1916

Chicago, Illinois

A Big and Dark Secret

Chapter 1

Hunting A ...

EPOV

I could never imagine that I'd ever miss school. But I do miss school right now. Sitting at home doing absolutely nothing. I really deserve an award for living the most boring life. Maybe the most annoying. Just imagine it. I have two older brothers Henry and Thompson. In addition to them two sisters. Laura was older then me and she was engaged to a bastard called Richard. I knew what my mom says about swearing, but I didn't say bastard to Richard's face so it doesn't count. Unless no one hears, it's totally harmless and relaxing. Then my little sister Carla. She is only two years younger than me. So she thinks we are same in age and doesn't listen to me.

Then I heard Laura and Carla talking. Probably gossiping. I tried very hard to eavesdrop. Normally too girlie things disgust me especially gossiping. When you think that I'm a guy that's normal. But now I was a bit curious. Because Carla was a bit different these days. She was always in her room writing something. This isn't a behaviour which could be considered normal for her. Because she litterally doomed homeworks at school time. She was using all her insult vocabulary while doing them. But now she was always writing something in her room and the school was over. Normal? Don't think so.

I really missed my brothers. They were like always, out side. They usually go somewhere with dad and his friends and their sons, sometimes their daughters but that was rare. The thing that was common in the group was they were all above fifteen years old. Maybe I could join them too. Because I will turn 15 tomorrow. That was something I was very excited about.

I heard some parts of their speech.

Laura

"What is he like? Is he … or funny?"

Carla

"His house is on the other street. We are sending letters to each other."

Laura

"That's so romantic. Richard used to send me some letters too."

Carla

"Now you are engaged. I hope fate has something like that for me too…"

Then she stopped talking. She might have felt my eyes on her. She glanced at me her eyes full of panic. I could read them easily. Please don't hear these. If he learns that I have a boyfriend he would kill him…

I stood up. I didn't want to listen anymore. I wanted to get into action. I had to do something. That was my sister whom was having a romantic relationship with a boy "secretly". It was my responsibility to take care of her because I was the big annoying brother. Two years or not I am the older one.

Carla looked at me with curious eyes. "Where are you going?"

"To the toilet do you want to escort me? I prefer privacy but if you want you can come too. But it can be smelly and vomiting included." I teased and lied smoothly. Of course I wasn't going to the toilet. I was going to check Carla's room.

Carla

"Ew! Coming to the toilet with you? I can't waste these precious fifteen minutes without you. And coming to the fact, escorting you to the toilet: you stink all the time I don't want to imagine how it would feel I mean smell like in there. Yuck!" She stuck her tongue at me and giggled. Add this to my list "The Annoying Things About Girls" #1They gossip, #2 They giggle, #3 They love to show their tongue in any condition, #4 They talk too much… blah blah blah... Maybe having double "X" chromosomes was an annoying thing from the beginning.

I started to walk towards the stairs. The wood squeaked under my feet. Which reminded me the age of the house. With my every step a light molt scent filled the room. When I reached the second floor I walked straight to the room which was shared by Carla and Laura. The door squeaked too just like the stairs. Someone should really oil this damn thing. I thought. I was nearly caught because of it. "You stupid, damn door. Why do you have to make noises?"

What? Did I just speak with an inanimate object? That wasn't something which could be considered very normal.

I walked towards Carla's dressing table. There was a pile of papers, a stylograph and some envelopes which were opened by tearing.

Maybe they are just harmless letters which are from Carla's pen friend. The good and less paranoid side of me thought. But the diabolical side of me was yelling, Come on Edward we both know that you are dying to know what is in there. Just open it, one look wouldn't kill you. Maybe it wouldn't kill me. Just one look wouldn't hurt any one. My curious side won the argument.I took one of the ripped envelopes and took the letter in it.

Love,

It has been a very long since you have sent me a letter. I really need to hear something from you. I came to our meeting place but you didn't come. Do you have any idea how it feels like? Not seeing your face, not hearing your heavenly voice, not smelling your beautiful scent… I just can't take the time past without seeing you. I'm carving for your lips. I have been dreaming about you for days. You are the best part of my life. I will be waiting for you in your garden at half past seven.

