A.N. Hello folks! Yes, I'm updating this over a year later. I've gone through an incredible personal upheaval over the last year, but I'm starting to get my groove back, and returning to activities that bring me joy, like writing. Hope you enjoy my take on the VD world. =) Reviews are super appreciated. P.S. any tips on formatting docs for this site? It's really messing up when I upload it.
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The shrapnel of Elena's life is sprawled around me as I kneel on the ancient, creaking oak floors. A slim sage planner reveals that I've arrived in the wee hours of Saturday, August 29th 2009, and Miss Elena is scheduled to start her junior year on the 1st. She has a wallet containing 43 dollars cash, a debit card, a newly minted driver's license that tells me she turned seventeen on June 22nd, and a gift certificate to a local boutique on Main.
I've spent hours carefully searching through every possession and written page in this room. It's all depressingly what you'd expect: clothes, trinkets, cheerleading memorabilia, lacy underwear and a 3-pack of condoms hidden deep in the closet. Elena keeps her diary, a thick, brown leather book, on her bedside table with a fountain pen at the ready. Sometimes, there's a dream she's scrawled messily onto a page in the moments just after waking. I've read it cover to cover.
There's a red and green striped booklet, filled with the names and addresses of what must be every single person in this town. Most names have little check marks in varying pen colors beside them, so I guess this must be Elena's address book for Christmas and thank-you cards. I gag a little at the posh suburban sentiment. However, it's dead useful to me, and so is the old telephone book that was replacing the back leg of her dresser.
Reaching past my hoard of useful items, I grasp for my notepad. I've only got two days to get myself set up before I'm certain to meet a Salvatore, and the other one will be close behind. I quickly jot down a few reminders, before looking up the Forbes' residence in the dusty phone book.
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Cloaked as another texting teenager, I keep my head down as I navigate the neat Mystic Falls streets via google maps. It's just a ten minute walk to Caroline's house, and I rehearse my pitch in my head. I'm still nervous by the time I cross the driveway, and take in the charming home. The cream colored home sits closer to the street than the Gilbert home, and has three cozy shade trees filtering the late afternoon sun, though it lacks the stately southern front porch I've suddenly grown fond of.
Gathering all my courage, I clamber up the steps and ring the doorbell before I can stop myself. I hope this is a bell ringing home, and not one of those stupid "we have a bell, but please knock," type homes, and I should know that being Caroline's best –
Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes opens the door in her tan uniform, and socks. I'm pleased to see she looks healthy, and her blonde hair practically gleams.
"Elena, sweetie, Caroline won't be back from cheer camp until tomorrow." Liz says gently.
"Actually, I was wondering if I could talk to you if you have a minute. Can I come in?" I give a small smile, as Liz seems a little surprised, but nonetheless opens the door further.
"Come on in, would you like some tea? I've got a pitcher in the fridge and some lemonade." Walking into the home, I make a bee line for the living room, and take a seat on the couch, like I've been here a million times.
"That's okay, thank you. I thought maybe we could talk a little about my parents?"
"Of course, we haven't found out anything else in the investigation of the accident, but is there anything else I can do for you?" Liz moves to take a seat across from me and speaks earnestly, looking into my eyes, "You know you only have to ask, you're like family to Caroline and I."
Taking a deep breath, I do my best impression of an overwhelmed girl about to fess up, "Honestly, I think I might be a little in over my head right now, but I know you can help. See, I'm seventeen now and Dad left me some things as the oldest Gilbert." I purposefully hesitate, wringing my hands and swallowing.
"He left me some journals, and they say the most unbelievable things, but at the same time, I've been here my whole life. All the animal attacks and disappearances make so much sense if… if we've got an infestation. I want to help. My father was a doctor, and my mother did so much for our community, and of course we're Gilberts. I want to take my place with the founding families." Liz's color has drained from her face.
"You're awfully young to be getting involved in something so dangerous, I'm sure Grayson and Miranda would have wanted you to finish your education and go to college, and blossom before ever having to deal with all this." She looks at me imploringly, but I remain firm.
"Maybe they would, but we can never know that. What I can do is help protect Jeremy, and the rest of our town. Maybe I can't get involved in anything dangerous, but what I'd really like to do is help cultivate vervain." I say seriously, opening up my big brown eyes, and hoping that Liz falls pray to their sincerity.
"That would be alright, but we already have someone on the council to do that." I jump in like the impatient teenager I seem to be,
"But you can't have too much vervain right? I mean, you can dry it and stockpile it. The Gilbert journals say you can make vervain essential oils to soak rope, arrows, and stakes in. How could we ever have too much?" I feel like a child begging for a puppy. The Sheriff's eyes soften at my childish display.
"Of course sweetheart, we could never be too safe," Liz reaches out to touch my arm in a comforting gesture, "If this will set your mind at ease, I can have some little vervain cuttings ready for you next week. Are you going to grow them in your mother's garden?"
"No, I want to set up an indoor plant nursery in dad's old office so I can grow them year round. I should only have to stop by once a week or so to water them. What do you think?"
Liz smiles indulgently, happy to have found busy work to keep Elena away from the more dangerous, grimy aspects of the founder's council.
"That sounds perfect. Is there anything else you're worried about? The Forbes never kept journals, so I can't say what your ancestors might have written." I shake my head.
"It's fine. Dad left a few modern notes too. Can I just swing by the Salvatore house to pick up the plants myself? I want to get it settled before school so it doesn't distract me from cheer and everything." Surprise flashes across Liz's face, but she quickly offers to call ahead for me, and I'm on my way in quick order.
