Chapter One

Eventual Eden by Undelved Interpretations

A/N:

This was supposed to be a one shot contest entry, but she no longer is having the contest, so I might expand this story to a full one. Depends.

I sat bold upright. The darkness surrounding me like a blindfold held over my eyes. I could feel the cold wind swirl around my nightgown; the ribbons slapping lightly against my legs in a mellow touch. I blinked and got to my feet, brushing off the dirt that gathered on my behind. My eyes slowly wandered around the area in which I stood now. I could make out rows and rows of dark shapes.

Trees.

The old Oaks were blinding my vision from all sides. I knew they were Oak trees, because I had been here many, many times before. I sighed, kicking a small twig from my path as I subconsciously walked the path that lead out of the woods in front of me. My bare feet ached with each step; as if I had been walking on rocks.

I made my way past the shadowed trees that hung and swayed in the breeze. Past the open field that lie beyond the grounds that held them, and out into the road that interconnected Forks with Eden. It wasn't really Eden, of course. I called it that because in the spring, when the trees were matured and growing wildly again with apples and blossoms, it looked like Eden. It looked like the visage in which Adam and Eve had once lain together, and the place where the apple of knowledge had been eaten. But now, in the dead of winter, the leaves were all gone, and the cold chill killed the last of the blossoms.

It was always the same. I would find myself awakened by a cold breeze or some animal scurrying around me. Then I would realize that I again had sleep walked to Eden, laid upon the rancid, dirty ground and slept. It happened every night, just about. It started when I was nine, and my parents, Charlie and Renee divorced. I, at first, would find myself on the porch of our house in the morning, or even once, when I was really stressed, I had walked to the neighbor's yard and lain upon the daisies and willows. Now I walked a mile to Eden, to lie among the dark, among the hanging trees. I suppose if I had to sleep walk somewhere, this would suffice. It was lovely in the spring and summer, and when I awoke, there would be apples falling all around me. It seemed silly, but it gave me comfort in a strange way.

I walked along the shadowed road, my back to Eden, now. The mile walk home would surely take its toll on me as the day progressed. It always did. I would smile at Charlie, with whom I now lived, and I would play brave for him, but I would ache all over. My feet would hold blisters, my legs would quake with tiredness, and my head would feel as if it was made of glass; ready to shatter at a moment's notice, but I would forever hide it internally. There were no real explanations that I could gather, as to why each night, when Charlie and his new wife, Tanya, were asleep, I would travel a mile down the road and lie among Eden. It wasn't called Eden in reality. It was owned by a rich family, The Cullen's. People in town would gossip and talk about them and their children, but no one ever really saw them much. I was always gone before Carlisle Cullen, one of the owners, came out to pull off the dead leaves in the winter, or pick the apples off in the spring and summer and fall. They called it "Eventual Ever after." They were known to be good, gentle people, but those whom kept to themselves.

I was nearing my house now. I longed to sit down, even just for a moment, but I knew that I had to sneak back in the house and into bed before Charlie awoke to find me missing. I dragged my feet the last quarter of a mile to the darkened house, careful not to creak the door as I used the key under the mat to gain access. I slowly shut the door and made my way up the stairs by feel, catching my bedroom door knob in my hand. I turned it and walked inside, closing the door silently behind me. I walked over to the dresser, pulled open a drawer and grabbed fresh pajamas. Stripping in the dark, I peeled off the dirty, soiled garment, and replaced it with the new, clean one. I walked catatonically to my bed, collapsing on it stoically, pulling the quilt up to my chin. I fell asleep again immediately, thoughts of Eden and its meaning swirling around in my mind as blackness took me.

The next afternoon, I was walking along the same stretch of road, on my way into town, when I passed Eden. My Eden. It was a place of salvation, after all. A place I could find peace in. It was unclear as to why my sleep walking chose to always end up in there, but I never complained. It was somewhere I felt safe; happy even. So when I noticed a boy with tussled hair on one of the short ladders that had been strategically placed against the bark of the Oaks, it took me as odd. I had never seen him before. But there he was, standing on the ladder picking dead leaves off of the twigs and trimming them back with a saw. I actually stopped to look, my curiosity peeked.

Who is he? I asked myself mentally.

I was just about to turn and keep walking when he spied me as he threw a branch to the ground and stepped off the ladder. He was walking toward me with an odd mix in his face. As if he had seen me before, but wasn't quite sure.

"Excuse me," he said, cupping his hand over his mouth as he spoke, "but aren't you the girl I saw walking out of here last night?" He asked coming to a complete stop inches from me.

"No," I lied. "That's very silly of you to say," I said, casting a sullen glance at Eden from over his shoulder.

"I'm pretty sure it was you! I woke up after hearing rustling last night, so I looked out the window, and I saw you walking among the Oaks," he said, pointing behind him to the trees he had just abandoned.

I chuckled softly. This also allowed me time to look at him, his onyx eyes and his pale, masculine jaw line. His muscles flexed out of his black T-Shirt, and his hair was the deepest shade of bronze I had ever seen. He was amazing to look at. I sighed, and then looked away.

