(*Chapter 1*)
Trouble In Paradise
It was hot…
The flames flickered hot on my skin…
I was only a baby then, but I understood the situation pretty well.
….
There was a fire, deep within the woods, consuming a beautiful white house, and inside, a family suffered and soon nothing was left but a skeletal version of the house. This family was close to the Cullen's, the anti-social yet popular family. The house was not far from the Cullen's to notice, but the only person they were able to rescue in time, was the baby girl who cried as if she knew her parents fate and calling out for some sort of help.
The baby was rescued by the eldest son of the Cullen's, Edward himself and was immediately adopted as one of the Cullen's.
"So what shall we do with her?" Carlisle asked. He had pondered the idea until his stomach churned.
"Oh, honey, let's keep her and raise her as our own little baby!" Esme pleaded while stroking the baby's beautiful silver hair.
"…Alright. I hope she'll adapt to our customs quickly, though." Carlisle replied giving in to the baby's cuteness and toying with her hair as well.
"Aptaah!" the baby squealed in joy.
"Aw! Isn't she just the cutest thing?" Rosalie squealed while gently ruffling the baby's white slivery hair with her slender pale hand.
"Yeah… cute enough to eat!" Emmet joked as he leaned toward the baby with his bared canines.
"Aahh!" the baby squealed with delight.
"Wow, Emmet. You lost it. Not even babies fear you!" Edward joked.
"Agooh." The baby yelled while looking up to Edward from Rosalie's arms with an admirable look strewn upon her infant face.
"Hmm…so, what shall we name her?" Edward asked curiously while plucking the baby out of Rosalie's arms and into his own muscular arms.
"How about Rose?" Rosalie suggested eagerly.
"Or maybe Onix?" Emmet asked.
"Or how about -. "
"Ti-dee-ah!" the baby yelled.
"Hmm. 'Ti-dee-ah'?" Rosalie repeated suspiciously.
"'Ti-dee-ah'… Cyn-thi-a?" Edward questioned. The baby just clapped her hands while smiling and laughed as if replying,"Yes! Aha! You got it!"
"So it's settled then! Baby Cynthia Morbid Cullen." Carlisle announced proudly.
"Where did you get "Morbid" from?" Esme asked.
"I don't really know… but for some reason it's like someone told me to do it."
"…Do you really think she'll be able to accept our ways?" Alice cautiously asked as if from the shadows. Jasper gently laid a hand on her shoulder and rubbed it calmly.
"I know she will," Jasper replied.
There was an awkward silence for a moment before Edward said, "Carlisle… why can't I hear her thoughts?"
Carlisle motioned for Edward to hand him Cynthia and examined her warily.
"This has never happened before, you've always have been able to hear peoples thoughts."
"Yeah, no doubt about that."
This just made Edward love baby Cynthia even more. But, Edward lied. He could hear her thoughts, but only heard the sound of music. Music he never heard before in all the centuries he lived, which made him feel comfortable when in close distance with her.
Five years quickly passed and Cynthia filled out her middle name as Morbid. She wore little combat boots and would repeatedly dress as Tom-boyish as possible. Rosalie would chase after her with a frilly dress at hand yelling out, "Please! Just this once! Please, wear it for me!"
Alice and Jasper showed her strategies if she would ever encounter other vampires that weren't very "nice".
"So what do you do if one day, you meet a vampire who you don't know and who wants to hurt you? What do you do if we're fighting them and the house isn't a safe place to be in?" they both questioned.
"… Ah! I run. It's not safe, um, isn't safe. Far away as possible." she said as she blanked out. She has been doing so recently.
Gifted with the ability to quickly climb trees, she ran to the nearest pine, climbed it, and quickly hid herself in the brush.
"Like this, right?" her little five year old voice echoed downwards.
"You did it okay, for a five year old, now just to teach you to stay still for awhile and to stay hidden," they both replied with a smile. The smile was only because this technique was discovered on Animal Planet as what baby orangutans do when their mother is fighting a male or other orangutans trying to harm the mother.
