I've been spending much time working on this novel and I've decided that I will fulfill my promises of excerpts. Below is the start of chapter 1 of The Night is Darkest.
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Enjoy reading!
The Night is Darkest by Manda Mae
I
The window was covered in frost. The faint light of dawn glimmered pale yellows and oranges in the ice crystals. Snow had not yet fallen this half year, but the days were getting colder. The nights colder still. I watched silently as the sun’s first warmth began to melt the frost. The melting crystals gave the window the appearance of crying. I imagined that the window was mourning the end of the half light. The end of the vivid colors that could no longer be seen through its visage.
From down the hall chimed the grandfather clock.
Six chimes.
The days were getting shorter. Darkness ruled this half year and maybe the window mourned the fading of the sun most of all. This half year was always dreaded. The interim’s dull greys only fed the dread inside oneself. Always the streets would empty of human life.
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The bacon sizzled as it landed in the pan. Evany added another slice and turned to grab an egg. Her father stood in the doorway.
“Morning.”“I smelled the bacon. The sun has risen?” His voice was deep and still scratchy from sleep.
“Of course father,” Evany retorted, her tone thick with exasperation. “I wouldn’t have started breakfast had it not.” Evany cracked another egg into the skillet.
Wilhelm sighed, shaking his head at her tone. “The darkness is getting longer.” Her father moved into the kitchen, sitting down at the table. The table was oak, made by Wilhelm, Evany’s father. It had been a knotted tree, and there were many knots amongst the grain. Her father began picking at a knot, a habit he had when he was agitated. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”
Evany caught the look of sadness that passed across Wilhem’s face. She knew her mother was on his mind. He was always thinking of her, though only the most painful memories would show on his face. Her mother Evelyn was a gentle, dark haired woman, who always had a smile on her face. She had pale, olive toned skin and dark brown eyes, a rare sight in Arcem. Most all that lived in their sector, 43, were extremely pale with blond or red hair and light colored eyes. Outsiders were few and far between. Her parents met by chance at a mutual friend’s place. They were married shortly afterwards and Evany was born a year later. Her mother was always telling stories and making everything ordinary seem special. She saw the light in the darkest corners. Seven years ago, almost to the day, Evelyn didn’t make it home before sundown.
She had been visiting with her sister Martha. Evelyn took the risk of leaving just as the sun was touching the horizon. Martha had begged her to stay. It took nearly a half hour to reach home on foot, in which the sun might not hold out long enough for Evelyn to reach home. One hour before dark there was no longer any way but by foot to reach home. Or a horse if you had money, which they did not. Her daughter’s birthday was the next day and the whole day was to be special.
Very few celebrations were held during the dark half. The dark half was completely dark with no sun or light to be seen outside, the complete opposite of the light half, and the darkness left little room for cheer. Birthdays were less than insignificant and largely ignored or unmentioned. Most born during the dark half the year did not survive, and those that did lied about their birth. No one wanted to be called a dark child. Evany’s parents wanted to make sure her birthday was special. That it wasn’t ignored. Her birth fell on the last day of light, but was in the dark half year, part of the shadowy interim, where there was less daylight every day until it was totally dark, that fell between the times of light and dark.
When the sun had risen on Evany’s fourteenth birthday, Evelyn was nowhere to be found. Evany knew she had vanished with the darkness, never to be seen again. The darkness had claimed a ray of light from their lives. Wilhelm searched for her as long as there was light. Never giving up hope that his beloved was still there. When darkness fell on the eve of her birthday, the eve of the light half, Evany watched as the light faded and saw the light leave her father as well. He was nothing without his beloved.