"I'm sorry, but it wasn't me," I insisted, my lie making me blush deeply, staining my cheeks red.

"Oh," he said, rubbing his chin with his hand, "I'm sorry. My name is Edward. Edward Cullen," he said, placing his hand out for me to shake.

"Isabella. Isabella Swan. But I prefer Bella," I said, taking his hand and shaking it. His grip was firm and hardy. He looked at me with confliction before he spoke.

"Bella, that is a pretty name," he said.

"Thanks. Listen, I have to be on my way. It was nice talking to you, Edward," I said, letting go of his hand. He nodded, but said nothing.

I walked on down the road. I was aware that his eyes still remained on me as I did. Edward Cullen. He must be the owner's son. It bothered me that he knew someone was in Eden last night; much more than I wanted it to. It was not as if I had a choice but to walk the Oaks. It was a must. I was unaware that I was lying among the shadows until it was too late; and anyway, I had become too accustomed to it. I walked on, but I could not shake the feeling that Edward did not believe me. I had fears about what he would do if I had told him the truth or if he ever knew the truth. I didn't know what would happen if they banned me from Eden, or if they told Charlie about it.

"Fucking great," I grumbled. I was not a fan of cursing, but I felt hopeless. I had been caught fumbling out of Eden, and now I would never be allowed to return. But I could not see a way to stop myself from unconsciously walking in there and falling into dreams with the trees swaying above me.

I walked into town, my thoughts barely calming down. I took in a small sign that read Grand Opening! I opened the door to the small, brick stone café, and walked to the counter. I was met by a shriek, then an armful of Alice.

"Bella! You made it! Oh, I am so happy!" She shrieked, hugging me tighter.

"I wouldn't have missed this, Alice," I told her. Not even if my feet were killing me from walking a mile in my sleep.

She stopped hugging me and moved her small hands to my face. "Oh. Bella. You look like shit!" She exclaimed, her eyes raking over my tired face.

"Gee, thanks, Alice. I love how you compliment your dearest friends," I joked. It was probably true. I probably did look like shit. But did she really have to confirm this suspicion?

"Oh. No, Bella. That's-Forget it! Come on! Tea is on the house," she said, pulling me by my arm to a nearby table and sitting me in the white plastic chair. "Grey or Earl?"

"What?"

"Tea! Grey? Earl?" Alice asked, taking the chair across from me. "You know, sometimes I wonder if you really are my dearest friend. You don't even know your tea!" She chuckled musically.

"Oh! Sorry! No, Alice. It's not that," I said, lowering my eyes and scowling. "I keep…you know….sleep walking," I told her in a rushed tone.

Alice knew I walked at night. She had once followed me when I first started to sleep walk; when I would trudge among the daisies in the yard beside ours. Alice had lived with us a brief time then; her boundaries and pixie-ish behavior filling up the house with laughter. But she had gone her separate ways once she had met her boyfriend, Jasper. She lived with him now, above the tea shop in which we sat. She looked at me sadly for a moment, and then touched by cheek.

"Bella, this is not normal. You have to stop doing that. You're going to hurt yourself or get hit! You need some kind of help, Isabella," she said, lifting my chin. When Alice used my full name, you knew it was serious.

"It's not my walking I'm afraid of Alice," I said cryptically, reaching up to grab her wrist and lower her hand from my face. "Someone saw me walking out of Eden last night."

"Who?"

"I think he was the owner's son. Edward. He saw me walking along the trees last night," I said, placing my elbow on the table and sighing deeply. "He asked if it was me, and I said no. But I think he knows I'm lying, Alice," I said, rubbing my face with my hand.

"Oh. Well, you shouldn't worry, Bella. It's not as if he will be watching the orchard at like, three in the morning! I really wish you would get some help for it, Bella. It's not normal. People don't just….walk in their sleep," she said the last four words darkly. She patted my arm in reassurance.

"Thank you, Alice. I feel all better about walking to an orchard while I'm asleep, and waking up in the dark, only to walk a mile back home and sleep more," I replied crankily. "Where's Jasper?" I scanned the shop briskly.

"He's in the back! Come on! I want to show you the rest of the shop!" She exclaimed, pulling me by the hand from the seat.

She guided me past the counter where the tea bags, sugar, utensils, cups and saucers, cream and milk and cash register were. She pushed a swinging door open and pulled me in behind her. I was led up a small narrow kitchen, with pots and pans hanging from the ceiling, and two big ovens on the right hand side and turned the corner, the smell of cinnamon Buns floating in the air.

"Jasper? Where did you get to?" Alice yelled, walking past the small circular pantry.

"Alice?" Jasper's voice carried from inside the pantry.

Alice doubled back and stood at the entryway to the pantry. Jasper was inside stacking bags of sugar on the wooden shelves. Sweat was gathering on his forehead, just below his blonde hair. He saw me behind Alice and smiled.

