Chapter 1
Beep…Beep…Beep…
The noise penetrated the darkness as I rolled over attempting to dispel the unwanted intrusion.
Beep…Beep…Beep…
Throwing myself across the bed I found the demonic creation sent form the underworld to ruin my morning. Throwing it on the ground, silence encompasses the enclosed space. Smiling I turn back to lay onto my right side happy; Once again I am at peace.
Ring… Ring…Ring…
"Damn it!" I yell to the darkening room reaching over to pick up my cell phone. I knew I had to get up but why oh why can't they just leave me alone. It was 5:45am and I just wanted to sleep. Holding my aging Cell phone in my right hand I attempt to focus on the screen to see who would be the next to die on my hit list. Finally realizing the number I slide open the phone holding it gently to my ear, "What." I groan into the earpiece sleep still heavy in my voice.
"Good Morning! Rise and Shine." A chipper voice called out over the phone almost forcing me to throw the offending object across the large room. Attempting to glare at the monster in the machine I give up and groan. My life had officially ended. I was now one of them, a creature of the night… a journalist.
"No. I will rise when the sun shines in the sky and not a second before." I grumble into the phone attempting to fall back into the relaxing sleep I had been previously expelled from.
"Bella we live in San Francisco the sun almost never shines high in the sky. Now get up and get ready for work I will be there in an hour to pick you up." There was the offending term, work. After graduating from University of Washington with a degree in Journalism one would think that I would be more excited, but I am not. I try to ignore the buzzing sound that is coming from the receiver but it just continues.
"Fine don't get up I will just call Rose and have her drag your sorry ass out of bed." The voiced disappeared. I sat up quickly as a second ringtone echoed across the apartment.
"Hello." I heard a muffed voice say. "Yeah she is still in there do you want me to get her up?" I hear the devil speak. Sitting still for a moment I hears the sounds of pots being moved and footsteps moving progressively closer along the hard wood floor. Moving quickly I swing my feet over the edge of my bed and stand just the door creaks open.
"I am up don't you dare." I growl at the figure by the door squinting to see thru the darkness. Silhouetted against the light in the hall I see a figure holding things in both hands. In one hand is a black blackberry cell phone while in the other is a pitcher that I could only hope is filled with water. "I am up alright you can call your she-devil back to the pits of hell." I say loudly to the person on the phone hoping he could hear me, and I assume he could because a faint chuckle was the response.
"So now I am a she-devil? That is a trade up from heinous bitch I guess." The figure said shrugging her shoulders and moving back into the living room. Sensing the danger had passed I moved slowly back into the warm comfort of my bed, "Don't you dare crawl back into bed or I swear I will come in there and drag you out myself!"
Taking a deep breath I slowly move forward towards the light.
7:00am
San Francisco is truly an amazing city. There are few places in California where a long winter coat is considered to be a yearly staple and while the rest of the country celebrates Summer from the months of June – August in San Francisco those are some of the rainiest while September - November are the sunniest. While in the rest of California was to be a blistering mid-June day in here it was a freezing and wet day. Sitting on the counters and staring out the large kitchen windows nursing a hot cup of coffee I waited, waited for the buzzing that would signal the beginning of a dreary and wet walk to work. Cars were wonderful inventions. They got an individual from point A – point B while being able to take rest stops at points C, D, E, and sometimes F but here in the unofficial queen of the pacific there were nothing but a nuisance. Public Transportation was far superior then any other city I had visited and having a car was not only a waste of necessary space but also gas and money but at times where the weather was at it's worst having a car was a godsend.
"Damn it is cold!" I hear from the living room. Placing the coffee next to me I lunge forward propelling myself off the counter and stalked out of the kitchen. There he was. Jasper Whitlock was one of my best friends since high school and was also the man I wanted to kill. I move forward catching his attention as he looks up. "Good morning sunshine!" he smiles brightly as my desire to kill him increases.
Smiling sarcastically I reply while moving back towards the kitchen for my coffee, "well good morning to you as well princess" His smile disappears. While Jasper was a very attractive man in his twenties he is also what most would consider a late bloomer. During freshman year he earned the nickname princess from the Varsity football team due to his delicate features.
