Chapter 4

New Life

A month has past on by, Bella and her infants have been traveling through Northern America, place to place. Never stopping more than a few days in a city's forest. Maintaining a good distance from any humans. Bella self-control slowly becomes stronger but rather not push her luck. The infants remain small but growing at a normal rate. Of course, the children's birth happen rather early and a normal offspring would need to be hospitalized. They become stronger after each feeding.

Bella sprints through a dark forest in Minnesota, dodging every tree and branch in her path. Her bare feet run across moist dirt from the dew, not a worry to leave footprints behind. Remaining in their toga attire, Bella ditch her boots in Washington after learning how much better it is to run bare foot. Her infants cling tightly onto her back, their small but strong hands grip Bella's hard skin. This rearrangement provides easier running and hunting activities.

The youngest, the boy nibbles lightly on Bella's shoulder with his tiny teeth and allowing saliva to drip down from his lip. While the baby girl remain emotionless against her mother's back and waits for Bella to find their next meal.

Bella lips increases a smile when feeling her son's nibbling while her dark eyes search frantically for fresh blood. Then, in a far distance paws prints roam the area; Bella immediately halts with her hair fly forward down her front. Sniffing the air, Bella sense a mountain lion nearby. The smell is delicious to Bella and she licks her lower lip; the baby boy stops nibbling and inhales the smell.

The boy hisses in delight before Bella twist her arm back to soft pat his small hand. "Soon, baby, soon." Bella coos in her silky, soft voice. "Mountain lion."

Bella hisses before crunching down to dart for her food when suddenly, the first time in a month a memory invades her mind.

"What's your favorite?" Bella's human self asked in curiosity. She was sitting next to someone across from her but once again his face is a blur.

"Mountain lion."

Bella body freeze while remaining in crunch position. Why can she not remember that man's face. Who is he? Importantly, who is he to her?

The young restlessly boy on her back moans in impatience and snapping Bella out of her thoughts. Craning her neck to the side with an apology grin, Bella eyes become soft, "Sorry baby lets eat." Bella says gently while still smiling before galloping towards their meal.

The days pass on by as Bella crosses over the Canada border and traveling through thick forest, putting a good distance from humans. Snow covers the land, tree branches drench in snow flakes with ice frozen in sharp daggers. Running through the snowy forest paying no mind to the cold, Bella heads towards the large mountains.

The sight is ever so beautiful and always manages to grasp Bella's dark brown eyes. As a human the slopes of the mountain would be cramping her calves, but as a vampire there are no such things. Bella sprints quickly up the mountains leaving no print marks in the snow. While passing through the bundle of mountains, her eyes are drawn to an old shack in the middle of tall trees. The wood on the building is old and rusty, the windows are iced over and no sounds of inhabits dwells within the building. Bella comes to a stop and stares wearily at the house. The baby boy coos in glee when noticing the house, his voice promotes Bella to investigate the abandon shack. Approaching the old shack cautiously, Bella softly opens the front door and did not over use her strength. The old door whines open revealing a single room with old living equipment such as a dirty couch possibly from the 70's, two plastic chairs, a small table and a broken old television. In the far right corner of the shack is a fireplace with old burnt logs that are slowly degenerating and ash is sprawl across the floor.

Bella enters into the shack with the wooden floor squealing to her light weight. Once again, the boy coos in delight at the old dirty shack. Bella cranes her neck to the side to get a glimpse of her child's face, "Do you like it?" Bella asks in amusement with a small smirk growing on her face.

The boy smile with his thin lips spreading and revealing his toothless mouth. The boy slowly crawls down Bella's back until landing on the ground to begin crawling across the dirty floor towards the old couch. Bella tilts her head to the side while watching her small son crawl effortlessly towards the couch. The boy climbs up to the couch and releases a squeal of delight as the cushion forms a dent to his small weight. Bella approaches the couch and grabs her daughter to gently place her on the cushion.

Bella eyes wonder around the small shack, her good vision takes in all the details. "I guess we can live here." Bella wonder out loud, voice is soft and in wonder. "Although…." Bella pauses in mid sentence to face her children, "The place need to be cleaned."

Strolling around the house, Bella eyes comes across old photos on the small table. Her pale hands grasp the thin photos as she examines the set of pictures. They are in black and white, humans wearing clothing from the 40's. The photos show a family of six living in this small shack. Bella furrow her eyebrows in thought to where these people might have gone. There is no scent of human living here for years. "Must have moved or…..died."

A year has past on by in a flash, the new house for the trio has been cleaned and fix up for their enjoyment. The ashes near the fireplace has been swept out, clean floors and window, the wooden shack itself has been update in fresh wood. In the past, Bella has scouted the area and found a town in the far east, no more than thirty minutes away. But never once going near it.

The infants are starting to grow bigger, looking like normal one year old children. They walk fluently on their equilibrium feet and talk clearly although they maintain the high pitch child-like tones.

Bella memories comes once a while, watching her children bring back memories of her childhood. There hasn't been a memory of the mysterious man that lingers in the back of her mind. Although, questions continue to fill her head endlessly but there haven't been any answers.

Bella sits on the couch with her two children who are fighting over a small wooden toy which she made herself. Loud high pitch screech echo through out the shack as the young girl tries to take the small toy away from her brother. "Now, Renesemee, Luken had it first." Bella coos softy while trying to be fair. Bella reaches for the small object and takes it out of the younglings hands before they destroy it like the previous toys. Giving the small object to the Luken, Bella wishfully hopes Renesemee doesn't have a fit.

