Let Me In-Chapter Two
Yes, we could all judge Isabella as the vilest creature for wanting to tear through nine-year old Carlie's soft flesh to get to her blood. We could all condemn her to the deepest parts of hell screaming for her to never return. But we should do no such thing, for there is a little of Isabella in every one of us.
And even though Isabella is a force to be reckoned with, so is Carlie. This child, such an innocent pure thing, whose aroma is savory to Isabella, is the human that will teach the creature that evil is not the only inescapable force in existence.
The morning after the epic snowball fight, the Cullen children, Edward, Alice and Carlie, step outside seemingly waiting for someone.
Of course Isabella knows they are waiting for their friends.
Emmett drives up in a jeep accompanied by Rosalie and Tanya while Jasper drives a sedan. Alice and Carlie are visibly exited. Their bundled forms dance from foot-to-foot as they clap joyfully. The group plans to spend the day at the mall. Christmas presents must be bought and wrapped.
The parents, Esme and Carlisle, are absent from the home.
A tinge of pleasure penetrates Isabella's psyche. This is the ideal time to explore the home. She could learn more about the object of her obsession. Then she can lure the child from her tight-knit clan into the woods behind the house.
As soon as they pile into two cars, they take off into the snow-covered streets.
The grey shadows of clouds blanket the sky, hiding the sun from the earth and allowing the stealth footsteps of Isabella to penetrate the un-spoilt snow behind her home. She does not feel any burning pain on her exposed legs; it seems that the clouds have covered enough of the sun's rays. She starts taking the long way to the Cullen home.
She has to make a large loop so that the nosey old widowed Mrs. Pope does not see her enter the home.
She ascends the steps to the back door. Her head cocks to the side as she decides the best way to unlock the door. Forgoing the use of force, she pulls out her tools to pick the lock. She despises using these human avenues to break into a home. It makes her feel like a common burglar.
As she enters, her sense of smell is assaulted by concentrated scents of human habitation. The smell of cooked food, soap, lotions; all the scents they use to mask their natural odor. She isn't necessarily repulsed, just annoyed that Carlie's smell is folded under layers of all these different scents. She notes that the parents and two siblings all have the same pleasurable undertones that Carlie's scent has.
She does not linger to observe the mantel over the fireplace filled with joyous family photos of vacations, recitals, plays and games.
Instead, she climbs the stairs quickly following her nose until she is outside her room. She touches the paper mache 'CARLISE'S ROOM' sign that hangs proudly from its place of honor. Her tongue instinctively traces her upper lip, tasting the air, as she anticipates the wonderful concentrated perfume that surely had to be present in this room.
And of course it is. This delectable scent emanates from every fabric that had the privilege of being in this room.
Isabella's eyes scan the room with determination.
Her task is simple; learn about the child then lure the child.
There are many pictures of her family scattered throughout the room. From the time she was a newborn until her present age. She seemed to always be somewhere with either her parents or her older brother or sister.
Yet there are no pictures of her and friends her own age. The pictures of her birthday parties include the group of humans Isabella had last seen her with as well as her parents, yet no one her age.
This is favorable for Isabella. This child seems to enjoy the company of her elders and shun that of her peers.
This is unnatural.
Unlike Isabella, humans yearn to be accepted and bonded with their peers…they rarely want to be alone. It is their nature; especially a nine-year old female.
She needs to see Carlie interact with her peers.
She also notes that she is very tidy. Everything has a place. This prompts Isabella to take a look at herself in the full length mirror. Her appearance is even more grotesque when set against this clean room. Her form suits the home across the street but not this tiny haven within a neat home. She would have to clean up before approaching the girl.
Thus she leaves the Cullen home, sadly with a little less knowledge than she anticipated.
That night she instructs Charlie as to what she needs him to purchase for her.
Over the centuries of hunting Isabella amassed a small fortune from simply taking whatever cash the victim had on them. Although she mostly consumed homeless individuals, the times that she did partake of the wealthy, she took the cash. After doing it for two centuries, it was easy to see how she amassed a fortune. She had little use for the money that was sitting in the bank but it does come handy in times such as this. It was also handy for Charlie, her first and only human companion. He had human needs that she never anticipated so she gave him free access to her money.
After she makes her request known, she retires to her room to wait for the Cullens and their friends to return. Soon after, she hears Charlie shuffling up the stairs towards her.
He clears his throat, yet she remains in the same still position staring across the street.
"Isabella, you're not going to hurt that little girl are you? You've never hurt children…"
Charlie's voice trails off slightly as Isabella turns and stares into this human's eyes.
Knowing this creature's attention is on him makes his scalp prickle. He rubs the back of his neck and slowly backs out of the room. Her eyes have changed from their normal human appearance. They have darkened until they retained a beautiful burgundy red color that glows like hot coals smoldering in a dark red sea. The veins that surrounds her eyes darkened and are such a lovely contrast to her pale skin that had she been painted, her beauty would rivaled that of the Mona Lisa.
But Isabella isn't a painting. She's real and Charlie knows better than to question her further.
He just had a soft spot in his heart for children because he and Renee could not have children of their own. He even considered Isabella to be the child that they never had, so he never wanted to harm children. He always hoped that Isabella would find her way out of the darkness.
That hope is futile…at least for the moment.
So Isabella watches as her favorite family invite the Denalis, McCarthys and Hales for an impromptu dinner, after their children return from the mall. They all help to prepare dinner as laughter and joy radiates from the entire home. Emmett's jokes elicit booming laughter from around the table, yet the warmth fails to reach Isabella's cold heart. Her eyes are locked onto Carlie's face. Her delicate features, the ease in which she fits into this family all fascinates Isabella.
Isabella needs to prepare. Charlie already knows where he needs to go for the utilities to be turned on. He also knows the realtor for the property. The woman will be grateful to have someone purchase the home. Charlie will obviously be cleaned up and ready to pay full price as well as promise to rebuild the home. It will be easy.
Yet he feels uneasy that Isabella wants to remain. She never wanted to stay anywhere so as not to draw the Officials attention. For the number of missing people would inevitability skyrocket in a town as small as Forks and the investigations would begin. Nonetheless, Charlie wants her to be happy and feel loved by giving her what she wants.
So what Isabella wants, she gets. And tomorrow she will start working on getting what she wants.
Tomorrow she will have the pleasure of meeting Carlie.
Tomorrow she will see her off to school.
Tomorrow…doesn't tomorrow always hold so may promises? And aren't promises meant to be broken?