"Bella, you really shouldn't let Alice drag you around like you're her pet," he laughed, lifting a ten pound bag of sugar easily and slamming it onto the shelf. "So, Alice, have you told her yet?" his eyebrows quirked up slightly.

"Hey. Jasper. I don't mind her drag-wait, told me what?" I turned to Alice, my eyebrows up and my pupils' dark. "Alice!"

"Well, since you are my closest friend, and Jasper here can't shut up," she said, turning to him and giving him the brief stink-eye before turning back, "how would you like a job here? I could use someone to help out around here, and you are practically family," she smiled.

"Oh. Alice. I don't know," I started. Jasper snorted.

"Shut up, Jasper," Alice said. "Isabella. You are nineteen years old! You don't do anything! This is a chance to get out of the house, to be with me during the day," Jasper snorted again. "And with Jasper, if I don't kill him first!"

I was silent for a minute. Maybe this would be a good thing for me. Since graduating last spring, I had done nothing notable or talk worthy. Alice, Charlie, Tanya…they all were after me to go do something with my freedom; at least until college in the fall. A job here, with Alice, would surely appease them for the time being. And I loved Alice, so that was a bonus.

"What kind of job? Like, what would I be doing?" I asked. She shrieked again. "Alice, you do know that you are making me go deaf with that shrieking of yours?" Jasper snorted yet again. Alice picked up a small packet of tea bags from the shelf closest to her and threw it at him, hitting him in the back of the head.

"Come on, let me show you," Alice said, pulling me behind her back the way we had come, leaving Jasper to curse and rub his head.

Alice led me back to the front of the shop and pointed to the register. Her smile played huge as it unfurled across her pale complexion on her face.

"No way, Alice! Run the register?" I fought back the indignation that rose in my throat. "Alice, I can't! I'm not exactly people material. I'm, anti-social, Alice," I reminded her. "A social retard."

"Oh. Bella. Stop being melodramatic. All you have to do is take their money, you don't even have to speak to them, for god sake," she huffed out impatiently. "Please," she added.

I was such a push over. I really was not a very social person. I loved being alone. I guess that is why Eden appealed to me. It was alone in its own world. The only thing I had to do was lie amongst the falling leaves and dead twigs and imagine the delicious smelling blossoms. That was enough to keep me complacent. I sighed, then looked over at Alice.

"Are you going to shriek if I say yes?" I asked her, my eyes have closing at the mental picture in my head, and the phantom shriek in my ear. "Fine, I'll do it," I told her.

As soon as the words were out of my mouth, the shriek came. I felt her hug me tightly, her little arms squeezing me with joy. I sighed deeply again. Well, at least Charlie could tell the people at the station that his daughter was no longer a hide-a-way or a social retard. The rest of the day went by in a blur, most of it held by Alice telling me what she expected of me, and reminding me to smile when I handed back the customers' change. She told me I didn't need to start until next week, which I guessed was a good thing.

It was nearly eight in the evening when I left. I walked along the same stretch of road, its illuminated lamps casting shadowy glints as I passed. The moon, now that I looked at it properly, was not full tonight. Maybe that was a good sign. I had been walking about twenty minutes when I came to the dark recess of Eden. The large Oaks were situated in full darkness, and the small path that I always walked away from them on was lighted slightly by the moons shafts.

I will be sleeping among you, tonight. I said to the swaying treetops as I passed. There was no doubt about this, of course. Each night, when I laid my head against the soft down of the pillow, I knew I would not be there long. I passed the small area in which I stopped to talk to Edward today, and my fear returned. I could not shake the feeling that there was something up. That maybe he knew it was me, and just decided to drop it. Maybe he would tell his parents, who would tell Charlie. Charlie knew nothing of my walking, and I would love to keep it that way. I left Eden behind me in shadows as I walked home briskly against the chill. It was nearly nine-thirty when I arrived home to the silent house. Everyone was asleep. As customary, I picked the key from under the mat and opened the door, shutting it silently after I entered. I quietly made my way to my room, careful not to make too much noise. I opened my chest of drawers and sifted through the top one, poking around until I found a pink polka-dotted tank top and matching pants. Stripping down to my underwear, I pulled them on and hopped in bed. The warmness of the bed took effect immediately, as I drifted slowly; my eyes shutting repetitiously until I was asleep.

What seemed like a moment later, I could feel my body tremble with movement. I moaned, my face covered by a deep shadow. I was vaguely aware of a cold draft covering my body like a blanket. I moaned again and opened my eyes. Hazily, I looked around. I felt a slight pressure on my shoulder. I looked over and gasped. Upon my shoulder, there was a hand. Attached to the hand, as my eyes wandered up the forearm, was a head. The eyes stared at me in confusion.

I screamed.

The hand that was on my shoulder now was clasped firmly over my mouth.

"Shut up!" The voice commanded harshly.

Too late. A light had come on in the distance, and I could hear a voice through the swaying of the trees.

"Who's out there?" Someone yelled.

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