Love Ronald…

I didn't want to or need to read the rest of the letters to know what was going on. My sister had a boyfriend. I still couldn't get my round it. But that didn't mean that I wasn't going to do something about it. No! I wasn't going to do just something, I was going to kill him and then bring him back to life so that I can kill him again. I was filled with rage which was boiling inside me. I really wanted and needed him dead. Then I heard some pebbles hitting the window. "Hey! Carla, are you there, love? It's me, Ronald. Babe, open the window so that I can see your face."

Yeah, it's true that you will see someone's face, but instead of Carla, you'll have to see her brother. I walked towards the window and threw it open. I saw a boy standing in the middle of the dark garden. He was probably fourteen. He had dark brown hair and hazel eyes. He had an annoying grin plastered on his face. But that smile didn't last long when he saw a boy instead of his "girlfriend".

"Where is Carla and who are you?" he asked, rage was solid in his voice.

"What makes you think that you can question me?" I said anger was solid in my voice too.

"I can question you because you are in my girlfriend's bedroom." He was smug.

"I am her older brother, if you really want to know."

Smugness left its place to panic. He looked terrified that was true. Then I did something which was terrifying. I jumped out of the open window and landed on the grass with a quiet thud. It wasn't something which could be easily considered normal. Actually it was anything but normal. What is happening to me? I left my dream world where I could be alone with my thoughts and lifted my head up to face him. His eyes were wide with terror without even thinking I grabbed his neck and lifted him up from the ground with almost no-effort.

"Please, don't hurt me. Let me go. I didn't do anything wrong." He begged, whispering. I felt his pulse quicken under my hand which grabbed his neck.

"Anthony Edward Masen, let him go before you do something you will regret. Calm down and put him down." ordered a stern voice. I carefully put Ronald down and turned on my heels to face an angry Laura. She definitely looked angry. Her expression was the scariest thing I have ever seen. Her green eyes were sparkling in the darkness and her full pink lips were curled, baring her white teeth, her bronze hair looked like real flames.

I flinched and opened my mouth for an apology. "I… I… I'm re… a…lly sorry. I didn't actually mean to harm anyone." Last part was a lie, actually.

"Get inside of the house, you too Carla. You two have done enough for today. Ronald it would be the best if you leave." (A.N: quote from Twilight movie :D but it fits the situation)

We all heard footsteps coming inside the house and a few second later our mother appeared at the door and she stood next to Laura. She was frowning. Can things get any worse? Let me answer that. No, it can't. She put her hand on her hips. And she gave all of us a warning look and held up her arm to show inside of the house. We all knew what that meant. You are in trouble; get inside of the house so we can talk about it later. I obeyed her and started to walk towards the door. I could see Carla giving a quick goodbye kiss to Ronald, from the corner of my eye. She ran into the house too.

This is why you have siblings, to ruin your life.

Mother, looked at us and shook her head as a sign of disapproval and sighed. "Carla, Laura go to your room. I have something to tell to your brother." She said.

Laura held Carla's hand and pulled her towards the stairs. There was an evil grin plastered across Carla's lips. Hahaha! Edward is in trouble. That would be a really fair punishment since he refuses to give people some privacy. Her thoughts were almost audible almost. If someone would want me to describe my sister Carla I would say three words "Born to Annoy".

"Have a seat Edward." mother said, when they all left the room.

I sat on the couch and looked curiously at her. She sat next to me and held my hand in hers and squeezed it lightly.

"I know that you didn't mean any harm in the occasion today, sweetheart. I know that all you were trying to do was to protect Carla. Because nor I'm happy about her having a romantic relationship with someone while she is so young. But you could have harmed that boy too. If something bad had happened to him, guilt wouldn't let you have peace. You would always see the damage you had done to him when you close your eyes. That pain caused by guilt, you are too young to face it. Please promise me my dear that you won't harm anyone willingly. I know that you are a good person so please don't do something like that ever again." she said and looked into my eyes, searching for my respond for what she said.

"I promise mother. I won't hurt anyone. About what happened today, I didn't do it on purpose, it just happened. I didn't even have a chance to stop and think or control myself. I let my anger lead me. I'm sorry. But I won't apologize to him."

She sighed and hugged me lovingly. "But you should go and talk to him sometime. I don't say now but when your anger fades away you should do the right thing and apologize."

"But he is in a romantic relationship with my little sister. All I wanted to do was to protect her. I don't even trust Richard. There is something wrong about both of them. They are bad in some ways." I said.

She chuckled when she heard that. "Oh sweetheart, you are as paranoid as your father. I don't approve Richard either but you are just a child you can't decide about people's future. I'll talk about her boyfriend with your father." she said.