She slid down from the pine tree and landed like a wobbly baby who just learned how to stand. Alice smiled at the most adorable-god-sent-gift-from-above and gave her a tight squeeze. "Now, go inside. Big brother Edward wants to practice reading your mind for the rest of the day."
"Okay, sissy Alice," she innocently replied. She gave Alice and Jasper a quick hug and ran towards the house with her little arms out stretched beside her like the wings of an air plane and making engine noises.
"Hey, Jasper?"
"Yeah?"
"Um... nothing. Nevermind."
"Oka-y!" I yelled as I ran towards the big empty mansion I called my home. I ran towards the library, which was thirty minutes away if I ran with my kiddy legs, or so it seemed even though it just took five minutes. "Library! Library!" I yelled as I thought it would make me get there faster.
I passed by the familiar portrait of a pretty lady with long silky silver hair and a nice looking man with raven black hair tied back into a manly ponytail, which Alice had told me they were a couple which loved me and cared for me very much. I've always wondered why if I didn't remember them.
I stopped and looked closely at it. For some reason, I knew that pretty lady. I knew how smooth her skin was, I knew how her pretty white hair smelled like flowers, and I knew that I knew them from somewhere before….
I looked at the man with long black hair tied back in a ponytail with a kind hearted smile on his pale, white face. The same feeling I had as I looked at the pretty lady came back again as I stared into his painted purple iridescent eyes. I knew him too!
I knew how comfy his lap was, I knew how warm his hugs were, and I could see a little shining golden star hanging by a gold string. The star was open, revealing a pad of flashing lights that seemed to flash along with the rhythm of a familiar lullaby.
The thought of that song made my eyes droop until I heard a familiar voice call to me.
"Cindy! Where were you? I was waiting for you for over twenty minutes!" Big brother Edward calmly said from the end of the corridor I was supposed to pass by awhile ago.
"I-I'm sorry, onee-chan. I seemed to have blanked out while staring at this painting. Please don't be mad at me!"
Edward came to me and gently picked me up in his cool warm arms. "Oh, I could never be mad at you! Your cute face which has a speck of mud will always make me forget the reason to which I was mad in the first place!"
He carried me the whole way to the library but, before we left the hallway which the portrait laid, I looked back and stared at the picture until it was out of view from the end of the corridor.
The library was a sanctuary that was a blessing for Edward and me. I can hardly remember a time where we wouldn't be cuddling together by an interesting vampire novel while listening to him read.
"Now, listen closely. Think of what makes you happy. Think of what makes you feel all warm inside."
"Edward makes me happy!" I quickly unknowingly snapped back.
Edward just placed his hand over his face as if he was hiding the fact that he would be blushing. I smiled showing my little sharp canines and said, "Edward… I love you."
Edward quickly hugged me to his icy warm chest where I couldn't sense even a close sound to a heartbeat.
I always paid close attention to this, while hugging my family. I knew what they were and I loved them dearly. I knew, they were vampires and I was just a regular human child. Yet, why did I have this feeling of fear, when I love vampires and my family so much? I know they would never think of hurting me but I felt a small spec of fear just welling down inside of me.
My family was special. Edward could read minds, Alice could predict the future, Jasper could control people's emotions, and I could sing with the voice of "A million harps being played by a misunderstood angel by the name of Morbid." Oh, how I love my middle name! A blessing indeed! It's a name that only tickles my ears, Cynthia Morbid Cullen. The sound of anyone just saying my name, even once, would always make me giggle with delight.
"Edward?"
"Yes?"
"Do you love me?"
He hugged me tight as if I had insulted him. "O-of course I love you, Cindy! What on earth would make you think otherwise?"
"I don't know… I just… mmm."
"Well, when ever in doubt, just look into my eyes and you'll know the truth." He smiled that smile that would always make me smile and giggle.
All was well while living in my Paradise. Except… on Edwards Birthday. On a journey to find him the perfect gift, it ended up as me losing everything.
Edward's Birthday
"Cindy," Rosalie sang to me. "Come here for a second."
"Yes, big sister?"
"Did you know…" she whispered, "that tomorrow's Edwards birthday?"