But her hope goes to waste, Renesemee face cringles in a cute pouty way before the crying flows out. Her screeches are ear-piecing, Renesemee rolls up to her knees and forcefully trying to retrieve the object but end up ripping Luken's white toga attire.

"Renesemee!" Bella maternally croak, her voice stricken. Furrowing her eyebrows, Renesemee flinches to her mother's strict voice and rolls up her shoulders in shame. Placing her small hand into her mouth and lightly nibbles on her fingers, a slightly pouting.

Releasing a deep sigh, Bella examines Luken's clothing. Its ruin! While Bella stares at the clothing she realizes they've been wearing the same outfit from the moment they put it on. Biting her lip thoughtful as Luken nibbles on the wooden toy and is oblivious to what is going on. "Looks like I'm going to have to get some new clothing." Never once put too much thought to buying clothes, considering their sweet scent always brims over that old clothing smell. Although, now Bella glances at her dress and notices old animal blood stains on it. Renesemee crawls into her mother's lap and gently places a finger on her face.

"I know you want it but you can't." Bella answers in a firm but gently tone. Renesemee keeps her finger on Bella's chin as she communicates with her and showing Bella that she is sorry for ripping Luken's clothes. Her thought flows into Bella's mind. "Its ok baby, but you can't have a fit because it's no going your way."

Renesemee drops her hand when there is nothing else to say. Pouting her lips, Renesemee leaps off Bella's lap and grabs a different toy.

A frustrating grunt comes out of Bella as she strolls outside to face the great landscape. The sun is high in the sky and shines its glow on Bella and forcing her skin to shine like diamonds. With her eyes sight, Bella sees a small town, down the mountains. Resting her hand on her hips as she debates on what to do. For some odd reason, a small part of her sub-conscious tells her not to go to town with the sun up. "I guess I'll wait till night fall."

A half crescent moon lingers in the dark sky, encircling by sparkling stars. The clear night sky left the town in silhouette with the snow polishing against the light.

Bella stand in front of the door after securing her home. Slightly nervous to leave her youngling alone considering they've never been apart. Although, Bella definitely does not want to bring her children along. Not knowing their self-control around humans makes Bella's skin shiver, then again she doesn't really know her own self-control.

Glancing at her home momentarily, Bella releases a deep sigh and knowing very well that she'll worry until she returns. Sprinting off towards the town, Bella pushes herself hard into a fast pace, the sooner she gets there, the earlier she can return home.

Arriving to main street, Bella observes her surroundings. The lifeless town, illuminated by dim light poles gave Bella the impression of a ghost town. The wind breezes through the town, whistling a soft tone. A annoy sound of crickets and frog awakes.

Bella strolls down the street, mindful to everything around her. Golden eyes scan her surrounding franticly while searching for a reasonably store. The scent of humans lingers strongly in the town, urging Bella to take action. The monster in her wants so desperately wants to taste the sweet flavor of humans. Immediately, Bella stops breathing to save herself from the burning sensation in her throat.

Finally, Bella comes across a Wal-Mart. The average sized building is left with a empty parking lot. The moon light shades a silver light across the long windows of the store. A small smirk grows on her lips as she hastily approaches the building.

Bella climbs through the vent on roof, remembering the humans use alarms. Crawling quickly and slick through the vents as the sounds of a machine lingers loudly. Entering into the store as she hops down from the vent and lands perfectly on the ground without as thud. Bella's right leg is crunch to her chest with the other sprawl out and her palms resting on the cold floor. Observing her surrounding once again, Bella remains in her crunch position while quickly crawling through the isles.

Bella inhales once and instantly regrets it when flames burn her throat. She rises from her crunch and sprints throughout the store to find what she is looking for.

Food section, pans and pots, candy, seafood….electronics.

A single eyebrow rises when noticing the electronics isle, Bella sprints through the isle and grabs several things such as: a radio, cell phone, wires, and other supplies. Carrying a hand full of supplies, Bella sprints to the front and begins to bag her items before adventuring out again.

Finding the clothing section, Bella takes several pairs of shirts, pants, skirt for herself and strolls over to the children's area. Grasping several outfits for her kids, Bella return to the front and bags her items again. Now, Bella finds several pairs of shoes for them and a couple of toys for her younglings.

Bella bags the rest of her supplies and takes all the bags into her arms and climbs back through the vent to head home.

Sprinting across the cold snow in a flash while carrying all the bags in her arms, thankfully, Bella has brute strength to not worry about the weight. The wind runs against her thin body, grabbing her hair in its grasp. The hem of her toga waves wildly behind her. The run always thrills her and always urges to go on daily runs.

Her homes comes to view, it sits high up the mountain. Bella slowly comes to a slow walk before coming to a sudden stop with her eyes widen in worry. Sniffing the air, Bella smells something sweet; it's unfamiliar and is not her young ones. Placing her bags to the ground quietly before crunching down to a defensive posture and stocks closer to her home. The scent becomes stronger, Bella nostrils flare as a soft growl rumbles in her chest. Bella golden eyes dart over to the corner of her house where a menacing growl stirs in the shadows. In the shadows, a creature similar to herself steps out of the shadows and into the moon light. Another vampire…

To be continue..