Short tid bit about the title: Soldier On (an excellent song by Oasis) is about getting through tough situations. I WAS going to have this as the title for another chapter...but I ended up deciding on this one. Enjoy!
Soldier On
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BPOV
I awoke looking out of a large window and the flat countryside. I watched as cows, spotted with large black spots, passed quickly by my window. Only a few trees were visible from where I was looking, perhaps more were on the other side of the railroad tracks?
I inconspicuously looked at the old man, Richard, who was in front of me. His head was tilted back, a loud roaring sound coming from his throat. He snored louder than anyone I had ever known. I grimaced at the sound.
From my vantage point, I could see nose hairs reaching out from the vile man's nostrils. I shuddered, convulsing the slightest bit. This earned me strange glances from other passengers in our car, which made me blush.
I looked back out of the window, thinking of Edward. I hoped he was having a pleasant time back in Chicago. I sighed, imagining what Edward was doing now.
Perhaps he was running errands for Elizabeth. He was possibly sitting in the backyard or in the park, playing with Topaz. I smiled to myself over the dog's silly antics. She was a bird dog who had yet to catch a bird, due to her clumsiness. Maybe he would be sitting at his piano, composing a lovely piece that he would share with me when I arrived home.
I sighed. Home. Edward's house, along with the people inside of it, had become my home, more than my own house ever was. I felt as though I belonged in the Masen house, as if I was a valued member of the family. I could officially say that I was a member of the family in a few months...
A woman in a navy blue dress that appeared to be a sort of uniform patted my shoulder, startling me out of my daydream. "Excuse me, Miss," she said softly. "May I have your ticket? You were asleep when I gathered everyone's tickets."
I nodded, smiling at the kind woman. Wouldn't it be my luck to lose my ticket and end up thrown out into the expanse of prairie land?
I handed the light blue piece of paper to the lady, who exposed a shiny, silver metal object. She pierced the paper with the object, cutting holes in appropriate places, before returning the paper to me.
I examined the paper, which stated the approximate arrival and departure times for this journey. I had left for Dallas at about 1 in the afternoon…
I searched for the arrival time, failing to find the number on first glance. I leaned into my pouch, which was propped next to me. I grabbed a pocket watch, which Charlie had left in our possession when he went to Dallas, deciphering the time.
It was nine at night, and the sun was declining in the prairie sky, which supported my analysis. I sighed, placing the watch back in the pouch, laying my elbows on the small table to support my head.
I began to count in my head. We departed at one, eight hours had passed, and I assumed we were far into our journey.
Another woman in the same navy blue dress approached my seat. "Excuse me, Miss. May I bring you some dinner?"
I nodded, grateful for the food that the railroad provided. My stomach grumbled as I nodded.
The woman smiled, revealing pearly teeth. "Wait just one moment, Miss."
I obliged, and returned my gaze out the window.
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Somehow, I managed to fall asleep, and was awoken by a loud munching sound. My head rested on my hand, which was propped up by both the window to my left and the armrest. I opened my left eye, which was slightly hidden by my palm.
Richard sat across from myself, eating a tray of food obnoxiously loud. My stomach growled loudly, startling myself. I searched the table for my food, looking around almost frantically.
I only saw the tray in front of dear old Richard. I growled lightly, annoyed that I had no food. "Excuse me, Richard," I began, slightly glaring at him, my tone containing a hint of hostility. "Did you happen to order your food?" I questioned, my stomach's growls only audible to myself over the noises of the train.
"Oh, not at all. Great service, this train," He smiled at me, before searching around the table. "I assume you already ate yours, yes?"
I grimaced. The man stole my food! That vile, obnoxious man was chewing my dinner!
"No, sir. I have not eaten yet." I spoke slowly, an edge of anger to my words.
Richard looked around the cabin. "Excuse me Miss!" He called for a uniformed woman, motioning for her to come to our area.
"May I help you?" The woman asked politely.
The old man nodded, still chewing a large piece of meat. "You certainly can. Isabella, tell the lady what you need." He spoke while chewing his food, in an extremely disgusting manner.
The woman looked my way, grimacing at the man's actions. "Yes?"
I looked down at the table, then back up at the woman. I noticed this was the same woman who offered me food. "May I have some food? I-"
The woman cut me off scowling. "Young lady, we are in war. We don't have enough food for each passenger to have as many helpings as they wish for. I think you can wait for food until we arrive in Dallas. Maybe you should sleep instead, because will be there in the morning. Good Heavens!" She stormed away, leaving my mouth wide open. This trip was getting worse by the minute.
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EPOV
I stood in the middle of the hospital's waiting room, receiving some forms for my mother. She was assisting her friend, whom I though she was more of an acquaintance to, recover over the loss of her husband. He had died of a sudden heart attack a few hours ago.
