April Shadows (Shadows 1)

they wilt. He produced that camera out of thin air so

fast I thought he was competing with Uncle Palaver."

she added, and lowered her head. Then she raised it

again. "Smash it, and the film will be destroyed. You

can thank Celia in a few hours.

"In fact," she said, sitting up again. "you can

prepare breakfast for us. Celia likes her eggs over

easy. Orange juice, coffee, and some wheat toast with

jam. Now, let me get some rest. We'll be up and about

by eight-thirty. We're meeting some of my old

teammates for lunch today, the ones who graduated

with me last year."

She lowered her head again and then turned on

her side and closed her eyes. I stared at her. Why was

she first going to sleep?

"You just got home?" I asked. "You were out

all night?"

She didn't reply. I waited a moment and then

left her room and started for my own. The door to the

guest room was slightly open. I peered in and saw

Celia on her stomach, the cover down to her waist and

her bare back shining in the morning light. I thought

about speaking to her but decided against it, and

instead I went into my room, broke open the camera,

and exposed the film. I dropped the camera itself into

my trash can and covered it with paper so Mama

wouldn't see. Later. I would empty it into a bigger

trash bag.

I was too awake now to return to bed. so I

showered and dressed and did what Brenda asked. I