This part's longer than the last two. Hope it's better.
And there was no more pain. The pain…Gone. All gone. I suddenly became acutely aware of my surroundings. I heard the high-pitched twittering of a bird, every whistle that was too high to be natural. I felt the hard, damp ground beneath me, every tiny pebble and rock.
And I smelled blood.
I jumped up and let my body carry me, my senses lead me.
The next thing I knew, something soft and juicy with blood filled my mouth. I let the liquid slide down my throat and the utmost relief washed over me.
'Don't want to die…wife and kids…'What was that?
'I guess it's true…your life does flash before your eyes…'The thought was in my head, but I hadn't thought it.
'Lord, what did I ever do?'I was…hearing things? In my head.
'I hate the smell here.'
'Where's my little girl?'
'I wish they'd find a better place to put those bodies.'
'Who on earth is that?'
With the last thought – that I'll stress was not mine – came a murky image of a dead or unconscious person who suddenly jumped up and darted faster than the eye could see up off the ground and behind a building. I was jarred by this image.
But more jarred was I by my lust for blood.
'I love the full moon.'
Damn it, where were these thoughts coming from?
The thing still hung from my mouth. But it held no blood anymore. I spat it out and darted for the next thing that smelled like blood. I thrust it in my mouth.
'I don't hear anything…I wonder if the change is complete?'
These voices. I swear, I was going crazy.
Someone came up behind me. I didn't hear them I…well, I smelled them. I whirled to look at who it was, although I already knew. How I knew, I couldn't tell you. Almost as clear as if it were day, I could see Dr. Cullen standing there. He was just the same as the last time I'd seen him, that day now seeming a millennium ago.
'It's complete.' This thought definitely, without a doubt, came from Dr. Cullen. 'I pray I haven't just done something horrible.'
"Edward," Dr. Cullen said quietly, though I heard him loud and clear.
I suddenly became aware that I couldn't answer him with a mouthful of whatever it was in my mouth. Spitting it out, I said, "Hello, Dr. Cullen."
'Oh my lord, what is he doing? He's not… I should have expected that.'
"Edward, is that person dead?" Dr. Cullen asked.
I blinked. What did he mean?
'I certainly hope that person is dead. He's not moving, so he probably is.'
"Edward, is that person you're holding dead?" he repeated.
I looked down. Still and with a sickly paleness to him, I held in my hands an elderly man. I could tell that he had been infected with the influenza like I'd been. Along his cheekbone was a broad stream of blood coming from a crescent-shaped wound.
He looked dead. He looked very dead. But I was touching his bare skin and he was still warm to me.
I stared at the blood for a brief second before leaning down and sucking in more of the life-liquid.
Something eternally strong pulled me off of and away from my meal. I fought against it for more of the blood, but I was being held back by something too strong.
'I never considered this…what if he goes after people instead of animals?'
These thoughts were really annoying.
"Edward, stop it!" Dr. Cullen ordered. I paid him little heed.
'I have a feeling this was a mistake.'
I couldn't help but think that Dr. Cullen had something to do with the reason I was lusting for this person's blood.
I still craved the blood but I turned to the doctor. I suddenly had the feeling that it was extremely important to listen to him.
I turned to look at the thing of strength that had pulled me from the dead man.
Dr. Cullen surprised me again by being the one strong enough to have done it. "Edward," he said for the fifth time that evening, "Follow me. I can help you."
'I hope I can.'
That last thought sounded like it had to do with what the doctor had just said. Like his personal thought response. Meant for no one to hear.
"With what?" I spat back.
He seemed surprised by my snapping reaction.
'Perhaps changing him into a vampire really was a mistake…'
What??
"Come with me," he ordered again.
There was more to this than met the eye, and Dr. Cullen knew all about it. I followed.
I followed him into the chilled night, my body giving no heat to protect me from the cold.
'I hate this neighborhood.'
'That poor kitten.'
The random thoughts were back.
'I'll take him to the woods,' was what came from the doctor's thoughts. It certainly seemed like it had been him.
I followed him until we arrived at the outskirts of a forest. The whole way there, I suppressed my urge to run off to the distant smell of the blood and suck it from its rightful owner, and tried to ignore the stream of never-ending thoughts that bombarded me, making my head spin.
We reached the first tree that marked the outskirts of an endless forest.
'I don't want to confuse him, but maybe he'll believe me better if we run.'
"See if you can keep up with me," said Dr. Cullen. Without waiting for me to say anything, he turned and walked off into the woods.