I was needed to get the forms of death and belongings of her deceased husband for my mother's friend, who was very distraught. She cried with my mother in our sitting room for the past few hours. No words were said, simply tears.
I was reminded of Bella, who helped our family greatly with her presence when my father passed on. I hoped her trip was okay so far. There was no way of telling whether Charlie would accompany her back to Chicago, even if it was only for a short visit.
I sat with my head supported by my hands, looking at the white tiles on the floor which were streaked with scuff marks. I could hear the coughs of the sick people, the cries of the loved ones. I loathed hospitals with all of my soul.
"Edward?" A voice called softly. I recognized the unusually musical tone to the voice, and lifted my head up.
"Carlisle?" I asked quietly, looking up at the mysterious doctor in front of me.
"What brings you to the hospital? I hope it isn't another sickness; your family has been through enough." He commented, sitting next to me. Concern was laced in every word.
I shook my head. "Luckily, no one in my family is sick."
Carlisle looked thoughtful. "Where is young Isabella?" He questioned lightly. "You two were inseparable the last time I saw you…"
I smiled at him, but then soon frowned, remembering the current location of Bella. "We still are. We are to be married in a few months. She isn't here, however, because she is headed to Dallas, in an attempt to bring her father back to Chicago for a short visit."
Carlisle nodded leaning forward slightly in his chair. "Well, let's hope she has a safe visit, then. Why are you at the hospital?" He asked in a caring manner. I could tell that he genuinely hoped that she would have a safe trip.
"My mothers friend, Ms. Wilson, lost her husband this afternoon. I was sent to retrieve the files of Joseph Wilson, along with his belongings." I stated, gazing at the kind doctor.
He pursed his lips, in a thoughtful manner, and then stood up. "Alright, Edward. Let's get the files. Follow me, please."
I obliged and followed the fluid steps of Carlisle. He turned into a small room, so I followed. Carlisle opened a file holder, flipping through the files very quickly.
He pulled out a large file, freeing it from its container. "Here you are," He said with a smile before he turned around, looking at a pile of bags.
He stood motionless for a few moments, searching for something. He was extremely still; I could have sworn I hadn't seen him take a breath for a minute or so. He reached into the pile, grabbing a large sack that was filled with clothing and such.
He handed the bag to me, smiling. "I believe that should be all, Edward. You should hurry home; it is getting quite dark."
I thanked the blonde doctor sincerely, and began to walk home.
When I arrived home, I handed the folder and bag to my mother, who thanked me with tears in her eyes, before returning back to the sitting room. I heard the muffled sobs of two women, and sighed before walking up to my room.
I threw off my street slacks, placing on some cotton pants and sat on my bed. I threw off my shirt, hearing it land somewhere behind me. AN: Shirtless Edward, anyone? :D
I exhaled noisily, looking around for something to entertain me. If Bella were here, I would be walking to her house, but she wasn't. So I didn't.
I rolled over so my back was against my mattress, my gaze focused on my ceiling. This week would not pass quickly at all; I could feel it.
AN: For some reason this next section would only let me type in Bold. I swear, sometimes I am convinced that my laptop is conspiring against me... *shifts eyes back and forth rapidly*
------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BPOV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I had fallen asleep once more, somehow able to sleep over the roar of my stomach. I peered out the window, opening my eyes slowly. I released a large yawn, stretching my arms over my head in a desperate attempt to relieve my joints of their current pains. We were still passing through the grassy, flat terrain that contained the occasional cow. I looked at Richard, who was sitting in his chair awkwardly. His hands hung over both armrests, and his head was tilted to the side. His mouth was agape, his snores very audible. The paper he held from yesterday was sprawled over his large stomach, making the pages travel upward, then downward with every breath. I groaned, placing my head on the table. A stewardess came by my seat, tapping me lightly on the shoulder. "Excuse me, Miss. We are arriving in Dallas shortly. Perhaps it would be best to wake up your, er, grandfather." She offered a kind smile, but it looked rather forced when she gazed at Richard. I honestly couldn't blame the woman. I muttered a thank you, and she turned away, heading to the next row of seats. I stared at the large man in front of me, unsure of how to awaken him. A fresh shiver traveled down my spine, as I recalled what the stewardess had called the man. My "grandfather." The very thought that I was related to this man sickened me to my very core. I decided to simply avoid Richard. Perhaps another passenger would summon the courage to wake Richard up. I directed my gaze back to the window. Trees were present now; much more dotted the landscape here than in the previous areas. I could see the plots of land becoming smaller in size, closer together. We were arriving towards the heart of the city. Several minutes later, I could see houses bunched together like in Chicago. Clouds shielded the city from the harsh summer sun of Texas, a fact I was grateful for at the moment. When we opened the doors to arrive in the open air, I would