Liquid darkness surrounds me, drowning all light but the glimpse on the horizon. In that light is Edythe, her back towards me as she slowly walks away. I run, calling out to her, going as fast as my legs can carry me. But no progress is made, the sludge of the world engulfing my limbs until I can't even move. And she hasn't acknowledged me, hasn't looked back, hasn't given a simple head tilt. It's like I'm not here. Or like I'm... I'm fading away. I fall back, and she's looking down at me with her black, void eyes. Her sharpened, starving features that scream of her feral nature.
I can see my hand slowly wrinkle, shriveling to bone... and then to dust. I fail. I can't reach her. My body becomes too weak for me to even breathe... hands all over me, around my neck, holding my unseen wrists behind me. Pain burns through my skin, on my arms and on my shoulder. I feel the puncture of teeth, fangs burying into my flesh and bone. And then a shock of lightning straight through my veins. It burns. I can't move, I can't breathe.
And from above, my light, my only sign of life. Edythe reaches for me, too far to grasp even my clothing. I scream voiceless, tears streaming from my eyes. Her face, stone-like and emitting a cold radiance, moves slightly with her lips.
"... stay with me, love..."
For the entire school day, Taylor Crowley follows me. She apologizes with every breath, pleads with her eyes, wanting some way to make yesterday up to me. Doesn't she get it? Accidents happen, and no one was killed. There is literally nothing she needs to do. Still, no matter how many times I repeat myself, she insists. I consider for a brief second having her do my homework, but that would just be cruel.
Come lunch, she's finally torn herself off my side and retreats to her table. And returns to take a spot at the far end of mine. Wonderful.
"I can't believe you came today, Beau," Jesse says with a cheeky grin. "If a van nearly killed me, I'd still be in bed, or at the mall, or just doing nothing. Not like Doc Cullen didn't give you a note to use."
"Dude, all I got was a bump to the head. I'm fine. If it hadn't been for Edythe, I'd probably be dead right now." From the corner of my eye, a blur of white and blue comes into focus.
"Uh, what do you mean?" Jesse practically laughs. "She probably ran over with the rest of us."
"Actually — "
"Beau's right, Jess," Taylor pulls his attention away from me, finishing her bite with one finger raised. "I saw her, she was beside Beau before I made impact with... with something. I didn't see what, but I know she was there with him."
The table goes silent. Heads slowly turn to me. Wait, no... beside me?
"Beau..." Edythe gently taps my shoulder and I glance up. She looks exhausted, and guilty, and her irises aren't the bright, fiery red from yesterday. They're rusty. Her fingers drum along the bottom of the tray. "May I... sit with you today? My nephew is uh," she turns to her table, to the strangely pink-haired Roland — who is looking pissed off, "moody, and unlike the others, I can only take so much of it."
"Only if that's cool with everyone else." She looks at the others at the table, eyes flicking over them one at a time, her face shifting from hard to soft by the time she looks back at me. We lock eyes, and for a brief second my skull buzzes. I flinch and it stops, her eyes looking right over my head.
No one says she can sit, but she does anyway, with her single bagel and black water bottle. The rest of the table slowly adjusts to their usual conversations. I go back to my food, pretending not to feel the cold air from my neighbor. I lean forward a bit, checking to see if the other person feels it too – but she's at the very end of the table. No one else is close enough to touch her aura.
She doesn't jump in at any point, just eats her bagel slowly. Occasionally, her eyes flick around to examine everyone. Everyone but me. But every time they get within an inch of me, the buzzing — light, to my relief — returns. I can't tell what the cause of it is, but I definitely know the origin at this point. Must be something unique to what she is. I glance over at the other Cullens. Can they do that too?
Tired of the tension, I turn toward Edythe and clear my throat. "So, what do you play?"
"Hmm?" She chirps, hand stopping half-way to pushing an earbud into its home.
"I saw you composing, so I can only assume you're also a musician. I play bass, both guitar and upright. What about you?"
"O-oh! I play a few different instruments, but my favorite is the piano. My father taught me." Edythe smiles fondly, tucking the earbud inside her curls before handing me the other one. "If you want, you can hear what I was working on. I've got all but the second harmony recorded." I take the wireless contraption and tuck my hair behind my ear, slipping it in. I scoot closer to her, my eyes following her fingers as she scrolls through a list of recordings titled "Work in Progress Number," until she hits the one with four digits beside it.
Subtle as a freight train.
