A/N: Suffering a bit of a writer's block on my other story so decided to get this one out of my head to see how it reads. If the text looks familiar, I copied it right out of the book for effect (with a few modifications). I have no story outline, only character sketches, so even I don't know how this will turn out chapter to chapter. But there is a plot percolating behind this prologue. Let's just say that no characters are safe, graphic violence and languages galore, and no one is who you think they are or should be.
DISCLAIMER FOR THIS AND ALL FUTURE CHAPTERS: Twilight and all its characters (and especially most of the words in this prologue) are the properties of Stephenie Meyer. I'm just having a little fun.
Prologue - Another Path
Finding the school wasn't difficult, though I'd never been there before. The school was, like most other things, just off the highway. It was not obvious that it was a school; only the sign, which declared it to be the Forks High School, made me stop. It looked like a collection of matching houses, built with maroon-colored bricks. There were so many trees and shrubs I couldn't see its size at first. Where was the feel of the institution? I wondered nostalgically, and not for the first time. Where were the chain-link fences, the metal detectors?
I parked in front of the first building, which had a small sign over the door reading front office. No one else was parked there, so I was sure it was off limits, but I decided I would get my class schedule inside now instead of circling around to the student parking lot and running back in the rain. I stepped unwillingly out of the toasty truck cab and walked down a little stone path lined with dark hedges. I took a deep breath before opening the door.
Inside, it was brightly lit, and warmer than I'd hoped. The office was small; a little waiting area with padded folding chairs, orange-flecked commercial carpet, notices and awards cluttering the walls, a big clock ticking loudly. Plants grew everywhere in large plastic pots, as if there wasn't enough greenery outside. The room was cut in half by a long counter, cluttered with wire baskets full of papers and brightly colored flyers taped to its front.
There were three desks behind the counter, one of which was manned by a large, red-haired woman wearing glasses. She was wearing a purple t-shirt, which immediately made me feel overdressed.
The red-haired woman looked up. "Can I help you?"
"I'm Isabella Swan," I informed her, and saw the immediate awareness light her eyes. I was expected, a topic of gossip no doubt. A last minute new student transfer from Europe was probably big news in a tiny town like this.
"Of course," she said. She dug through a precariously stacked pile of documents on her desk till she found the ones she was looking for. "I have your schedule right here, and a map of the school." She brought several sheets to the counter to show me.
She went through my classes for me, highlighting the best route to each on the map, and gave me a slip to have each teacher sign, which I was to bring back at the end of the day. She smiled at me and hoped that I would like it here in Forks. I smiled back as convincingly as I could. Covert ops were really not my forte, I was more of a scorched earth type of gal nowadays.
When I went back out to my truck, other students were starting to arrive. I drove around the school, following the line of traffic. I was glad to see that most of the cars were like mine, nothing flashy. At least, I chuckled, on the outside. It would ensure that my nondescript black truck would not stand out in the lot. The nicest car here was a shiny Volvo, as I expected. Still, I cut the engine as soon as I was in a spot, so that the thunderous volume of the turbo charged V12 wouldn't draw attention to me.
I tucked the map under my arm. It was unnecessary, since I had memorized both the school layout and duct systems by now. But I would probably need the map to pretend being lost in restricted areas. Key to a good disguise - authentic props. I stuffed everything in my bag, slung the strap over my shoulder, and sucked in a huge breath. I can do this, I lied to myself feebly. I just hoped no one pissed me off too badly. Pretending to be a teenager already sucked hard enough, I did not need to deal with hormonal teenage shit from actual teenagers. I only knew one way to solve problems, and somehow I didn't think the teachers or cops in this town would approve.
I breathed in the chilly morning air, savoring the drizzling mist tickling my skin. I saw the reddish brown hair moving through the crowd and allowed myself a grim humorless smile. Flipping open my cellphone, I texted my update.
Infiltration in progress. Target sighted.
I shrugged my shoulders to adjust the heavy ass backpack back into position and started my way toward the school. As I walked, I allowed myself to be cheered by one optimistic thought. The sooner I killed Edward Cullen, the sooner I could drop this pretense and get the fuck out of this place.