Let Me In-Chapter Three
Tomorrow has finally arrived and it's full of promises yet Isabella finds Carlie arguing with Edward.
She wants to walk to school alone. The sidewalk is clean and she is old enough to go to the rehearsal by herself. The only reason Carlie has to go to the school auditorium today is because her class is performing a Christmas play tonight. She needs to get to practice in the morning before returning late afternoon.
Carlie doesn't think her tiny role in this play requires her to go to school to practice nor does she feel that her family should even attend tonight's school festivities. She just wants winter break to officially begin. She is in desperate need of a break from her tormentors, Jessica Stanley and Lauren Mallory.
Isabella is on Carlie's side. She officially loathes this Edward Cullen for insisting that he walk his little sister to the school. She wishes he would simply comply with the child's wishes and allow her to trudge through the snow.
He will ruin the fatal meeting between the two if he intercedes.
Isabella's preparations are at stake.
All utilities had been restored to the old house and the realtor was ecstatic that someone wanted the place. She also referred Charlie to her husband, Michael Newton, who was a contractor. He could have the placed fixed in no time she promised.
Isabella is content that they now had running water. She took the time to wash away the grime from her hair and skin in the early hours. She even changed her clothing and her feet are now adorned with boots suitable for the weather. The sky is overcast and would remain that way the entire day so she does not have to fear the rays of the sun.
Thus she looks acceptable, so that the girl would not be turned off by her appearance, the weather is cooperating with her, yet it is Edward Cullen who unknowingly chooses to stand in her way.
A huff of exasperation escapes Isabella's lips as she turns from the window and walks out of the house. She knows that Edward will not listen to Carlie. He will walk his little sister to school.
Head down and feet lumbering on the sidewalk, Isabella walks to the school. She will find a tree to observe the child…Edward will be dealt with later.
Isabella walks away from the sidewalk into the woods near the school. She scouts the area for a large tree with enough height to give her a birds-eye view of not only the entrance but the school yard. As she ascends the tree, small clusters of snow are disturbed and fall ceremoniously to the ground below.
She is comfortably perched in the tree when she notices Edward walking with Carlie, hand-in-hand. There is a slight pout on Carlie's face as she frowns looking intently at the ground. Edward stoops to tell her that he will meet her here after rehearsal but she simply stomps away with her hands folded in front of her.
A smile graces Isabella's lips as she admires how stubborn the child is.
As soon as Edward is out of sight, Carlie glances warily around for any signs of Jessica or Lauren. Thankfully the girls must already be in the auditorium warming up for their lead roles in the play.
Isabella watches as the child wraps her hands around her torso and slowly walks up the stairs. She enters after taking a deep breath.
It is forty-nine minutes later that Carlie runs head-long from the door she first entered. Isabella perks up once she smells the adrenaline-laced blood coursing through the child. She does not stop as she jumps two steps at a time, running towards the very woods that Isabella now occupies. Two girls, about Carlie's age, soon emerge from the door. One has beautiful blond hair and the other had a mass of light brown curly hair.
"Oh, come on Cry-Cry Carlie, we only want to talk to you" the blonde one yells.
They both chase Carlie, easily catching up with her.
Lauren Mallory is the blonde hair blue-eyed cherub that every adult dotes on. They think this sadistic child is a sweetheart. To Carlie, Lauren is a living nightmare who takes Jessica along to have an audience and an aide when she feels the need to be cruel.
And Lauren feels the need to be cruel at this very moment.
But we all know this don't we. We know that children can be very cruel.
Annotation: next chapter our lovers, Edward and Isabella, will meet under less than ideal circumstances.