UPDATE! –Dances-

This chapter is in honor of my super duper snow day today! And thank you to the reviewers. You guys make me smile. I love yous!

Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer. But I want to be her when I grow up. (:


Chapter 4: The Snow Day

The Ghost;

I spent the day running through the woods. There was something about running that gave me a temporary ease. I loved the speed. It was nothing but exhilarating. Sometimes I run to think, and other times I do it to escape my thoughts.

Today I wanted to escape them.

No such luck.

By me not wanting to face the thoughts made me think even more. It made me think about how this is what I always do. I constantly run away from my thoughts. Of course this began to make me angry, and when I get angry I become thirsty. Just another reminder of the monster that I am.

I was a few hours away from Forks. I'm not sure what this city was called, and I honestly didn't care at all. I needed to feed. The streets were recently washed with the rain that fell this afternoon. The clouds in the sky were making a thick coverage from the sun, conveniently hiding my true exterior. It's a good thing. Otherwise, I'd be stopping traffic. I'm not the type that gets enjoyment out of a lot of attention.

I wandered the streets for a little while until I came to this bar and grill. Down the ally way there was a tall, red headed girl. She looked to be in her twenties, maybe early thirties. She was leaning against the damp brick of the side of the building, smoking a cigarette. She lifted the cigarette to her lipstick red lips and inhaled.

Hello, lunch.

Like a hunter stalking in on his pray, I suavely walked over to her. I didn't bother reading her mind. I didn't care the slightest bit anyway. She was going to be a meal. It didn't matter. She noticed my arrival, and then she noticed me. She stood up straight and patted down her white collared shirt, and smoothed out her long red waves trying to make herself more presentable. She took one last puff of her cigarette and dropped it on the cold ground before stomping on it with her black heeled boots.

"Can I help you with something?" Her tone was borderline flirtatious. She smiled seductively. Brainless girl. I wanted to roll my eyes. She would be a fun time to play around with, but lucky for her, this was going to be quick. I was in much too bad of a mood to be playing games.

I walked right passed her and walked over to a corner of the ally way, I knew no one would be able to see from there. I turned to her and addressed her by motioning with my index finger for her to follow me. Stupid girl listened. She was almost in a trance like state. Hasn't her mother ever told her not to follow strangers into dark ally ways?

Just like I planned, it was quick. It happened too fast for her to scream. She had no idea what was coming for her. I disposed of the body and began my run back to Forks. I was surprisingly eager to get back. I wanted to find out more about this girl that is now residing in my house. I need to know why her scent is so intoxicating. I need to know why her mind is a blank page filled with nothingness. I need to know why I give a damn in the first place.

I reached the house by the time night took over the day. I skillfully scaled the side of the house. I stopped just beneath my old window. I could hear voices talking. I focused in.

"Yeah, and look this house is perfect. Nothing bad is going to happen here. Goodnight, Bella."

"Night' mom."

Curiously, I looked through the mothers thoughts. Stupid old ghost stories. There is no such thing as ghosts. Just a load of bull shit they feed around this town. Pathetic.

Well, someone was annoyed.

No as annoyed as I was though. This mental mute was beginning to push some buttons that should never be pushed. I peered in through the window. She was just lying herself down onto her bed. She looked so innocent. Her brown curls cascaded over her face just a little bit. She pushed her hair back and turned to face the other way, so her back was to me.

I could smell her faintly through the window. This wasn't helping my self control in the slightest bit. I couldn't kill her now. No, it's too soon. Plus, I wanted to know what is going inside of that little head of hers. Never has there ever been a human that has captured my attention like this little brat has done with me.

I let go of the house and landed on the ground with a soft thud. From the sky above, little white snowflakes began to fall from the sky. I wasn't sure how long this would last. I didn't mind the snow, because the cold didn't bother me. The temperature of the flakes nearly matched the temperature of my skin. Sometimes I kind of enjoyed the snow. It brought back memories. Memories that I quickly ran away from once they came to mind.

I snuck into the basement, not wanting to sit outside in the snow, and searched the minds of the two habitants that I could actually read. They were both fast asleep and dreaming. Stupid humans. They don't know how lucky they were. They could sleep. They could have a break from reality. Not me. I'm forever damned to be awake.

The man was dreaming about some baseball game. Not very entertaining. The woman was dreaming about being at a park or something with her family, having a picnic. The sun was out, and it was overall just a pleasant atmosphere. I groaned and climbed out of the basement. The snow was beginning to stick to the ground. I looked up at the girl's window. I could hear light snores coming from her. Her heart was beating.

I turned away from the house and started to run.


The Girl;

There was an unexpected brightness seeping in through my windows when I woke up. I stretched and yawned before getting up to look outside my window. It was far brighter than expected. The ground was covered in a sheet of white fluff.

Snow.

Ew.

I have never seen snow before in person. Living in hot climates all my life kind of took that experience away. I have to admit it does look pretty. The trees had lines of white on top of their branches, and icicles hanging down.

