"Stupid homework assignment..." I mumbled for the millionth time.
Homework typically wasn't a problem for me- years and years of repeating high school had allowed work to come easy. But this homework assignment was about recent events, something that is just as time consuming regardless of how old you are. I glanced down at the assignment sheet again, checking once more to see if there werre any hints or tips on how to handle this.
Find one or more recent events that interest you. Once you find it, create a summary of the article and take note of the source in which you received it. Continue to check back on that topic for updates. By the end of the week, create a timeline using a computer program to show how the story has evolved due to updates or censoring.
The paper listed a few examples that we were not allowed to use- namely the war. I crumbled it up and through it in the trash. I had read it so many times that I had it memorized. Grudgingly, I faced back towards my computer to scroll through more news.
Girl Found After a Two Year Search In New York.
That's hardly original.
Man Shot After Leaving Apartment In Philadelphia.
People are getting shot everyday.
Spanish Influenza Scare Frightens Students of Henry Bail Middle School
What? I hurriedly clicked the link and scrolled through the quotes to the main paragraph.
Justin Abrite (13) was forced to leave school and was brought to G.J. Hospital after a teacher expressed her concerns for the health of her student. "He had taken on an almost blueish color." Whitney Beatrice stated. "But he soon began to cough uncontrollably and I realized that something was wrong."
After a quick analysis of Abrite, Doctor Volfray knew that this was more than a cold. "Although it wouldn't be accurate to say that he has the Spanish Flu, he does have the symptoms. A blueish tint to the face and hemorrhaging of the lungs were both common symptoms during the epidemic in the early 1900s."
When asked whether he himself thought that Abrite had been infected, he chose not to comment.
I reread the paragraph and then skimmed through the rest of the article, explaining common symptoms and the basic facts of the epidemic that took place in 1918. After absorbing every fact that I could, I checked the date and location. The date was 3 days ago and the location was in Fallon, Nevada.
Without thinking twice I put the site on update alert and summarized the article. This wasn't just for homework, this was very interesting. People get vaccinated for the Flu now, so it really must have only been a scare.
Everybody says that vampires forget their past lives when they are changed. Perhaps they have, I'll never really know that, but I haven't. My human memories may have faded, but how can somebody forget about the death of their parents? I don't remember much from my old life, but the images of my mother dying next to me will always plague me. Everybody lost somebody important and the town was decimated by an enemy that nobody could fight against. A memory like that doesn't fade, no matter how much you want it to.
My thoughts were interrupted with the sound of the front door opening.
"You're home late, Carlisle." I said loud enough for him to hear.
He merely chuckled. "Am I? I hadn't realized how late it had gotten until it was already dark. All of the strange looks that I was receiving at the hospital are making sense now." he said from the floor below.
I laughed too.
"But you're late, too." he said, outside of my door now. "You usually leave to be with Bella hours ago. Is something wrong between you two?" he asked more seriously now.
"No, nothing so dire. I was just finishing up homework."
Carlisle nodded his head in understanding and descended down the stairs. After glancing at the clock and noting that it would be morning soon, I left to go to Bella's house.
The run there was quiet, something that I had been hoping to avoid. The quiet allowed you time to think, there was no avoiding it. My mind was brought back almost 90 years, to my last days as a human. Even though I knew that it wasn't possible for the Spanish Flu to be a serious threat now, and that the boy in Nevada hadn't been diagnosed unquestionably with it, it was inevitable that it would reawake bad memories.
I saw that the lights were out in her room and I was glad for that. Sometimes Bella had a habit of staying awake and waiting for me to come, something that I've told her over and over again not to. She just doesn't understand how important sleep is to a human. I was extra quiet as I leapt into the window and took a seat on my chair.
"Edward?" Bella asked from her bed.
"Yes?" I questioned.
"Edward..." she sighed.
I smiled, happy that she was dreaming about me and even happier that I hadn't interupted her few hours of sleep. Hours ticked by and I determined that she was sleeping sound enough that it would be safe for me to go home to get dressed for school. It was currently 5:30, an hour before Bella usually woke up. I could, without a doubt, make it back in time to see her wake up.
90 years ago I had lost the most important woman to me, my mother. Even as a new vampire a part of me died with her absence. Now, present day, a new woman has taken her place. And this time she's here to stay.
And there is the end of the first real chapter. Good? Bad? Review! The reason why it's not a long chapter is because I'm tired of researching xD The town in Nevada is true (not the story, the town) but not the hospital, school or people in it. The facts about the Flu are true ..but get ready for an entire lesson in it because I have lots of facts that I will use (it makes me feel smart, humor me). Next chapter will have more of the plot, I just needed an opener to get the idea out there. So thank you for everyone that reviewed!!! Til next time!!!