Strong, invigorating music shakes me to the core. Violin and piano waltz beautifully, building in my heart and flowing through my arms, sparking like lightning between my fingers. My breathing catches in my throat as colors form in my mind with every note and run. I barely feel Edythe's icy fingers take the earbud from me. She bites her lip.
"Was that... did you like it?"
"That was amazing..." I let out a choked laugh and look at the others. Everyone is looking at me like us with scandalized eyes, but at this moment I don't care. "She's extraordinary! You have to let me hear the finished piece," I face Edythe, no doubt having the dumbest grin on my face. She blinks slowly, her brows furrowed together. After a second, Edythe smiles, softly thanks me, and returns to composing an additional part to her song. I take out my sketchbook and draw the forms that came from her music, vowing to color it at home – maybe watercolor? Or pastels! That would look beautiful.
It becomes routine after a while. Edythe meets us at our table at lunch, sits at the end by me, and writes her music. Sometimes she takes part in conversation, but not verbally. She'll nod, snort, and make expressions that convey speech better than speaking. Everyone warms up to her, even Jesse. It was touch-and-go for a while. By March, pretty well everyone was comfortable with her presence.
And all the while, I observe. Every day her eyes would darken, and her cheeks become more sickly. Only for her to return on Monday with flushed skin and brilliantly red eyes. Her family keeps too far away for me to see if they were experiencing the same changes, but now that I know her sister has the same eyes and skin, it's only safe to assume they're all this way. I've grown used to her, started looking forward to seeing her more than anything. Still, I can't shake the feeling that any day she could pull me into a dark room and...
"Beau! Did you hear a word I said?"
I blink and look around, getting a grasp on my surroundings. Jesse lets out a cute little sound and pouts, doing a combination of tapping his foot and crossing his arms for emphasis. I must have zoned out. Again.
"S-sorry, Jess. Care to repeat?" He sighs and stops, leading me to the side of the hallway so the others headed to their classes don't have to avoid us.
"I said, has anyone asked you to the Sadie Hawkins dance? It's in exactly two weeks." I raise my brow.
"You guys have dances on a Tuesday night?"
"What? Oh, you asshole! It's that Saturday. I didn't expect you to take it so literally." Jesse rubs his arm, eyes on the floor. "I was hoping to go with Michelle, but I overheard a couple girls saying she was gonna ask you."
"Michelle? Why would she? Honestly, I probably won't even go."
"Really? Why not?"
"You've seen me, I've got two left feet and no hand-eye coordination."
"Yeah, that's true." He bounces excitedly, his curls bouncing vigorously. He has to take some time to straighten himself before we continue down the hallway. "Would it be completely rude of me to like... suggest to Michelle that we go together?"
"I mean, it's a girl's choice dance, and you're a boy."
"Well, no shit, Sherlock. I wasn't gonna ask her outright, just you know, tell her I'd like to go with her. Just open the door a bit. A crack."
"Honestly, if you like her so much, then maybe you should let her know the option is there. Better than not doing it and watching her ask some random dude, or worse – me." I fake a disgusted shiver, and he snorts out a laugh.
"Yeah, then we'd all be feeling miserable and awkward. Thanks, Beau."
There's a small absence of him between the end of Trig and the start of lunch. Edythe is already at the table, but this time with just her drinking bottle, no food. I gather a salad and some tots and sit beside her, noting the lack of Jesse and Michelle at the table. The conversation goes pretty well like normal until Michelle shows up.
She's smiling, but it's forced, never touching her eyes like it should. And in her eyes, I see annoyance. Jesse doesn't show until after lunch, and by the red under his eyes and the trace of reapplied make-up - not my business - his conversation with Michelle didn't go well. I swallow hard, wanting to ask him if he's okay, but not knowing how.
Should I hug him? Maybe ask him over? And what did she say that made him cry so hard? By the time I have even a clue of what to say, I'm in the shower at home, hair sudsy and bashing my forehead against the tile until it cracks.
I search for him all Wednesday, asking Erica and Angel, ignoring Michelle as much as possible. Then lunch comes, and I realize Jesse isn't coming to school. My stomach immediately sinks, fear races through, sending panicked and unorganized thoughts through my head. I race to my truck, earning two bruises on my face thanks to a pothole.
My hand touches the Thing's handle, and a honk makes me scream.
"Beau, get in!" Edythe leans over and opens the door, patting the old leather seat. Either she got permission to leave too, or she just doesn't care. I slip in the passenger's side and buckle up. "You know where he lives, right?"
