Esme.
The sweet harmony of the waves crashing over the shore calmed me. I could feel the heat of the afternoon's sun beating down on me. Its warmth spilled all over my body. But despite the warmth, the feeling of serene peace and utter bliss I should be feeling — I was not.
My heart ached. I felt, almost, past the point of physical illness. I felt hurt, worried, and distraught amongst all other things. My baby was all I could think.
My poor baby. Gone.
I looked into the bright sun; averting my gaze from the deep blue crashing waves that lay below me.
Why? I asked the heavens. Why did you take my baby from me?
No answer came. Nothing changed. And in that moment I had never felt so…betrayed. I felt weak, worst of all. How could I not keep him alive? My weak feeble arms were not able to care tenderly for him as he deserved. I could not keep him on this earth. I was alone.
I stared back at the crashing waves.
There was nothing left for me here. No reason to live because, he was all that my life could fathom to mean anything for. Without him, I was nothing. Empty.
I neared the edge of the rocky cliff. My bare feet letting my toes curl around the dirty edge. I stared off into the blank sky and I didn't think. I let all thoughts leave my body.
I could not see when my body hit the water. And, for that, I was thankful. However the pain brought on by the impact told me when I was fully submerged. My bones crumpled against the force.
I could feel the air rushing from my body in bubbles floating upwards. Peace flooded me for a moment. The moment passed and all too soon I felt raw panic eating away at me. I pushed away the instinct that told me I should be fighting for air. I didn't want to live. I couldn't live. I fought against the pain in my lungs—the burn for air.
My eyes opened and I stared at the water around me, seeing the blurred surface mere feet above me. However, I didn't move. By now anyway I was sure I couldn't move. Dark black spots clouded my vision and, finally, I felt death—peace...
Carlisle.
I started out the window of the hospital. The small droplets of water were casting rainbows in the subdued light from the florescent lighting of the hospital.
"Ahem," Nurse Jackie coughed to retrieve my attention.
"Yes," I murmured without turning back to face the nurse.
"We have an incoming emergency call. A woman, she's 30, who seemed to have fallen off a cliff. Chance of recovery is small and decreasing rapidly. Minor severed injuries to the brain."
"Yes, well then clear trauma room one." I ordered, "I shall wait for her arrival."
On my way to the emergency entrance, I managed to grab some latex gloves and slide them on before they were removing the lady from the ambulance. Normally my blasé reaction to trauma patience kept me in order—a necessity for any medical practitioner.. However, something in the women's bleakly pale face twisted my gut. I held my breath, figuring it was the bloodlust.
As I wheeled us both to the trauma room I kept my eyes glued to her face. My sensitive hearing able to detect the faint decreasing beat of her heart. She was barely holding on. Her heart, in a matter of minuets, would undoubtedly, fail. The very thought sent me into a panic.
Her face… she seemed lovely even in death. She held a glow to her skin as if she were lit from the inside. I could feel myself being drawn to her and immediately I knew I couldn't let her die.
"She's dead." I murmured.
I waited until the nurse left before I scooped her fragile body into my arms. I could still hear her heart beating ever so faintly. Thanks to my vampire abilities I was able to sneak out without causing anyone to notice the fact that I was carrying an almost-dead patient in my arms.
Once I was covered by the canopy of the thick vegetation I bolted for my house. As I neared I could hear Edward stand agitatedly pushing off a book from his lap as he did.
Edward…I do not know how to ask this of you. But would you spare her as I have spared you? Will you let me keep her with us?
I could hear Edwards's faint fast whisper of words. "How did this happen?" he demanded.
I didn't bother speaking figuring he could read my mind.
"Ah," Edward sighed passively.
You understand then?
"Very much so, I am, however, letting you make the choice." He dismissed himself from the room I now stood in.
Mindful of her wounds I set her on the kitchen table and I heard her heart start to falter. This was it. I cradled her face between my hands and drew my mouth close to the arch in her neck moving her head away as I did. Wanting to be as careful as I could with her but also wanting to keep her alive while I could I let my lips brush past the soft skin of her neck mid-brush letting my venom coated teeth skin into her flesh.