2.
Candle didn’t wait for her sister to return home before starting the preparation. Local authorities would be by soon and it was always a mystery if they came with ill intent.
It had been five years since she and Bertie had been on their own, and they had managed so far. Only once had an inspection gone poorly and Candle had the scar to prove it. An overeager inspector had lashed out at Bertie and Candle foolishly intervened. She still could see his eyes sometimes when she went to sleep. Orange and brown and filled with violence.
The year after a new inspector arrived, and she wondered often if he had been disciplined or simply reassigned. Most of these were routine, a check of your water supply, a look into your upkeep of the small area room afforded your family. Most of the neighbors passed easily, but once she heard a scream and later sobbing a few houses down. A week later they had new neighbors. Candle was putting away the last of their clothes into a small storage bin when she heard Bertie coming through the front door.
“Im sorry im late sis” Bertie chirped as she came bouncing into their small abode. “What can i help with?”
Candle gave her a small hug, wiping dirt off her sister’s cheek with her sleeve.
“I think we are good, you remember the rules?”
Bertie shrugged.
“Sure thing sis, don’t talk, smile and let them do their job”
Candle didn’t think her sister would cause any problems after the one incident and she felt guilty about even reminding her. Bertie had felt guilty enough about it to begin with. They only had a few moments before the door speaker chimed in.
“Inspector Visit, Please open up ” came a scratchy voice on the other end.
Showtime.