"Uh, yeah, just two blocks down from me."
"Can I get specifics? House number maybe?" I pull up his contact on my phone and show her the screen. "That's perfect. Now, hold on." I don't feel it, but looking out the window I can see just how fast she's driving. My heart races.
"Edythe, slow down!"
"Can't. We're gonna hydroplane all the way to Jesse's."
"Yeah, speaking of, how did you know what I was up to?" I squint at her, expecting some stuttering and an obvious excuse.
"Michelle. Every time I get near her, she's whining about Jesse making such an enormous deal about this dance. There's enough annoyance in her mind to piss anyone off."
"Her mind, you say?"
"... shit, forget I said that!"
"Already engraved in my memory banks."
Her glare distracts me from the speed we're traveling at, and when I look out the window, I'm shocked to see the front of Jesse's house, THE STANLEYS in massive letters on the mailbox. I expect her to stay in the car, but she follows close behind, tentatively knocking on the door for me.
Jesse opens it, his face blotchy, and a little swollen. I almost don't recognize her. Without any makeup, his face is acne-ridden, and his hair is a tangled mess held back by a headband. Even messy, he's adorable to see. He opens his mouth to speak when he realizes just who we are.
"B-Bea... Edy... what are you two doing here?"
"We wanted to check on you." I look over at Edythe, who is nodding her head. "What happened?"
"Oh, Michelle turned me down... said she'd rather go alone than even consider taking me. No big deal, I mean, it's not like it's prom or anything. And there are plenty of other girls in Forks, right?"
"Yeah, right," Edythe agrees and clears her throat. "And between you and me and the Jolly Green Giant—" She pats my shoulder, earning an elbow to the rather hard gut "—you could do way better than Michelle Newton. I know a few... people who would give their left arms just to talk to you." His eyes widen, and Edythe takes it as a 'yes, please'. " I'll tell them to call you, or to meet you at lunch. They're close to my niece, Jas, so you know they're trustworthy."
"Y-yeah, you're right..." Jesse opens the door fully and sniffles. "I'll be back to school tomorrow, I just... I need some time."
"You must really like her..." I reach out and offer a hug. He declines, but doesn't deny. "Jess, I'm so sorry. But don't let her get you down. You're smart, funny, and sweet. Anyone would be lucky to go to the dance with you." We spend the next little while on the porch swing, just talking about whatever comes to mind. He even listens to Edythe's song in progress.
There is a beep, and Edythe pulls her phone out. Then lets out a high squeak of panic.
"That was my sister... not only are we late for Bio, but she's in the office with Chief Swan, and we may or may not have detention." She stands and grabs my wrist. So tightly it causes pain, and I gasp.
"Oh no! H-here, I'll come with. Maybe having me there will help get you out of trouble. I'm so sorry. Just give me a couple minutes."
Jesse takes over the explanation when we get there, the principal and a pair of exhausted women listening and nodding with flat expressions. I know Charlie is going to be mad; she hates being dragged from work. But when I look at her, I see a bit of pride in her eyes. Then I look at Dr. Cullen.
I swear, she's got something red leaking down from the corner of her mouth. My hands shake as a familiar iron scent hits my nose. It's faint, but it's there. Only further compounding everything I think of them. At this point, I should keep a sharp eye out for bats. I look away until we're dismissed.
I go straight to P.E., being told by Clapp to sit out since the period is nearly over. I play on my phone, letting out a sigh of relief when Charlie texts me with a bunch of smiles and a thumbs up. Of course she understands, she's the best mom in the world. I sit back and watch the team Michelle's on get completely creamed.
Serves the queen bitch right.
There's someone leaning on my truck when I get to it. It's Taylor Crowley, with her hands in her pockets and a soft smile on his face. I stop a couple feet from the driver's door and tilt my head.
"Taylor, hey. What's up?"
"Oh, not much, I just uh... small question. Are you going to the dance in a couple weeks?"
Oh God, don't tell me...
"I was actually going to Jacksonville that weekend. My dad and I made plans to catch up and like... do dude things together. You know, like dads and sons do. Sorry about that. I hear the new Senior, Laurence Mallory, is single, though." I duck down a bit, knowing I way over explained that. At least looking at her face tells me she believes my huge lie, even waving politely when she goes to her rental car.
"Well, she's got her hopes up." I don't even have to turn to know who it is.
"Seems like it. I hate to be the ass who keeps denying hers, but it's not like she owes me or I owe her. But you still owe me," I glance over my shoulder and wink. "And the longer you go, the more I press." I open the toolbox under the rear window, tossing my backpack in.