It was sort of surreal how the white snow covered up all the greenness of the foliage in this damp, depressing town. It was like it got a makeover. And it was safe to say, it was for the better.

"Bella, you up honey?" My mom knocked twice before strolling into my room. I was still admiring the snow from the window. "Oh good, your up. I wanted to let you know that they cancelled school today. It stopped snowing, but there is rain coming around noon-ish, and they don't want to risk the students with the icy roads. You should go back to sleep."

I turned around. "Uhh, sure. Thanks mom." I turned to look out the window once more.

"Isn't it pretty?" She asked.

"Yeah…I'm just glad I can admire it from inside."

My mother chuckled and closed my door as she left my room. I walked back over to my bed, and fell back. It was too early for my brain to start functioning properly. I decided to take my mother's advice and fall back into my dreams.

-&-

I awakened again almost two hours later. I rubbed my eyes. There was still the brightness from the snow outside. I looked out the window again. The snow didn't look so fluffy anymore. It looked like there was a slick sheet of ice over it. I groaned. At least I didn't have to deal with it till tomorrow when I leave for school. My stomach began to embarrassingly rumble. I needed some nutrition. I pulled on a sweatshirt and headed downstairs.

"Mom? Dad?" I called.

No answer.

I was confused. However the confusion was subsided when I saw a note written in Renée's handwriting.

Bella, I didn't want to wake you up, Your dad's at work, and I'm out running some errands in Port Angeles. I'll be home later. Love, mom.

I placed the note back in it's place on the end table. At first I was a bit weary about having my mother driving in these weather conditions. But the jeep did have 4x4. I knew she'd be fine. She is an exceptionally safe driver.

I walked into the kitchen and began making preparations for pancakes. I mixed the batter together, and then poured it into the frying pan which sits atop the stove. I flipped it over, and waited for it to finish. I made myself a plate and turned on the TV. Nothing worth watching was on so I settled for Dora the Explorer. Finishing my pancakes, I washed the dishes and then walked into the living room.

The curtains were open and the brightness has dimmed down some. I saw the clouds were starting to make coverage over the sky. I looked down at the snow again. It looked so tempting. I had an internal argument of whether of not I go outside. My irrational side won.

I bundled up in my heaviest coat, boots, gloves, scarf, hat, and basically all the warmest clothes I could find. I opened the front door and there were icicles hanging above the porch. I quickly got past them. I've seen A Christmas Story. They could poke me eye out. It turns out the slickness of the snow wasn't ice. It was just the snow. It made a soft crunching sound when I stepped in a new spot.

I wandered around the yard, ignoring the coldness that the snow came with. Of course, with me being klutzy, I ended up tripping on a snow covered rock and ending up on my back. Then I got a childish urge. I flailed out my arms and legs and moved them back and forth. I sat up and looked down at what I had created.

My first snow angel.

I felt a few rain drops started to fall. It was just a little drizzle. I had to admit, I was having fun in the snow. I didn't want to go inside. Not yet, anyway. I ran, as carefully as I could, into the woods that were in the backyard of the house. The tall trees gave a drizzle free coverage from the rain.

This was the first time I've been in real woods. Hiking was never my specialty. I don't have the balance skills or the will to explore the wilderness. It was an odd transition. Green leaves and other plant life were barely visible under the white frozen rain. There was evidence of a small trail. I followed it, not intending to go too deep.

After about five minutes or so, the house was barely visible. I decided to stop there before I got myself lost. I found a log wedged in between two trees, making itself into a bench. I brushed the snow off and sat down on it, leaning against one tree.

Once I forgot about the cold, unexpectedly it was actually quite relaxing. I closed my eyes and focused on the sounds that the little birds were making no so far away. Those poor things must be freezing.

The winds started howling and a gust of snow that was being carried by the wind, hit me in the face. I got up from my spot and decided that that was my end point. I could surely use a cup of hot chocolate. After standing up, I brushed the snow off of myself and turned to the path that I took there. But something was different.

I wasn't alone.

About ten or so feet in front of me stood a boy. Although, he looked much older than a boy. He looked about my age, perhaps two or three years older. He had tousled red-ish brown hair. He wore average clothes, jeans and a long sleeved shirt. But that was it. No jacket, or hat, or even gloves. His lips were forced into a tight line on his flawless face. He was extremely pale, even paler than me. The snow wasn't a big contrast to him. It was almost the same color. He was very handsome. Tall, and muscular.

His eyes were the last thing I noticed. I wasn't sure if it was my imagination, but from where I was standing his eyes almost looked like a crimson red color. I didn't understand the look he had in his eyes. It was menacing almost, or like he was angry or something. Was he staring at me like that? What could I have done?

"Hello?" I said in a meek voice. His stature didn't change. As if I didn't say anything at all. I cocked my head to the side in confusion. I took one step towards him. He didn't move.