I gasped and quickly giggled with my knuckles balled up into excited fists. "What do you think he'll like?"I asked anxiously.
All of a sudden, an idea popped into my head. I ran into my bat decorated room on the second floor and closed the door with a little spring in my step. I knew exactly what Edward would want, and they were as scarce as water in the dried up Sahara. The gift I expected to get Edward, were rare stones rumored to be located around the whole forest outside our mansion.
I quickly gathered my Slipknot jacket which I often used for dress up as a witches cloak, my "going on an adventure" boots, and jars in which I hold valuable momentous for the different memories I held close to my heart. I grabbed three strips of tape and put them on three separate jars labeled, "Boulder Opal", "Quartz Abundance Crystal", and "Nebula Stone".
I put the three labeled jars into an old black and pink Easter basket with my jacket and awaiting boots. I just knew Edward would love his presents. I squealed over the thought of his surprised face as he would open up the jars to see his favorite stones.
This month, Edward and I have been studying on ancient stones. He had pointed out earlier that these were his favorites.
The Boulder Opal is a sea blue colored stone which often grows on a rock which gives it this magical look, the Quartz Abundance Crystal is a see through white crystal which has one large chunk growing upwards while hundreds of little crystals grow at the bottom, and the Nebula Stone is a grayish stone which looks as if it had been scribbled on with lines with a blue and white crayon.
Tomorrow was the day I made him proud of me. I love Edward with all my heart and I wanted to show him on his birthday. I crawled on my purple bed with little bats on it and snoozed away until the sun ripped through the black lace curtains in the morning for tomorrow.
My alarm clock shined 2:00 pm in bright purple. I smiled as wide as a Cheshire cat. It was Edwards Birthday, and I was going on a scavenger hunt for Edwards Birthday present.
I closed my eyes and took several deep breaths; this was something Alice had taught me to deceive other vampires that I was sleeping by reducing my heartbeat, the same beat as when a normal human would be asleep.
I tiptoed towards my basket filled with my necessities and carried it towards the worn out shaft that would lower me down into the kitchen and to the nearest exit. But, the thing is, how can I sneak by vampires with superhuman hearing?
I lowered myself down so quietly that it scared me and almost caused my heart to race. But with my steadied breathing, I kept my heart at a decent pace. As quietly as possible, I took big steps towards the door and left without a single sound.
I slipped on my cloak and pulled out a map I had made out with and X'd for the spots were the stones were rumored to reside. I paced out towards my first stone, the "Boulder Opal".
I passed by numerous large trees and scratched it with my sterling silver flower ring and left the tree bark a small flower clone on its surface. "Sorry, tree."
I kept walking for what seemed like half an hour until I found myself in a familiar spot, the "Opal Stream". I had reached my first destination. The water was so blue; it overshadowed the glistening Boulder Opal's in the water.
I reached into the cool running water and took out my first item; the Boulder Opal. It looked even more beautiful than what the pictures looked like. I placed it into the jar labeled "Boulder Opal" and walked victoriously. Next was the Quartz Abundance Crystal, located far from where I now stood, I sighed happily, I needed the exercise anyways.
Everyone was in a panic, how could multiple vampires lose a 5 year old little girl? How could I let her out of my sight while she was asleep? Son of a bitch, where the hell can my baby be? Sure she was five years old, but I still saw her as if she were mine. In fact, I love her so much, I'm willing to wait years until I can show her how much I really love her.
"She's not asleep, or in the garden." Alice fearfully thought for me.
"She's not in any of the mansion rooms or in the swing set out back." Rosalie said while trying to hide the fear behind her eyes. I turned to see Esme who was crying if she could, but all you could hear was a stifling kind of sound escaping her voice.
The reason we are frightened so much, is because this little girl, Cindy, she wasn't like an ordinary child, she was special, and she was precious to us from the very day we rescued her from the devastating house fire.
"Ed, she's not in the pool, the tool shed, the library, or even close to the house." Emmet said as though hiding the fact that he was worried.
"Maybe it's time to check the forest." Jasper suggested. I stared at Carlisle who just stared at me and nodded.
