For a country known for its rain and clouds, the last three days have been unbearably sunny. That may be a good thing for most vacationers, but when you're a vampire trying to stay inconspicuous, the last thing you're looking for is sunny skies. Thankfully, the country was finally living up to its reputation and was looking to be overcast for the day at least.
With Carlisle entrenched in another day of seminars and lectures, I decided to take the opportunity to explore the city alone. I had found out about a book store and a music store in Charing Cross that looked as though I could find something to peak my interested. While I could have easily handled driving on the opposite of the road or run faster than any mode of transportation, I knew it was important to be discreet as "tourists" in this city, and subjected myself to the London Underground. When I emerged from the train to the street level, I realized that maybe a sparkling vampire wouldn't have been the oddest sight on this street. As I walked from the station to the music store, I saw more than one person wearing cloaks - robes? - not dissimilar to those worn by some of Carlisle's old acquaintances. Mostly just adults, but even a few children. And while no one thought was distinct to me, I swear I kept hearing the word Muggle repeated over and over in the thoughts of those I passed, whatever that was. Brushing past me a bit too close for comfort, I heard a portly man escorting a sandy haired teenage boy thinking Shouldn't have waited until the last minute. Lots of new books for the newts this year. Why someone needs a plethora of new books for a lizard is beyond me.
The music shop wasn't as large as I had hoped, but what it lacked in size, it more than made up for in selection. I must have browsed for what felt like hours, and managed to find a few rare Beethoven and Rachmaninov recordings to add to my vast collection at home. Pleased with my selection, I left the music store and decided to check out the neighbouring bookstore.
As I stepped back on to the street, I heard an adolescent male voice yell out on my left "Oy! Diggory! Fancy running into you, mate!" I couldn't help but look up, but heard from my other side "Fleet! Ready for the new season?" I ignored them and swiftly moved past this Diggory to the bookstore, but couldn't help but catch him thinking Like looking in a mirror...
Most of the classics in this shop were ones I had already read, so I focused on new releases. I found a couple of interesting looking thrillers, as well as a historical romance I thought might appeal to Esme, and moved on to non-fiction where a book on English folklore caught my eye. I quickly flipped through to see if anything looked interesting, and stopped on a myth in regards to Doppelgängers. According to the myth, in ancient times, seeing your doppelgänger three times was a sign of impending death. I chuckled at the thought, wondering where this one came from. I know most of the mythology around my own kind was created as a diversion by the Volturi, but found the idea of creating folklore fascinating. I added the book to my pile (nothing like a bit more reading to distract myself from my siblings' last night... pursuits) and moved to the counter to pay. While waiting for the elderly store clerk to finish ringing up my purchases, I looked outside and saw that the skies had opened up and rain had started to pour down. Normally, I would have no problem with the rain, but seeing as I had now procured a large number of paper items, it seemed prudent to take a taxi back to the hotel.
"Excuse me, sir," I asked the clerk, "do you happen to have the number of a taxi company by any chance?"
"Sorry, mate." He replied, "But they pass by here quite often. Shouldn't have a problem finding one out there quickly."
I thanked him, paid for my purchases and stepped outside looking for a cab.
"Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself, Ced?" The familiar voice of the portly man from earlier asked. "Your mother and I won't be gone long, she just wants to explore some of the muggle shops." There's that weird word again. What is a muggle?
"I'll be okay, father." The boy replied. "I'll just be reviewing some of my textbooks. Wouldn't put it past Snape to to expect us to have the book memorized the first day."
"No, wouldn't be surprised at all." His father chuckled. "Well, we'll be back shortly. Just be careful, and we'll see you at supper." The boy and his father embraced, and I caught the distraught thoughts of the father I hate leaving him alone like this, especially after everything at the World Cup.
The World Cup? I'm not much of a soccer fan myself, but Emmett had the games playing nonstop on the TV, and I couldn't remember any notable incidents during the entire month. Although, if he'd managed to drag Jasper and I along to a match at Foxboro like he wanted to, I'm sure that three vampires, especially one as inexperienced to the vegetarian lifestyle as Jasper, surrounded by all that excited human blood would have been quite the international incident indeed. Still, I couldn't help but wonder what incident this man was thinking of.
As the father and his wife walked away, the teenage boy - Ced - turned as I was flagging a taxi coming down the street, and our eyes met. It was the same boy that had been called by his friend as I was going to the bookshop, and I now realized what he meant by "looking in a mirror." While his hair was more sandy to my red, and his grey eyes a direct contrast to my currently well fed golden, and he stilled maintained clearly human features, there was no denying the striking similarities we shared. It was like looking at myself before my change back in 1918. I recovered from my shock within half a second, and nodded curtly to the boy, who stunned, returned the greeting as I entered the cab.
"Intercontinental, please." I told the driver and turned to look back, but the boy had disappeared. The myth I had read immediately jumped into my mind - Seeing your own doppelgänger three times is an omen of death.
I laughed to myself, nothing to be concerned of. What omen of death could hurt an immortal?