Darker Than Sin (BoyxBoy) Book 2

Chapter 14

Avery

11 years ago

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He watched carefully as his mother placed a small bowl in front of her, taking a bundle of sage in her delicate hands with a lighter. His eyes lit up once she lit the tip of the incense, curiosity filling his chest as he watched her take the crystals in her free hand.

"Mama, why do you do that to the stones?" He asked her. A soft smile formed on her lips at her curious child's voice.

"Crystals need a recharge once in a blue moon, dear. Negative energy isn't that good for them." She told him. He nodded his head as he grew silent again, watching as she took each stone and gently ran them through the smoke for about thirty seconds. The stones she had were all these different pretty colors that Avery definitely wanted to play with, but he never did. They were moms special stones.

"Why are they different colors?" He asked again, unable to resist more questions. Her dark brown eyes briefly looked over at her son's expression- curious, and desperate to learn.

"They help you in life. You know how I sometimes bring this one with me when I go to work?" She asked him, holding up a orange-yellow stone. He nodded his head, unsure why a rock would do anything to help her... it was just a pretty stone he would love to play with.

"This is Citrine. When I go to work, sometimes it's a little hard for me to stay positive. This little guy helps me stay happy and get the creative juices flowing." She explained. Once she finished running that one through the smoke, she moved onto a black rock that caught his eye.

"This one is Obsidian. This one protects you day by day while doing a bunch of other nice stuff, like helping you find out who you are. It's very helpful." She said. He nodded his head as he watched her sway it through the smoke, more and more questions beginning to circle in his mind. Can I have one? Why do you need crystals? Why are they so fancy?

"Why are you doing it now, Mama?" He asked. Her smile dropped from her lips as he asked the question. The landlord had been here an hour before she sat down to charge them, yelling and complaining about how she hasn't paid him for the last three months of rent while Avery played outside.

Her husband and her were taking a break at the time from each other. Her oldest son decided to stay with him, while her youngest stayed glued to her side, although they argued for days. She was dealing with her own problems while he went around with other women behind her back, ranging from various ages.

She struggled with money, but never told her son. Her husband would never help her either, regardless if that was also his child.

"They just were overdue for a cleansing." She said to him. That wasn't true.

"I've been asking you for days for this money, Shannel! I'm sick of the excuses!" He shouted at her. They stood in the kitchen on opposite sides of the table, his hands pressed firmly on it as he glared at her with daggers.

"I'm working two part time jobs along with working at my church. I'm trying really hard-"

"Guess the Satanists don't pay as much huh? Where's your husband that you kept telling me about? Is he a lie too?" He snarled through gritted teeth. She shook her head, tears threatening to pour from her eyes.

"I already was nervous renting to someone like you. I only did it for that kid outside." He said, taking his hand and pointing towards the front door. It took everything in her for her not to fight back, yell that she's been having a hard time at her jobs and the money just isn't enough. She married at a young age and decided on being a stay at home mom, so she had no experience.