"Okay, Esme, Alice, you look over trees with any kind of opening she can crawl through, it's like looking for a small kitten in a house of holes! Rosalie, Jasper, you guys look over the caves by the mountain sides. She loves to look at the stones there. Emmet, go look over by the creek. Edward, look around the forest sides that are located outside of those places." Carlisle planned hastily. "I'll stay here if she comes back. Don't worry, we'll find her, alright?"
Thoughts that some other creature that is bound to attack her sent shivers down my spine. Where could she go? Better yet, why? She knows not to go into the forest without permission, worse, without someone to guard her.
I've lost my love, and she could be anywhere between a 100 mile radius, including north, south, east and west. This was clearly the worst birthday ever.
I smelled the air, hoping to get a whiff of her scent from the drifting wind. I was about to lose hope, when I suddenly smelled a familiar scent, apples, watermelon, and roses. Sweet, sweet roses. Roses in bloom, roses covered in dew, roses… as black and as Morbid. This is what brought me so much hope.
I snapped back to reality and shot forward to the smell of my little girl. I stopped at a tree with her scent fading on it. I observed it cautiously and spotted a familiar rose pattern on it, Cindy's ring.
She was here. And I know she is close.
I rubbed my eyes as I climbed up the path Emmet and I had made when we wondered the forest once. It was noticeable because Emmet had tackled down some of the trees to make an easy path. He was awesome. I kept walking until I bumped my head on something. I looked up, only to find an ominous looking brink of scorched wood. It brought back memories somehow…
I closed my eyes as if to see those distant memories…
Hot…
Flames brushed upon my cheek in my nursery…
I tried yelling for help… but no one came…
Finally, before I fell victim to the fire… I saw an angel who came unscathed from it… as if it wasn't even there. I tried to look at this angel closer, but then… it all turned black. I realized I had closed my eyes in sleep.
I opened my eyes again confused over what had just happened. I remembered the sun bright yellow when I left a while ago and now it was turning pink. It's getting late and I have to hurry. I ran as fast as my little lags could carry me over to Crystal Cove, a cave behind a waterfall that eventually ran to Opal River. I brushed passed a few branches that scratched my face until I stopped to the sound of a small crinkling waterfall. It wasn't big but I didn't want to get my cloak wet and trickle on my way home to cause people to worry.
I smiled in victory and stepped on a few stones that poked up to the surface of the calm running water to help be my guide to my next destination. I jumped from rock to rock. I almost slipped once, but I kept my balance by holding out my arms like a circus performer on a trapeze. My basket was being a nuisance, so I hung it on my arm like a purse and continued jumping until I got close to the mouth of the cave. I passed by the thin water line and crawled inside, careful not to get wet.
Inside shone like a beautiful baby blue light shining from crystal quartz to crystal quartz, reflecting the baby blue waterfall in front of the small kid sized cave entrance. I reached out to pull out a crystal only to know it was sealed on tight. I crawled in so my whole body was inside and pulled with all my abnormal strength. It came loose like butter after the 2nd second. I giggled at the taste of victory and placed the combined crystals in the jar. And then there was one. A playfully evil chuckle surpassed my little light pink lips. It echoed through the cramped up cave and forced me to come out. I was successful and happy about it.
I wonder what Edward is doing right about now? I left a letter telling that I was on a mission taped to the refrigerator in red crayon with specific details when I planned on returning. I hope he's having a good birthday.
The search for my lovely little girl was on. I had seen several trees with her rose markings, and had caught her scent on many different objects. Rosalie and Esme had checked the small cave behind a small waterfall that had her strong scent, but then the water carried on many different smells, and washed it away before it could have even be properly used for the search.
I had climbed the tallest of trees to see if I could catch her scent fly by with the wind, but I couldn't smell her rose scented porcelain skin. I feared she was a victim of a creature of the forest but I kept it inside for now. Finally, several thoughts traveled through my mind. Can't Alice see where she is? Couldn't she see even before she left? Why wasn't anyone careful and sencified their hearing? Did Alice even try to see the future for where Cynthia was? And most importantly, doesn't even Cindy know how much pain my still heart hurts about her abrupt and unknown departure?