Trying to get acquainted, I walk through main street on my way home. The tiny shops are a mish mash of 1800's wood fronts and early 19th century brick. My hopes are dashed as none of them seem to be a hardware store, hunting, or sporting goods store. I'll need a good knife and some sort of wood to whittle into stakes if I'm going to make it in this life. There's an inviting pharmacy several lots down from my father's old medical office, which is just next to a quaint post office. I hurry toward the pharmacy, nodding and waving at anyone who shoots me a smile.
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At home, I pour my goods onto the bathroom counter. My plan to look vastly different from Katherine will have to wait. I'd like to get some vervain out of the Salvatore's house before Damen comes to town. Not knowing when that is, I've got to get my butt in gear.
My unwashed little brother is on the couch playing video games when I run down the stairs, but he doesn't even look up as I grab a couple sets of keys and head out. Poor Jeremy, he must be so depressed from losing his actual parents so young. I've got a tactical advantage over Elena in that sense. I'm not emotionally wrecked by a recent loss, searching for love and belonging.
The silver sedan in the driveway is the Gilbert's second family car, and it purrs like a kitten when I start it up. The idyllic scenes of this small town life begin to blur past my windows as I drive out of town. The sight of the thick forest coming up to the edge of the barely two lane road makes me miss my own home. Shaking my head, I rapidly blink away the pesky tears that threaten to fall. I've got a mission to complete.
The Salvatore's house is set far back from the road, and I feel no qualms parking right in front of the door in the circular driveway. Quickly hopping out, I knock and hope that Zach answers the door. My eyes are caught by the red and yellow mums in the flowerbed. They're pretty, and I wish that Zach's lady love and daughter had been able to grow up in this house and enjoy it with him.
My luck is holding, because Zach opens the door.
"You must be Elena Gilbert, right?" He gestures me inside with his arm. He's got the dirtiest of blonde hair, and hazel eyes. I suppose he takes more after Stephen's coloring.
"Hi, yes, thank you. I've heard about the important work that you do, and I'd love to help the cause." I give an earnest smile and pray that this is over quickly. My luck from earlier is apparently up, as I'm treated to a cup of sweet iced tea and small talk about the history of their home and its architectural features. Apparently, he's not only a green thumb but also a handy man. Zach describes his recent restoration of the stair bannisters in excruciating detail. Once I've endured the pleasantries, he bids me to wait in the sitting room while he fetches the plants.
I wait a beat after he disappears downstairs. Then, I can't help but snoop. Looking around the room for signs that his nephews are back in town, I spot a brown suede, fur lined jacket hanging on a chair back that probably belongs to Stephen. No sign of Damen. There are, however, about a million books in tall built ins along the walls. Most have weathered leather spines without a title, but I spot a slim canvas covered book in a far corner. Herbs and Medicinal Plants of Virginia. Snatching it up, I thumb through for a mention of vervain.
"Hem hem," Zach clears his throat and I whirl around, shocked. He's quiet as a mouse for such a tall, broad shouldered man.
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I just love to read and couldn't help but notice this plant book. Would this have any good tips about the special gardening you do?" I hold the book up for his notice.
He nods.
"That it would, Miss Gilbert. There's a good cultivation section you should see. In fact, uh… You might go on and take that home with you. I'd appreciate if you'd look after it and keep it safe. Hard to find those books nowadays." Looks like Zach's trying to get his rare vervain books out of his house in case Stephen goes snooping and destroys the 'dangerous' information.
"Thank you so much Mr. Salvatore! I can't tell you how much all this means to me." Like a good southern gentleman, Zach loads up my trunk for me, and wishes me a good evening. I take off like a bat out of hell, anxious to get my errands done by sundown.
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Google maps hooks me up with the location of a home improvement and garden center about 45 minutes away. To my delight, there's a Walmart next door. In the span of a couple hours, I've gotten most of the gear I'd like. I've bought UV lights, planters, and fertilizer for my vervain. The man in the lumber department looked at me like I was crazy, but cut down 1" by 1" wood into 8" lengths for me. I bought ten lengths to whittle into stakes.
Then, I went on a serial killer shopping spree in the hunting and camping section of Walmart. A 5" tactical knife, 3.5" pocket knife, 20 ft rope, gas can, matches, lighter, and four pack of walkie talkies went into my trunk. I didn't yet have a plan for the walkie talkies, but I thought Caroline, Bonnie, and I might need them in a tight spot.
As for the arson equipment, I honestly couldn't remember what happened to vampires in the vampire diaries upon death. I remember that in Buffy they dust, and in Trueblood they end up a pile of blood mush, but I think in Vampire Diaries that vampires end up as corpses. I might need to burn a vampire corpse or evidence at some point, so it's always good to feel prepared.
Unloading my goodies into the basement of my dad's medical office through the back door at dusk feels pretty off brand for a cheerleader. The dark basement has sturdy metal stairs, all concrete walls, and some leftover torture equipment. I swear, if any of this furniture was covered in sheets, I would be out of here for sure. I would have to call the scooby gang to get rid of the ghosts. It's a little better with the lights on.
I push the medical exam chair/torture restraint chair up against the wall and pile all the random boxes and equipment underneath. I need the stainless steel work benches free for my vervain plants. I rig up all the UV lights, settle Zach's gifts into the planters, and give them a touch of miracle grow. I leave the vervain book down here, since I don't want Jeremy to stumble upon it.
Giving a twirl and surveying my work, I'm pleased to see that my home base is ready. Breaking out into laughter, I'm either acting out the part of the villain in his lair, or I've lost my goddamned mind. I think this universe is really getting to me. The idea of being in a place with mind-controlling, herculean people who can eat me, and snap my neck at the drop of a hat is really getting to me.