know if I should be glad, or upset, for sure. Either the clouds could signal a storm, meaning the weather could be cooler, or the clouds could provide a great amount of humidity that would be hotter than having no clouds to shield the sun. As I thought about the weather, I noticed our train was approaching a decent sized station. I placed my hand over my chest, making sure my necklace was still in place. When I felt the small bump that indicated the presence of my ring, I breathed a sigh of relief. I placed all of my belongings in my pouch, placing it around my shoulder, making sure I was absolutely ready to leave this train. My trunk sat next to me, so I was prepared to leave Richard the minute the train stopped. My stomach growled loudly, and I cursed Richard silently. I would definitely have to get some food before I attempted to find Charlie. The train began to slow, and I leaned forward in anticipation. When the train stopped completely, I shot out of my seat, pulling my trunk behind me, leaving the train. I became a single person in an immense crowd of people, all desperate to get far away from the train. I stood still momentarily, searching for any place where it seemed that I could purchase food from. I sighed, unable to find anything, and began to walk away from the crowd. The clouds above me created a nice, cool atmosphere, something I was very grateful for, until a bright light flashed, illuminating the entire sky. I grumbled a curse, moving faster away from the crowd. I looked in all directions around me, continuing to try to find a place to purchase food to placate my ravenous stomach. I still couldn't find anything. Buildings lined the streets, advertising everything from furniture to novelties, but I couldn't find a restaurant, or anything of the sort. The lightning flashed once more, rain beginning to drizzle around me. I clutched onto my hat with my free hand, my other hand pulling my bulky trunk. I continued my frantic search for any place where food could be found. I searched behind me, noticing that the crowd of people at the station had traveled in the opposite direction from myself. I considered turning around to follow the crowd of people, until I noticed a woman standing to the side of the street. Perhaps she would be able to assist me. I trudged along towards the woman, the rain beginning to fall faster, more violently. "Excuse me, Miss," I began, my voice barely audible over the rain. "Can you point me in the direction of where I could find some food?" The woman turned around, smiling a kind smile. Her face was hidden from an extravagant hat; perhaps such hats were in fashion in the south, I though idly. "Of course I can. There is a fine restaurant a few blocks away. Let me walk you there; we wouldn't want you getting lost and catching a cold." The musical quality to her voice sounded strangely familiar, though the woman's kind words brought a smile to my face. She could offer me a much-needed meal. "Thank you so much!" I practically sang joyfully. The woman nodded, and began to walk swiftly down the street. I struggled to keep up with her fast pace. The woman turned to the right, down a dark street that no one was walking on. I shuddered a little, but continued, eager to eat something for the first time in several hours. The woman abruptly turned around about halfway through the block, grinning at me deviously. She disappeared from my sight, pain hitting my lower leg, which forced me to collapse on the damp street, rain hitting my face as I lay on my back. I cried out in pain; my leg felt as though it was on fire! But no one was near, except for the woman, who appeared back in my vision grinning at me. I gazed into two large, red eyes, before everything turned black. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EPOV ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My mother was out for the day, getting my birthday planned with her friends. I threw on some slacks and a white shirt, placing shoes on my feet. I decided to visit Harold, a friend of mine from school, whom I hadn't seen in a few weeks or so. I walked into the sun, turning to the left as I made the familiar route to Harold's house. With my hands in my pockets, I looked out at the houses, gazing at the happy families. The mothers sat on the porches, cradling their children close. Young boys played ball in the lawns, smiling and laughing. The young girls attempted to play as well, but their mothers would scold them, forcing them to remain on the porch. Very few fathers were present. Probably from the demand for soldiers for the Great War, but perhaps others had died in the sudden arrival of the Spanish Influenza. I shuddered, hoping that the disease would not return to the city; we had suffered enough loss. I traveled a few more blocks until I reached the large, brick house where Harold and his family lived. The Brown's were a larger family, with a mother, a father, three sons and two daughters. I remember wishing for siblings whenever I visited Harold… Harold's father and two elder brothers were across the Atlantic, fighting for their country. A duty I had once wished to fulfill, but that was before my life gained more meaning, before I met Bella. Harold's mother was sitting on the porch, knitting something that resembled a small sweater. I strolled up to the Brown's porch, walking up the few steps necessary to reach the door. "Hello, Mrs. Brown," I greeted amiably. She smiled up at me, her blue eyes beginning to pop against her graying hair. "Why, Edward! We haven't seen you here in a while! Go right on in, Harold should be inside." I nodded, entering the house. I began my search in the living room, but found no trace