Chapter Eight – The Lost

Seth

For some reason, I couldn't get that burning incense smell out of my nose, even though I had turned human again. If it could just disappear for all of ten minutes, my life would be partially normal again. Of course, there was no way to escape what had happened; along one complete wall of our small home hung posters of the deceased, sad music played quietly in the background and weeping people came to the door every two minutes.

Yes, everybody had heard the news, though everyone had heard different stories.

Billy and Mum wait next to the door, tired of continuously standing up – Mum anyway, Billy's arms are getting drained.

Old Quil slept on our couch, his face tear-stained. His grandson, young Quil, one of my best friends, was his pride and joy. No one had the heart to tell him to leave.

All day, people came, flowers arrived, more posters were put up, chocolates and cards to display. Nothing else to do but listen to the grief and watch the pain.

Leah's grief for Sam, Mum's grief for everyone else, Billy's grief for his missing son, my own grief for losing my vampire friends and my wolf family.

Of course, who'd have guessed that in our kitchen, perched around our tiny dining table, sat three distraught vampires? Carlisle, Tanya and Ben. All completely traumatized. Whenever I tried to help them, they would refuse.

"Stop trying." Snarled Tanya after I'd asked for the tenth time. I backed up, tears pricking at my eyes. It was a hard time for everybody, but I didn't expect to be snapped at just for helping.

"Tanya, don't." Carlisle murmured, taking her hands in his. She crumpled at his touch, her face falling to the table with a dull thud.

Ben turned to me, his face careful. His eyes looked red, even though it was impossible for him to cry. "She's sorry."

"The hell I am." She spat, but she didn't try to move. Her shoulders began shaking.

Defeated, I left my silent vampire friends and went back to the living room. I could hear Leah's sobs through the walls and occasionally Sam or Quil's names being cried out; she'd been having a really hard time.

"Yes. Thank you. We're all sorry." Mum said to someone else who had arrived. I heard Embry's Mum crying at the door.

"They were all so young! And most of the Cullens too!" She sniffed loudly. "Who knew that the plane would crash there? Omigod!" She sniffed again. "I'm so glad my Emmy wasn't over there. He told me he had been heading there. That's why he got there when… Omigod!"

Everyone was quiet while she spluttered over her story. This was different from the others. Most of Forks thought that the Cullens water had been poisoned. Collin's and Brady's families were spreading the rumor that rabid hippies had torn everyone up. That one made the most sense. All that burning incense.

"Yes, well…" Mum murmured, turning away slowly. I saw tears in her eyes again and jogged over to her quickly, wrapping my arms around her shoulders.

"It's alright Mum." I whispered.

"Thank you, Seth." She whispered back, shutting the door in Mrs. Call's face.