It didn't matter now. All I know was I'm getting her back and I'm not going to let her out of my grasp until she closes her eyes in sweet distant pleasurable dreams. Not until I see her smile and her rosey pink cheeks flush over my rushed "you are in so much trouble!".
Carlisle had messaged me that he had found a red crayon scribbled note that Cindy had left saying she would be back by dinner; which was over two hours ago. She had also mentioned going for a "Scavenger hunt" for something. She was so special when it came to these kinds of things. She was my pride and joy. I kept going further into the search but barely remembered I haven't fed in seven months. This was about time when I would eventually crack and run wild. But I am not eating until I see my lovely back.
Phew! It sure is hot out here now, isn't it? The sun was stealthily hidden between the large tress. The last one was supposed to be somewhere where it was really humid. I just had to look closely at shiny objects, don't I? I walked fast while looking at the floor. I didn't think anything bad would happen. Until I heard strange growls from a distance.
"Hmm? Hello? Is anybody out there?" All I heard were louder growls coming closer in respond. "Umm… I-I'm sorry if I disturbed you. I-I'm leaving now! Please, forgives me for intruding!" I backed away slowly and kept on looking for something when all of a sudden I saw something glint from the corner of my eye.
"There you are! Sneaky stony, you!" I picked up the shining object and placed it in my last jar. "Time to gets home. I think I might be late for dinner! Momma's gonna kills me!" I ran but the previous growling never ceased. It only grew louder. Crap! I think I might get chased out here! And the bad thing is, I don't know what forest creature I'm up against!
I ran as fast as I could (which was surprisingly faster than a normal four year old). In response, I heard barking and approaching steps behind me.
"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" I cried out.
I kept thinking of Edward and how I wanted to see his smile once I got home. All of a sudden it felt like I was floating. I looked down and noticed - I was!
"Waah! Ah! What the-?"
Who cares! I looked at my predator and saw it was of course more than one. And it was a pack of wolves. I wiped my tears of fear and held my basket tight. My jacket flapped behind me as if I was a miniature Bat Girl. I tried to focus on how to get back home. The sun had gone down and everything was dark blue. Man! I'm in so much trouble.
All of a sudden, I heard Edwards voice. Soft, cheerful, sorrowful, and sad voice saying, "Please… come home to me."
With all of my voice and strength I yelled, "EDWARD! I LOVE YOU! LOOK UP!" Within a second after I said "UP" I was falling from my high position in the sky. My basket was still in my tight grasp and I shut my eyes and prepared for my horrible death. All I wanted was to see him smile at me and say he loved me. I would then bake him a cake and we could have celebrated his birthday like a real family. If only I knew what I would have encountered. If only I was prepared for the danger I would face on my first trip to the mysterious outside world I was hidden from. If only I could have avoided all this trouble.
"Aaahhh!" I fell through sharp thorns and later felt the cold embrace I loved. Edward had flitted up the tallest pine tree and jumped the biggest distance to catch me. I opened my eyes enough to see him jump from tree to tree to the bottom. I looked into his black eyes and noticed he wasn't the Edward I was raised by. He was someone else. As soon as we were at the ground level, he set me down and looked away from me. His words hurt me more than his face frightened me.
I had seen her frightened expression for more than a mere second and I knew I couldn't let her live her human life being raised by monsters like us. It would only be a matter of time before any one of us were to snap out of nowhere. I couldn't let her see the vicious monsters we all were. I wanted to protect her against this so I am.
As soon as I got to the ground, I firmly placed her on the ground and turned away from her and whispered, "… Listen to me. There's a small village near here. ... Go there. Leave here. And never come back."
"… No. No, I won't!" she cried out. The sound of her cry made me shudder and I couldn't help but feel the over exceeding feeling of loneliness.
"You don't belong here… you should be with your own kind."
"No! I-"
"DON'T ARGUE WITH ME!" I turned back towards her, enough for her to see my demon like eyes. She stopped with fear and dropped her basket, its continents dropping out along with it.
"… WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GO!"
Without hesitation she ran to the ruins of her former home. And without warning I ran towards the house to warn everyone that we should best pack up our things and move away.
I cried as I ran. I didn't care what would happen to me anymore. Nothing mattered! I just wanted to get eaten and let everything fade as a stupid memory! Stupid Edward! Stupid house! Stupid! Nothing was true! He never loved me!
I ran straight ahead back to where I found the out of place brink of scorched wood stood. I didn't know why but I felt a wave of comfort as I was by that piece of plywood.
I finally came to it and panted. While panting, I quickly cried my little bark brown eyes out. I wanted to die. I had nobody with me and I had nothing to live for now. I got to the clearing where the piece of out of place plywood resigned. I went to the center of the clearing where there was a large mound of dirt was, picked up my knees to my face, and cried on the floor. It had started to rain. It was like the heavens cried with me too.
I felt a familiar presence and looked up to see what it was. It was familiar because it was the feeling I got when vampires where around me.
It was a dark skinned man wearing a tan leather vest accompanied by a red haired girl and a man with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail.
"Shouldn't you be in bed by now, little girl?" the dark skinned man said to me.
I sniffled. "I don't have a home anymore."
"I see," replied the dark skinned man. The red haired woman approached me and wiped the tears away from my face with her comforting cold hands.
"Poor child… you've been abandoned, haven't you?"
I nodded my head and cried some more. The dark skinned man approached me also and grabbed my head in his hand.
"You have a vampires scent on you. Were you raised by them?"
I nodded my head and tried to stare at his eyes through the darkness of night. The dark skinned man told me his name was Laurent, the red haired woman's name was Victoria and the silent man with the ponytail was named James. In a split second, I thought I actually found friends. Laurent held my head in a close distance from his face and he stared into my eyes as if searching for something.
"You poor creature… you've probably seen and heard things you should never have gone through."
He had placed his sharp edged thumb nail against my throat and quietly whispered, "You will go to rest, away from all this. Don't worry. I'll make it quick and painless. You'll maybe see your real parents up in heaven. Perfect place for a little girl like you. It is only perfect that a little girl like you should go up there as a little angel. Now... let's see if you taste as sweet as you look."
I opened my eyes as lightning brought me back from my state of shock and yelled out as hard as I could that I wasn't going to die so easily and killed out of pity. Nothing pissed me off more than someone feeling sorry for me. As if a reply to a signal, the pack of wolves that had previously chased me came out from the brush behind the clearing and ran straight at the opposing vampires who were trying to kill me.
I fell back and watched the gruesome show in front of me.
I curled up into a ball and slowly dug my fingers in the mound of dirt. The more I forced my hands to go in, the more fighting I heard overhead. I soon felt a box and pulled it out. It was a faded white and blue box the size of an adult's hand, which had a strange key already lodged into the keyhole.
I quickly picked it up and ran as far as I could away from the clearing.
Away was anywhere safe. Away from all of this. I just wanted to be safe. I ran in the darkness while I heard the constant screech of howls and grunting noises of fighting.
I ran hopelessly and I found a large tree which had a small hole in which the roots were protecting from sight. I quickly shoved the box in and wriggled my way inside as well. I pulled my knees up and steadied my breathing. This time, my breathing was to fake a still heartbeat.
No soon after I heard approaching footsteps run my way and I heard Victoria's voice saying, "You little insolent child! You can run, but you sure as hell can't hide! Now where are you, you little brat?"
No soon after that I heard the pack of wolves rush towards her. She ran away in a matter of seconds and I knew she probably flitted. I shuddered and clenched the box tightly against my chest and placed it into the chest pocket of my overalls.
I closed my eyes in desperation and soon noticed I had dropped my right boot. So that's how she had found my trail... I was in hell and I just wanted to be in a warm place. I just wanted to be snuggled by the fireplace in a warm blanket while dozing off to someone reading me a fairytale book. One where the princess is saved from a horrible death like sleep or a tower by a handsome prince. I just wanted to go home...
If I ever found a new home, that is...