I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see if there were anymore people there. There was nothing behind me except the trees. I turned back to face the boy and much to my surprise, he wasn't there.

What just happened?

I looked all around to see traces of the boy. I walked over to where he was standing. There were two footprints what I was sure were his. But that was it. Just two footprints. It didn't make sense. I looked around once more before running inside. I locked the door behind me. I was utterly creeped out.

I took off all my outer layers and hung them up by the heater to dry. I came into the kitchen and turned the teapot on. I needed something hot to warm me up. Hot chocolate was the best candidate.

While the water was beginning to boil I saw a reflection of myself in the mirror across from the stove. My cheeks were red from the cold weather. Other than that I was my usual pale complexion. However, my expression was different. I looked like I had just seen a ghost.

Whoa.

A…ghost?

No. No. No, No, Ghosts don't exist. Right?

No, I won't believe it. I have never believed in the paranormal before and I won't believe in it now. But my thoughts traveled back to the footprints. There were only two, and then he just disappeared. How could a ghost make footprints in the first place?

The teapot whistled and I turned off the stove and fixed my cup of coca. I sat at the kitchen table trying to create a difference between reality and the impossible. Maybe I was just hallucinating. Maybe the coldness has gotten to my head. Maybe I just imagined everything.

I sure hope I did.

Afterwards, I went upstairs and turned on my laptop. I reread the websites I found last night. I even searched a couple new ones. They all said the same thing. I was hoping I would maybe find a picture of the original family. Just to make sure. But nothing.

That was until I found the Forks historical reference website,

I needed a year, and a family name. I went through my history and found the website that mentioned the last name of the family. Masen. I typed that in quickly. Now I needed a year. None of the websites specified which year the Masen's were murdered. I thought back to Mike's story. "In the early nineteen hundreds," I typed in '1900'. No results.

But this handy dandy website gave a related search.

Masen – 1918

I clicked it with scared anticipation.

There was a short article about their murder. I read it over, but it was all the same things that I have read before. But unlike the other sites, there was a picture. In the picture there was a man. He was tall with wealthy looking clothes on, for back then at least. He looked like a business corporation type, or a lawyer perhaps. Next to him stood a woman. She was smiling genuinely. She was absolutely beautiful. She had perfect ringlet curls that reached a little further than her shoulders. Her dress was exquisite.

And there was one more in the picture. And I guessed it was their son. I took a good look at his face, gasped, and then everything went black.


The Ghost;

She was there. She was there in the woods. I could have taken her right there, but I couldn't. She looked so naïve, innocent, confused and scared. Her blood was practically calling for me, but my feet wouldn't move. As if I didn't want to harm her. Damnit.

She was attractive. She had pale porcelain skin that was tinted red from the coldness. She had a tiny frame, and a heart shaped face. Her lips were plump and her eyes were the most delicious shade of chocolate brown I have ever seen. Her long hair stuck out of her hat in messy curls. I held my breath. I didn't want the thirst to ruin it.

"Hello?"

I didn't dare to move. I knew if I did, it would be to drain her till she was dry. She took a step towards me. Bad move, little girl. She turned her head around, and I took it as my opportunity. I jumped and grabbed a hold of the tree directly above me. I jumped from tree to tree until I couldn't smell her sweet scent anymore.

-&-

I traveled back to the house. I wasn't sure why. Like some gravitational pull was attracting me and forcing me there. Listened to where the heartbeats were throughout the house. There was only one. She was home alone. I listened in once more to find out where she was. She was in my room, or better worded, her room.

I climbed the side of the house sneakily and quietly as I heard the sound of a keyboard typing. I lifted myself so could see inside a little bit. Her expression was pure determination was a little hint of shock and fear. I couldn't only imagine was she was searching for on the computer.

She moved her face closer to the screen, then her eyes widened. She gasped, and then wobbled a little. Without any warning she fell backwards off the chair and onto the floor. Her heartbeat was steady. I supposed she only fainted. I lifted the window open, and I felt like I was hit with a bag of indestructible cinderblocks.

Her scent was stronger than ever, and it was everywhere. I don't know how I kept myself from the monster within, but I managed. I entered the room and stood above her unconscious body. I lifted her up off the floor with ease. She was extremely light. I placed her on her bed and covered her up with the blanket.

I took a few steps back, back to the computer. My curiosity got the better of me. On the screen there was a picture of me, my father and my mother. I looked at her sleeping frame with a glare. She shouldn't be snooping around like this. I closed the page, and deleted her history.

She began to shiver as the cold air was flowing in from the open window. I climbed out of the room and shut the window behind me.

It would be a huge help to be able to hear her thoughts. I kept telling myself that this mystery was the only thing keeping her alive. Why is it that she can block me out? She is just a silly little human. There is nothing special about her.

Or is there?


Ohhhhhh snap!

I wish Edward would haunt my house. I'm sure a lot of girls do too. Heh.

Review or you're a bee-otch.