I nodded in defeat. There was no use in arguing with her. She was the parent after all.

"Yes, mother. I will apologize to him. My behavior was wrong and a shame of me. I shouldn't have done that. I'm sorry." I said.

She nodded as a sign of approval and said. "Thank you sweetheart, I knew that you would end up doing the right and good thing." and stroked my cheek.

"May I go to my room now?" I asked. Still shocked that she didn't yell or anything like that. I wasn't grounded either. She was a mother and the closest thing to an angel I had ever seen. She was so loving, caring, understanding and unselfish that it would be considered a crime to make her sad.

She stood up and started to walk to the kitchen. "I'm going to prepare dinner. Is there anything you want to tell me instead?" she said. It was good that she didn't want to push the subject "Occasion" any further. We talked about and it was over.

I shook my head and stood up from the couch to kiss her cheek. She smiled and went to kitchen and closed the wooden door behind her back. She started to sing and cook.

I walked towards the stairs and went upstairs causing lots of squeaks. I saw that Carla's bedroom door was shut. I knocked lightly on the door. "Can I come in?" I asked.

"Go away?" Carla yelled from the inside, she sounded like she cried. Then a loud crash sound came from their bedroom.

"He is your brother Carla and he wants to apologize don't be rude." Laura said.

"Rude? He literally acted like an animal and slaughtered my boyfriend and I'm being rude? He read my letters and they were private. I can't believe that I am bloodily related with that thing." She yelled.

"He did this to protect you Carla, can't you see it. He is your big brother and he loves you. He wouldn't have cared that you have a boyfriend or not if you were just someone on the street. But he cares for you. He is here to apologize and end the war. He wants peace but you are dragging the situation further. You are acting in a very childish way." Laura yelled at her.

"You are on his side?" Carla asked in disbelief.

"No, I'm not on anyone's side. I just want you to quit fighting and make peace." Laura said.

"Okay I will talk to her. I can see that she doesn't feel like talking to me right now and she is furious. Don't try to do anything Laura. It doesn't matter to me that she has a boyfriend. She is right; it was an unlucky accident that we are bloodily related." I said and started to walk towards my room. I shut the door behind me and grabbed a book from the nightstand. I didn't even bother to look at the title and started to read it.

I let the story pull me inside. I was in a world where knights, warriors and bad people took the lead. Soon enough I realized that I was reading the "The Three Musketeers". It felt like I living their lives instead of mine. I imagined that I had two older brothers, I actually do. But they always exclude me and say that I'm too young to talk with them. So I imagined two brothers who were really like my brothers and who would be there for me anytime. That won't ever happen but it was good to imagine.

I heard mother calling us for dinner. I put the book back on the nightstand and went down stairs. I saw that father and my brothers were back from somewhere I'll never know.

Carla and Laura helped mother to prepare the table. Father was just watching our mother. You could easily see that he loved her more than his own life. But I've always found love disgusting. Because I knew that there wasn't anyone for me out there. I sighed and went to sit with Tom and Henry. They opened a space between them and I sat there. They but their arms on my shoulders and squeezed me tightly. They were suffocating me but I didn't complain at all. I missed them so much today. "How was your day kid?" Tom asked me. "My day was deadly boring. How was yours?" I said. I was expecting that they would say something about what they did. But I knew that they won't tell. Henry was looking at Tom. Their expressions were full of panic. What are we going to do? This question was solid on Henry's face. I don't know fake up something. We shouldn't tell him and you know that. Replied Tom's face.

It was pure annoyance I've felt. Everyone was keeping something from me. "So will you tell me? I asked, curious.

"What did you do with your sisters to day Tony? Did you have fun?" alright keep avoiding my questions Henry. Tony hates you.

"Nothing much; but believe me it wasn't anything close to having fun. Actually it was opposite of fun. I fought with Carla. She is cross with me." I shrugged my shoulders and sighed.

They both burst into laughter. Tears started to ooze from their eyes because of laughing. Tom smacked my shoulder. "And you say that it was opposite of fun. I wish I could have seen that. It's way better hun…" Henry's dark glare interrupted Tom's speech.

"Hunting what?" I asked. Finally Tom put his feet in it. I'll learn their secret.

Henry shook his head. "Its nothing, seriously Edward believe me. Right Thompson?" he said; expecting Tom to defend him.

