Chapter 6
Changes
We walked back through the woods towards school, Edward humming absentmindedly as he thought about what I had seen and me, too wound up to do anything more strenuous than keep up with him.
Something was still not right, there was an elusive piece of the puzzle missing and I couldn't figure it out. It was gnawing steadily away on my insides as we walked.
In the midst of all this, I felt weak. This weakness was what allowed another vision of future events to swirl menacingly around my brain, clouding the present and hinting at the future.
We told you child,
To make a careful choice,
Did you not care,
To heed our voice?
We come for you child,
Have you made the right choice?
"Edward!" I cried out in alarm. "I think I've made a mistake. They are still coming."
"Alice. Don't worry, calm down. I worked it out." He soothed, "Its change. Change is what is coming. It'll be alright I swear."
Well, that was fine then. Only everything was about to change. I wasn't the end of the world, for him.
I wasn't sure though. I wasn't sure whether becoming a vampire would change anything. But as things were, surely it would improve matters; at least they couldn't get any worse.
We had arrived back at the school; I had been so agitated that I hadn't noticed how far we had come.
As I walked quickly towards Felix's room Edward held me back.
"Are you sure about this Alice, you only get to be human once. There is no going back after this."
"Edward, I've made my choice. I will become one of you. It's too much of a risk to be human around here. There is no other way now."
"Well, if you're sure." He conceded.
I nodded and we entered the darkened room.
²
"Miss Brandon, Edward, I wasn't expecting to see you here. Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" Felix asked quietly.
"Mr Drake. I've made my choice. I'm ready." He frowned.
"Are you sure Alice? This is a very serious matter that is not to be taken light heartedly."
"I'm sure."
As sure as I ever would be.
"Well then, follow me."
He led us through a secret door concealed behind his book case, and down the corridor behind it. At the end we reached a room. It was decorated exactly like my dormitory, but with only one bed.
"This is where you will have to stay for the time it takes to complete the transformation. Hopefully this will make it a little more comfortable."
"How long will it take," I asked; my voice tightening as the fear spread through me. Edward took my hand and squeezed it reassuringly.
"It varies, but we'll check on you every day to make sure that everything is in order."
"Alice," Edward asked, "Are you sure this is what you want?? If you're having any doubts then say and we'll find another way around the problems."
"Edward, I'm sure." I wasn't about to give up now. I had to do this.
Felix came round so he was standing beside me.
"Alice, the transformation can sometimes be painful, so we're going to give you some morphine to ease that."
I nodded and felt a slight stinging as Edward injected the painkiller. The last thing I saw before my eyelids drooped was his anxious eyes looking into mine.
²
The pain was excruciating. It was overwhelming, consuming all other thoughts. The burning heat coursed through my veins as the venom spread through my body, making me inhuman.
As the heat died I was left with another uncomfortable feeling. My body was freezing over. My heartbeat was slowing, my breathing laboured. It was like being turned into living stone.
If Felix and Edward had visited I had no recollection of it happening. My mind was preoccupied by the pain.
²
Eventually the pain did subside. My body was cold as ice and yet a great fire raged through me. A desire, a need, and one that threatened to erase who I was in favour of who I had become.
Edward was there of course, I don't think that he had ever left me for a moment. As I looked at him his eyes filled with joy, and then another emotion; guilt.
He was feeling guilty because of what I had chosen to become. As he knelt next to me on the bed I wrapped my arms around him and clung to him.
For one thing had not been changed with my mortality, and that was the way I loved him. I may have only known him for little over a month, I had no idea how long I had been in the room, but he was still my personal angel, my idea of heaven on earth.
"Alice," he murmured, "Take a look in the mirror."
I did as I was told, and almost feinted from the shock of what I saw.
Before the transformation I had been rather plain. My average brown hair had hung round an average face.
What I had failed to remember was that all the vampires were abnormally beautiful; I hadn't even considered that it would also apply to me after the transformation was complete.
I breathed and tasted all the flavours of the air around me and something else as well. Something tangy, sweet, and yet salty at the same time. And I desired it more than anything in the world. Blood.
"Edward, could you please fetch some bags of blood for Alice please." Felix motioned to the corner where the irresistible aroma was coming from. I looked shocked and was momentarily distracted from my desire to feed. I didn't want to be a monster. I didn't want to drink human blood. So why? Jasper felt my emotions and was quick to comfort me.
"Don't worry Alice, its animal blood. We thought that you would be more comfortable with the idea of that."
I smiled gratefully and then turned my attention back to Edward and the bags of deliciousness that he was carrying.
