Chapter 7

Chapter 7. Unchanged.

I slipped out of the house and ran through the trees, I'd run through 90 years earlier when I was saying goodbye to Charlie. I was astounded to find my truck, still as trusty as ever still in the garage and everything was like before. I opened the door and found everything covered in dust, a thin smell of musk and Charlie hung limply in the air.

I wondered how long it had been since someone had been here as I walked upstairs to my room. It hadn't been touched. The clothes were still in the wardrobe, the bed was crumpled and unmade. The room pulled on my cold dead heart. Edward was in here once. The memories of my human life were unbearable unclear until they were about him. Those memories were perfectly clear, sharp, beautiful. Of his cold, hard arms and his angelically smooth voice. When I remembered him, I wondered why he even bothered with me in the first place. But I didn't visit those memories. It was simply too painful. My room disturbed me though.

It was like Charlie hadn't moved a thing. Hadn't touched it or rearranged anything at all. But he'd cleaned it. The floor wasn't covered in a thick layer of dust and except for the few tiny cobwebs in the corners of the room, everything was immaculately tidy. I laughed a little. A vampire complaining about the presence cobwebs. I could see the irony.

It amazed me that Charlie hadn't thrown my stuff out. I checked his room next. It was tidy and covered in dust; most of his stuff was gone, probably to the people in his will. The lounge room, the kitchen, everything was dusty and unused. It was painful to see my home deteriorate to this state. In the upstairs bathroom, there was a note on the mirror. It wasn't Charlie's or anyone I remembered for that matter but I opened it anyway.

Congratulations! You made it to stage three in the Swan Mystery Hunt.

If you're reading this then it is September 25th and the Hunt has begun. You have also broken into the haunted Swan House.

In this house, the young Miss Swan lived for two years until she disappeared. This bathroom was actually the one she used the night of her disappearance. Her father once said that in the room down the corridor, she appeared to him, as ghostly pale and beautiful as a nightmare. But she never appeared after that. At least not in this house.

Now follow the directions to the place she spent most of her time…the infamous White Mansion.

My vision was tinting red. How dare they! Come into my home and create a game out of my life like it was a fairytale! I fumed but managed to stick the note back on the mirror. It would be suspicious if someone took the note before this stupid, infuriating "hunt" was on. Like it was a game! I needed to get out of here.

I darted back out into the night, racing back to my coven. Internally I knew why the letter was so upsetting. People cared enough about me in Forks for them to make a big enough deal about my disappearance. That was why everyone remembered me. Why this stupid game was occurring. Why? I wondered. Why did anyone care? The answer was simple. I got it immediately after I asked the question. Charlie. I knew he wouldn't have just let me say goodbye. If I could've cried I would have. Charlie did not let go of me. He suffered.

Forks may have been constant, but sometimes it hurts to see that something hasn't moved on. I was panting when I finally got back and not from the run. Vampires don't pant from physical exercise. But it was a human response, the closest I had. Panic and anger and annoyance and regret were sinking into my veins. Why didn't he just let go?

Vee and Andrew were waiting for me. Vee hugged me tightly and Andrew encased us both while I dry sobbed. Charlie had left everything exactly the way I'd left it. I'd hoped he'd lived a carefree, happy life but it was apparent he hadn't. He'd clung to my goodbye for hope that I would be back. The only thing I could hope for now was that he hadn't blamed himself.

When I was finished, Vee looked me in the eye and gave me another hug. "Bella, I know you miss him. I never knew him and I miss him. But I think he would've tried to move on after your goodbye. I think Charlie was somewhat happy." She whispered through my hair. I nodded miserably and detached myself from them both. Chen, Jenna and Max were at the staircase, smiling sadly.

"Sorry guys. I just had to see it for myself. He left everything exactly where I left it. He moved on but I don't think he let me do the same." I said. Jenna smiled at me.

"Look on the bright side Bella! We're going to school tomorrow! It'll be something to take your mind off it." She said, acting more like a sixteen year old rather than the 36 year old she really was. I smiled back and nodded.

"Have you unpacked?" I asked, hoping to take myself out of the spotlight. I felt self-conscious when everyone was paying attention to me. Same old human insecurity.

They all nodded and I thought about what to do next. I looked Max and Andrew in the eye. They were darker than usual, probably because they'd missed the last hunting trip we did. They were both busy doing 'guy stuff'. Also known as playing a 96 hour video game marathon non-stop. Chen had thought it was hilarious, he was laughing the entire time. Max and Andrew were both too focused on the dumb game to figure out he was laughing at them not with them.

"We should go hunting before school tomorrow. I don't want you guys ripping heads off teachers, the temptation at that school is hard to resist even for humans." I teased and everyone was out the door before I could finish.