"Look Edward I am going to be open with you. There is something and we will tell you that. But you should wait till tomorrow. We will tell you when you are old enough." He said. He looked more mature, like he was a teacher whom is trying to convince a student.

"But there is one day left. It won't change anything. What keeps you from telling it to me today?" I asked, curious than ever.

"You are right Tony, one day, it won't kill you. Just wait, believe me it's worth waiting. You can come with us tomorrow." Thompson said.

"Will you promise to take me with you tomorrow." I asked hopeful.

"We promise." they both said.

"Everyone, wash your hands. Dinner is ready."

We obeyed her and sat on the table. Dinner was delicious as usual. After dinner I talked with my brothers and sisters. Okay, Carla just glared at me but we talked apart from it. I once or twice tried to apologize to her. But she didn't even speak to me.

Luckily no one mentioned about the incident.

I went to the bathroom causing squeaks and waves of mold scent while climbing the stairs. I prepared the bath tub and took my clothes. Water was warm luckily. It caused nothing but pure pleasure and relief. It felt like it washed away any bad feeling I felt. Especially my anger towards Carla and Ronald; it was all gone with the hot water. I closed the tap and grabbed a towel. I wrapped it around my waist, left the room. When I opened the door of my bedroom I saw that Thompson was already there. He was lying on his bed. His head was resting on his hands. His eyes were closed but I wasn't sure that he was asleep. He might be thinking about his girlfriend.

Her name was Ruth. She was sixteen years old. She had long wavy black hair and grey eyes. She had a small pointed nose and full red lips. She was tall and curvy. Ruth was funny and easy to be with. She was the daughter of our father's best friend, Alexander. He and his family were in that weird group too. Ruth also went with them.

I saw Tom smile and he whispered "Ruth I love you. You are beautiful, baby. I want you."

Sure she is, but can you please cut this crap. You are disgusting. I mean you are not alone in this room. I mentally yelled at him and quickly wore my pajamas.

I lay on the bed and pulled the quilt over me. I closed my eyes and started dreaming.

I was in Milady's house and we were talking. She came near me and asked me a favor. Her blue eyes were sparkling. She wanted me to hunt something. When I refused and yelled at her she ran to me. I grabbed her long dress. It ripped when she tried to run away. Then I saw something on her shoulder; a mark which some prisoners had. She became furious and tried to attack me with a small dagger. I managed to run away and shut the door on her. She attacked the door with her dagger.

I woke up covered in sweat. I was still feeling horrible because of Milady and the stupid nightmare. I was still under the nightmare's effect. I sat up and on the bed and travelled my eyes around the room. My brother was no where to be seen. I heard the sound of running water. He was in the bathroom, I guess. I dropped my head on the pillow. I closed my eyes, hoping for some peaceful sleep. I started t o feel like dreaming when a heavy soaked fabric slapped my face. Maybe this was just a dream. Then I felt to fingers on my eyes, they were trying to open my eyelids.

"Here is the deal man, if you don't wake up then I will make you wake up. You hear me?" he said in the most annoying voice I've ever heard. Scratch out what I've said before, Tom's existence alone was worse than the nightmare.

"I'm awake leave me alone. Today is my birthday don't you have to be a bit more understanding and good to me. But instead of being good you slapped me with your wet head towel. Thanks, I owe you one." I replied, frustrated.

"You owe me what?"

"Sleep ruining service. If you need someone to wake you up at the most beautiful part of your sleep, I will happily do that job. Now go away."

"You never learn your lesson, right." He said teasingly.

"What lesson?" I asked.

"I will tell you when you are old enough kid." He replied.

I stood up and went to the bathroom to wash my face. I looked at my reflection on the mirror. What could have been changed in one night? Why didn't they tell me about the secret yesterday?

I walked out of the room and changed in to fresh clothes and hung my pajamas on the wooden chair which was next to my bed and grabbed my book. A few minutes later I heard mother calling us to come down stairs for breakfast. I was starving so I got up as fast as I could and saw the glass on my nightstand was about to fall on the ground. Without knowing it I grabbed the glass when it was still on the air.

What is happening to me? Yesterday I jumped out of my bedroom window which was on the second floor and didn't even got a scratch and after that I lifted hundred and fifty pounds from the ground with one hand effortlessly, now what I have inhuman reflexes. What is happening to me? And more than that what am I?

So what do you think please review if you want to know what is happening to Edward. And tell me your guesses. I will try to update as soon as possible bye for now. Like I said review. :D