"Where are you going, we need to leave now if we are going to make it!" Confused I turn to look at the clock and finally turning to him. "We have an hour and a half." I said slowly trying to understand.
"Yeah and it will take us that long to get to work." Great, now I was even more confused.
"What? It only takes thirty minutes to drive there what are you thinking." I continued for my coffee completely oblivious to the looks I received. It was seven am and I was still on my morning caffeine hunt. It didn't matter if it was from coffee, soda, energy drinks or even caffeine pills. I was probably one of the only people in San Francisco who was seriously addicted to the vile drug.
"Didn't Rose tell you? My car is in the shop we are taking the bus." Suddenly I stopped, caffeine completely forgotten. Normally I didn't mind taking public transportation but today was not a good day. Today it felt like a tsunami decided to attack the bay. I closed my eyes, counted to ten and turned around looking for Rosalie. There she was sitting on the couch looking like nothing was wrong I stared at her. "Thanks for the heads up Rose."
"You are welcome now you better finish up or you will be late it is a fifty minute ride without traffic." She reminded me with a bright smile and I suddenly moved, fighting the intense desire to strangle my best friends I reached for my things. We were going to be late, it was a fact. Hoping that there was no traffic during early morning rush in San Francisco was like asking for the Castro to be a ghost town on Halloween, a virtual impossibility. I quickly reached for my black wool coat and purse before turning around.
"You know how to get there?" stupid question I know but sometimes the stupid questions are necessary. Jasper gives me a mocking look and holds up his blackberry so I can take a look. "Metro511 all right here." He waves before handing me my plaid umbrella. I take it readily knowing that it will be a necessity.
"See you tonight Rose?" I call to my roommate. Rosalie was the third part of our troublesome trio. We all graduated from the same school in Southern California and while breaking up after high school for college in three different states we somehow found ourselves back together living in one of the busiest cities in the nation.
"Yeah I should be at work at seven." She waved us off staring desperately into the newest edition of her favorite trash gossip magazine. There had been more then one occasion where I wondered myself the reasoning behind our friendship, we were all opposite.
While Jasper and I worked at the San Francisco Herald, I was a lowly journalist and Jasper was a photographer, Rosalie was a bartender for the club Escape. "See you later." I waved moving forward towards the door letting it slam shut behind me. Walking to the elevator I moved my hand into Jasper's front pants pocket to steal his blackberry.
"What the… oh shit." he shifted quickly to the right shocked at the placement of my hands. "I knew you were frustrated but damn coping a feel in an elevator can you get more cliché?" he smirked.
"Oh baby I want you so bad take me here right now." I moved my head to the side leaning against the wall giving him a look at my neck. I hear his breath still and laugh. "Down boy, as much fun as that sounds I just want you phone." I pat his pants and watch him squirm. Gripping the shiny blackberry in my hands I look up the bus directions preparing myself for the worst.
MUNI DIRECTIONS TO 1476 Post Avenue
Walk to Lake Merced Blvd & Higuera Ave, San Francisco
Muni - 18 - towards Legion Of Honor, San Franc... - Fare $ 1.50
8:02pm - Board, SW Corner of Lake Merced Blvd & Higuera Ave
8:26pm - Off Board, SE Corner of 33rd Ave & Clement St (24 min ride)
Muni - 1 - towards California St & Presidio Av... - Fare
8:29pm - Board, SE Corner of 33rd Ave & Clement St
8:42pm - Off Board, SW Corner of California St & Presidio Ave (13 min ride)
Muni - 3 - towards Sutter St & Sansome St, San... - Fare
8:45pm - Board, NW Corner of Presidio Ave & California St
8:55pm - Off Board, SW Corner of Post St & Octavia St (10 min ride)
Walk to 1450 Post St, San Francisco - (1 min walk)
Groaning the elevator doors open and we are met with the brightly colored lobby. but while the lobby was deemed cheery the weather was anything but. Rain poured from the black sky and visibility was next to nothing. Turning to my equally sullen companion I try my best to look happy "Are you sure we can't just call in?" but I never heard the reply as I was dragged out into the dark morning.