"You don't give up, do you?" Edythe huffs, her voice barely over a breath.
"I'm as stubborn as my mother. But don't worry," I turn and give her a gigantic smile, "I already know what you are. It's up to you to read my mind." She blanches, if that's even possible, and stares at me. Looking for signs that I'm lying. "Maybe if you actually talk to me about it, I'll let you know what my ultimate answer is."
"I can't wait... see you tomorrow, Beau." She pulls her hood up and turns toward her silver car right as the sun comes out. Everyone around us basks. I hop in The Thing.
I do my homework at the kitchen table while Charlie makes dinner. I can smell meat, which makes my stomach churn, but knowing her there will be something special for me. I can't focus on my worksheet, though. Too annoyed. Everything is rushing through my skull at 200 miles an hour.
I feel like I'm digging my own grave by toying with Edythe Cullen and her family.
There is a sharp pain in my forehead, and I look up. Charlie is holding two plates, and, with a smug grin, she sets a veggie enchilada by my textbook. I put my homework aside and pull my hair into an elastic. Heh, I guess I completely zoned. I take a long drink of water and start eating.
"You gonna tell me what's on your mind, or do I have to make phone calls?"
"Ma, it's nothing."
"Don't you 'it's nothing' me, Beaumont Geoffrey." She wags a finger in my direction, her face severe. "I was a detective before they made me chief, I know when people have something on their mind. Is it the Cullen girl again?"
"Well... yes and no. It isn't like she's done anything bad, or anyone's said anything. We're even hanging out at school!"
"That's wonderful! No wonder Clarice's been so happy lately. She never thought the kid would find her clique. So, if it's nothing bad, then what is it?"
"Well..." I scratch the back of my neck. She's my mom, and she been here longer than me. I can see two possibilities. Either she'll pat my head and laugh, or she'll sign me up for a therapist. Honestly, I think I want the latter. "Remember when I said the other students talk about how weird the Cullen family is? I'm thinking they're right, but not for whatever reason they thought."
Charlie stops mid-bite to squint at me. "What do you mean, Bo boy?"
"I uh... Edythe's skin is super cold, and her eyes do weird color changes... I don't think she's human. Or her sister. Maybe even the whole family? I-I dunno. She just seems too... too good to be true." I swallow hard, waiting for Charlie's reaction. After a minute, I look up. She is leaning on her hands, deep in thought. She takes in a deep breath and sighs.
"I have logical explanations for everything but that last observation. She's nearly blind and wears contacts. They can change eye color, or even how light affects irises. As for the hands, Clarice said it's some kind of circulatory issue." She takes some bites of her chicken and continues. "But I am proud of you for accepting her into your weird little friend group, but if you think she's that amazing, I think you've got more than friendship on the brain." My cheeks fire up.
"I-I mean... well, she... but I... may-maybe. Maybe..." We eat in silence after that. I don't believe a single thing she said. She wasn't defensive or short, but everything sounded so rehearsed. Like she had readied herself for me to ask about Edythe. The idea of my mom trying to trick me like that is just salt in a fresh surface cut. But I won't back down. After I finish eating, I clean my dishes and take my homework to my bedroom — giving Charlie a kiss on the forehead before leaving.
I fall asleep at my desk, homework incomplete, and wake to the sound of screaming. I shoot straight up, the air around me rank with the stench of decay and blood. I'm not awake. I'm in a dream. I glance over at the bed beside me and fall back, landing on a hard tile floor.
"This is a nightmare..."
"Is she going to make it? My daughter, Dr. Cullen?"
"I can't say for sure, Mr. Masen. Only time will tell." That voice... that accent. "You just rest. You have your own health to look out for now. Next patient..." I look up, stunned at the sight of Clarice Cullen, long hair pulled back, tapping a clipboard with a fountain pen. "... Edythe."
I'm dragging myself through school the next day. After that strange dream, I couldn't make myself go to sleep, no matter what I did. I showered, I drank tea, I meditated, I drew, I blasted music. Nothing helped. Erica has to shake me awake after English class, along with Mrs. Jameson and a fresh "Lunch Detention" slip. God, I've never had detention before... Charlie is going to be so pissed.
I spend the rest of the morning in a daze. Every time my head droops, I stab my hand with a pencil just to get the rush that keeps me awake. When lunch comes around, I have the pleasure of explaining to Jesse that I won't be eating with them today.