of my friend. His two sisters, Emily and Laurel, who were 19 and 16 respectively, sat on the couches reading books. They looked up from their novels, hearing my footsteps. They both smiled, placing their books on the table, and standing up to greet me. I constantly dreaded this portion of my visits to Harold's house. "Edward, how nice to see you," Emily sang softly, in an attempt to sound alluring. I rolled my eyes internally. "Yes, pleasant seeing you as well. Can you direct me to Harold?" I questioned, hoping I wouldn't be trapped with these two girls who had sought my affections ever since I had reached puberty. Laurel twisted her blond hair, which ran in the family, around her finger, gazing up into my eyes. "I don't know where he is, Edward. Do you, Emily?" Emily, who was arranging her hair into a failed attempt at a more appealing style, sighed. "No, Laurel. I don't." I groaned. This reminded me why I disliked blondes. Bella, my brown haired angel, would always be the only girl for me. "That's alright. Thank you both," I said swiftly to rid myself of their presence. I walked up the wooden staircase, heading for Harold's bedroom. I knocked on his closed door twice, waiting for an answer. The door cracked open, revealing one dark blue eye, before opening completely. "Edward! Haven't seen you in ages!" Harold joked, letting me into his room. I smiled at my friend, whose head contained the genetic blonde hair and blue eyes of the Brown family. "Do you want to play ball or something of the sort?" I questioned, eager to do something active. Harold laughed a deep, booming laugh. "What, is Isabella gone or something?" I blushed, "Is it that obvious?" Harold snickered. "Of course it is. Though, if I had someone like Isabella in my life, it is understandable to act the way you act." He hit my shoulder playfully. "So, do you want to play ball, or what?" I asked. Harold looked thoughtful. "Sure, Masen. We could always play with the younger kids on this block, and show 'em whose boss." I snickered at his statement. Harold was an awful player at baseball. The children always suggested we split up, Harold on one team and myself on the other, to make it fair. However, Harold was often one of the worst players of the group. Harold disappeared into his closet, throwing a glove at my chest. He then came back into the room, a glove on his own hand. I smiled and walked down the stairs, ignoring the shrill sounds of his sisters. When we arrived outside, Harold ran a quick lap around the neighborhood, whistling at the boys, and gesturing for them to join our game, which they gladly agreed to. When Harold returned to where I stood, he panted loudly. "Okay…we need…to get…the teams…set up…Can you…do that…Masen?" I stifled a laugh at Harold's lack of stamina. "Alright, line up, gents!" I roared, imitating a general as I looked over each of the players. "I will give you a number, either 1 or 2. If you are a two, come with me," I stated, loud enough so that they boys could hear me. They ranged in age from the short 10 year olds to the tall, lanky 15 year olds. I numbered off the boys, alternating the numbers. I looked over my final team of six boys, including myself. I smiled at the players. "Let's win this." They laughed and headed onto our imaginary field, composed of a tree for first base, a tire swing for second, and a car for third. The streetlight where I stood was home plate. I ran out to the middle of the area, acting as the pitcher. Harold stood at the streetlight while holding a wooden bat. I examined the baseball in my hands, tossing in gently in my right hand. I shifted my body, and then threw the ball as hard as I could muster. The ball sailed in a strait line, directly at Harold's bat. He swung, and missed completely. I grinned and handed the baseball to a young boy who stood in the outfield. "Do you want to be pitcher?" I questioned, standing in the boy's spot. He grinned and nodded violently, running to the imaginary pitcher's mound. This time, when the ball sailed towards Harold, he struck the ball with the bat, making the ball soar through the air. I began to run as fast as my legs could take me, attempting to catch the ball. When the ball descended, a large distance from the home plate, I had caught the ball, and threw it back to the pitcher. The game continued like that, myself continuing to act as an outfielder due to my quick speed. Only our team had managed to gain a few runs before the sun was lowering in the sky. I sighed and whistled to the group of boys, gaining their attention. "We better call this a game. It's getting late." The boys mumbled their agreement, Harold walking up to me. "See ya later, Ed." He hit my shoulder playfully as I grimaced at his nickname for me. "Bye, Harry," I retorted, leaving my friend frowning in the middle of the street. I could faintly hear his cries of "My name's not Harry! It's Harold!" as I ran back to my house, smiling the entire way. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AN: Oh no! What will become of Bella?
Oh, Bella's trip is actually modeled after flights I have had. The man sitting next to me took my food :O and I have had difficult flight attendants :O
And, everyone can relate to the gross old man who attempts to make a conversation, and is obnoxious and pushy. He makes non-violent people (like myself) end up wanting to kill him, when he continues doing what he...does.
ALSO! The Carlisle and Edward bond! I was smiling the entire time. I LOVE DEVELOPING CHARACTER RELATIONSHIPS!
And, of course, the fan girl action for young Eddie. And his awkward friend Harold...Everyone needs a Harold.
Thank you for reading, my lovely readers. Please let me know what you think.