´t supposed to consume caffeine. He drank it quickly, and dunked the cup under the breakfast bar, as if to dispose of the evidence. He even looked over his shoulder as he did so. So maybe I´m wrong, she smiled, and I´ve just learnt his dirty secret. There was something in his lolloping walk that she recognised. It reminded her of something...

He was walking towards her. She immediately faced the front, sipping from a bottle of water.

Oh, he said, when he saw her. I´m sorry, I didn´t know anyone was sitting here.

She looked at him for a few beats, the way his shirt tucked in neatly to a metal belt, the slight crumple around the collar that told her he was single or immune to ironing, and then gave him the reward of a smile.

Join me, and she gestured to the seat opposite her. He sat but was unsure of how to place his limbs. He crossed an arm over his chest and she watched a bicep flex, feeling her mouth dry. She swallowed, trying to place the itch of déjà vu she was feeling watching him. Had she seen this man before, back home? My course doesn´t start until nine, she told him and he laughed, as though she had told a joke.

Aw shucks. You know, I didn´t even realise that you´re Amber Lakes! I´m needing glasses if I´m honest, though I think they´ll make me look...Anyway, hey.

She swallowed a smile as a gentle blush spread across his cheeks and she wrapped a spiral of her hair around her little finger. There was something warm about him. It made her want to laugh too.

In truth, I´ve always found it difficult to sleep when I´m excited, he told her.

She sat forward, and found herself winking. You were excited to meet me?

He brought his trousers legs up with heavy palms. I guess...cat´s out the bag on that one! My friends all say I´m a just a big boy, really. You know, and he leaned towards her, as though telling her a secret. She felt her breath catch. This is my first time outta Lehi.

Lehi?

Mesa.

 

She nodded, not having been herself, but because it felt familiar. She knew there were strong faith communities there. But it meant she couldn´t know him. She bit her lip, wondering why that fact felt wrong, somehow... Why did you come all this way to see me? I visit Arizona sometimes, you know.

He thought about this for a moment. One day, I just got up, ma´am-

She wrinkled her nose at the formality. Please call me Amber.

He raised his hands. How long you got?

She rested her head against the back of the chair and gave him a lazy smile. I´m all yours. Don´t be shy. I love a life story. Who doesn´t?

He grinned. Amber, one day I just realised I´m getting old, and I ain´t seen much of the world. If I´m honest, Lehi has most of what I need: the church, places to fish, you know, and my job-driving, goods and all-well, I like it. But I´d seen your flyer on my church´s community board, and I´ve long been an admirer. It was her turn to feel heat rise to her face. Sure, there were those who admired her. But rarely those who said it with such reverence, unblinking. And I thought, why not? I ain´t got people relying on me back at home, and this was a chance to maybe...Talk to some...people I´ve lost. Maybe find myself, too. Does that sound corny? He blew his lips at her, laughing at himself, but she shook her head. No, to her it sounded like fate. What if he was meant to be here? What if this man, who she felt both unsettled and comfortable next to, all at the same time, was meant to meet her?

Sometimes talking about the big things in life just sound cheesy´. But this is your truth, she told him and saw his shoulders soften.

It´s not as exciting as your life, though. Your work.

She gazed over the dew-speckled grass. Was what she did exciting? I´m sorry, I didn´t ask your name, I´m so rude.

Chad. Rude, you? Nah.

She swept her hair back into a dainty bun at the nape of her neck. She noted how he watched her fingers, slim and nimble. You said you heard about me from a flyer in your church, right? He nodded. Latter-Day Saints, is it?

He nodded again and her eyes brightened. If he was from the church...Her heartbeat fluttered a wing-beat. Her mother had always told her that you could know, on first meeting, whether someone would be a part of your life going forward. In some way: friendship or romance. And Amber agreed with that; felt she was a good judge of character. But there was also something Amber knew, but had never felt: that feeling of knowing someone from before. From another life. It was a deep, abiding sense of a connection with another-so strong, that you could be sure you had been connected to them in another life. A few years ago, she´d read about the concept online-there was so much more to be learnt about spirituality outside of Temple services-and the more she had read, the more she yearned to learn more.

She smiled. That´s brilliant. It´s not a requirement for the course to be from the Mormon faith, it´s more about connection-with ourselves, with those who have left us-but it´s always a pleasure to talk to someone who has the same values as you, you know? She edged forward. To have that closer connection.

Yeah, I feel that.

Amber watched him bite his lip, aware that her eye contact was making him nervous. She held a giggle down, a tickle of excitement building in her chest: when was the last time a man had looked at her this way? Lust, yes, but tainted with uncertainty, the power firmly laid at her feet. What do you feel?

He scratched his head. Well, for me...faith gives me a structure. Happiness, sure. But you know...I´m a guy, right? My friend, Mel, says it´s like I want someone to organise me, tell me what to do all the time. And you know, I don´t think that sounds all that bad. Amber snorted, so he gave her a lop-sided smile. Yeah, if I wasn´t getting up for church on a Sunday, I´d have no ironed shirts all week...

At least your mom isn´t still doing it for you.

No mom.

Her bottom lip fell open slightly and she wondered if this was who he had lost. ...I´m sorry. I, erm...I lost mine young.

Well then you get it-so don´t go apologising. He cleared his throat. You know, I´m really looking forward to today. Thought I´d get up early and catch some rays, actually. In case we´re inside all day. Which wouldn´t matter to me, by the way. Don´t mean to be criticising-

She absorbed his words and then nodded, springing to her feet. No, you´re right! Just look at this, in front of us. And the earth seems to sing here, you know? I think we could have our seminar right out here. Amber stood and surveyed the manicured hedgerows. Yes, I think we should feel the soil under our nails when we talk about grief. The earth can teach you much more than I can about resurrection.

He squinted. You know, those hedges look just like piped icing on a birthday cake... She let out a laugh like a tiny bell and saw him gulp, straighten his spine. I really have been reading your book on the regular. You carry the responsibility of souls so...bravely. You know, I used to think heaven and hell were boundaries we do not pass, until it´s our time. I was happy with that. Then I heard you speak, Amber, this amazing video online about your visions, how they affect you, and I felt... Chad´s voice was heavy with emotion. Before she realised where her feet were leading her, she had flown to him and clasped his arm. Did he feel it too? That sense of...being drawn to her, as if it was inevitable? She felt his veins pulse against her fingers and his breath catch. He looked down at her hands....
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