"You, in detention? Aww, but you're a goodie two-shoes!" He laughs in a teasing tone, playfully punching my shoulder. "How did that happen?" I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose as I explain that I keep dozing off today. That makes him raise a brow. "I do that, but I've never gotten in trouble."
"Did you do it during the lecture?"
"Well, no, but..."
"Shush! That's why. I'll see you later." We part ways with a wave, a Freshman teacher leading me to the detention room. He directs me to one of the many tables, only a couple occupied, saying she'll call us in to get lunch later. We're not to sleep, but we can read or do work. I don't have any work. I'm fighting against my own eyelids at this point.
When he leaves, I sit in the farthest corner and stare out the window. The other kids are chatting, but they're all younger than me, and are a bit of a clique. Which is fine, I'm not interested in widening my friend circle. Especially when I'm already so attached to the ones I just got.
The teacher calls us to go get our trays, and the Freshmen vanish in a flash. But not me, I wave him off and he leaves without a word. Nope, too tired to be hungry. I stare out the window, at the gray sky and the blue-tinted grass. Everything looks so dead out there, even without the rain. Hell, a little rain would make things a little interesting. I chew my pen, waiting for the others to return. Shouldn't take them too long, right?
I look at the clock on the wall after a couple minutes. Half of it is missing, and the plastic looks corroded. I circle the room with my eyes, noting strange changes. Some lights are out or blinking. All the desks are falling apart, the chalkboard is missing huge chunks ... and here I thought I'd seen it all.
A woman walks in, her face hidden by a dingy blue hood. She picks up the chalk, points it at me, and starts writing. When she's done, she bows and leaves. I face the board, completely confused. It reads "The Hunter is coming".
"... hunter?"
"Hey, you okay?" One of the Freshman boys pokes my cheek. I look at him, his eyes wide. "You kinda passed out there. Didn't you get some food?"
"I'm not hungry. But thanks. I'll be fine."
I'm a little more awake when I walk to my truck, but still completely confused by what I saw in the detention room. Was it a daydream, or did I legitimately fall asleep? Both make sense, but Christ, I haven't seen shit like that since Rene and Phillipa got in a car crash. I can't think... I lean against the driver's door of The Thing for a minute, face in my hands, gathering my composure.
A cold hand at my shoulder makes me jump. I don't even have to look at them to know who it is.
"Beau, are you okay?" Edythe asks, her hand trembling against me. "You were kinda ... zombified in Bio class. And I heard you got pelted in gym. Are you sick?" She takes a step back, hands deep in her pockets.
"Just tired is all. I didn't sleep well last night."
"Oh... well, if it's any consolation, I didn't either." She chuckles, pulling a laugh out of me. The joke was meant for her alone, but I'm in on it. Though the fact that she's out during the daytime is still remarkable to me. "I can talk to Clarice for you, if you want. You do seem pretty sleep deprived." Ironic that she's worried about my well being when she looks like she hasn't had a full meal in years.
I lay my cards down.
"Hey, how do you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Appear out of nowhere. I was the only one here just a blink ago."
"It isn't my fault you're the least observant person in Forks, Beau," she says with conviction, arms crossed. "People don't just appear, you know."
"Oh, yeah?" I narrow my eyes slightly, returning her smug grin. "Least observant person in Forks, eh? So how come no one else notices your eyes change color?"
"It's the lights, Bea -"
"I'm also the only person who noticed the dents on the car that just so happen to be the same width as your shoulders. There's also a hand-shaped dent on Taylor's van. Betcha it'd match your hand if you lined them up."
"..." Edythe sighs, rubbing the back of her neck. " You're too observant, Beau. I can't stop you from doing... whatever this is, but please believe me when I say you don't want to get involved. Please. For me?"
"Well, it's like you said before. I'm observant, and you can't stop me. Besides, I like to know my friends. And whatever it is you're into, I'm not scared of it."
"Beau," she hisses under her breath, rising onto her toes, "you are utterly absurd. If the wrong person finds out how curious you are about... you could get into serious trouble. You could get hurt, or worse." Her face softens, totally somber. She looks terrified. "You're the first friend outside my brood I've had in years, it'd kill me if something were to happen."
"Edythe, I know you think I'm playing with death, but it isn't the case. I'm not as ignorant as you may think." My palm tingles — I've never more wanted show someone more. I tighten my fists, shoving them into my pockets. "Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid. I'm just... see you tomorrow." And with that, she turns on her toes and goes to the quartet waiting for her.