Authors note: Two chapters in so little time! Phew! Hopefully you will all forgive me, for I have not posted in a while. T.T schoolwork really bogs ones creative ability.

Random note: I created a reference map for Waking Granite, recording the places Alice and Jasper go pre-meeting each other, notes on the 1920's, and the timeline. That should help me a little.


I arrived in Philadelphia. Tall buildings rose majestically while people bustled around, eternally busy. I breathed in smoke and tar; children ran home for supper then bedtime. The most amazing thing was the amount of motor cars there were. They were a rather new invention, and most cities population still rode on the horse-driven carriages.

I loved it. The excitement, the…"Oh lord!" I exclaimed, looking at a little shop tucked to the side.

"A clothing shop!" I decided then, that I would get a job, situate myself in this town, and find that bar.

I thought about what job I could take, while I sat motionless on a bench. A group of drunken teenagers clustered around a young frightened girl. My eyes narrowed, "Excuse me," I growled menacingly, just loud enough for them to hear me.

"What d' you want, miss? Ya want some too?" A cocky blonde haired boy slurred. I couldn't help but compare him to Jasper. Jasper's face held an ancient sadness, a timeless quality that appealed.

The boy's face was pretty, no doubt about it, but the sneer in those full lips ruined it.

The group tittered, if I could have blushed, my face would be red.

"No. I want you to leave the girl alone." I said while I grabbed her arm and shifted my body so I was in front of her. She, despite her fear of me, clung desperately to my arm.

"Now now, miss. I wouldn't want to ruin that pretty little face of yours." He raised an arm threateningly. In his hand glittered a silvery knife.

I gasped, disgusted. What a cowardly little…

I hissed, showing my pointy teeth. I checked the future to see what would happen if I attacked him.

The boy will become sufficiently afraid, but injured pride is dangerous, he will corner me later. The girl runs, terrified, into a dark alley only to be attacked again.

Any other options?

I run away, carrying the girl in my arms, using my full speed. The boys find a way to explain away the speed and laugh at how they scared me off. I explain to the girl that she didn't really see anything, that she was merely seeing things, and that was understandable considering the circumstances.

I took the second option. I spun around, gently lifting the girl from the ground. The humans seemed to move in slow motion; not even registering the fact that I had moved yet, which was fine by me. While I lifted her, I noticed her appearance for the first time. She had long light brown hair bordering on blonde; it fell in carefree curls down her shoulders like a waterfall. Her eyes were sea-blue which were widened in fear. Her skin was tanned. She had the look of a girl who spends all her free time in the sun, enjoying life.

Only now did she notice that her feet were no longer on the ground, she gasped quietly as I spirited her away.

When we were safely away, I set her down on the ground. She stumbled backwards, finding her balance by holding onto the wall for support. "You're safe now. You had quite a fall though, so take it easy." I soothed, sliding over next to her. I hoped that I could keep control of myself. Maybe in the dark she couldn't notice my pale skin, my hungry eyes that wanted her blood. My throat ached, and burned.

"Who are…what…fall?" She stuttered, full of questions.

"My name is Alice, I saw you being harassed by those boys, so I came to help. The boy drew a knife and you fainted, but I managed to get you away while they were distracted."

The girl's brow furrowed, "Distracted by what?"

"The bar man telling them to pay up for the damage caused at his bar," I laughed lightly.

The girl fell silent, obviously running through what she saw, and my explanation. Then she ran a hand through her hair, "I suppose I should thank you then," she muttered.

I laughed again, the tinkling of chimes in the wind, "Don't mention it. Are you okay though?" I worried about the girl; she seemed very fragile, so…breakable.

"I'm fine. You?"

Me? I felt alive and invincible. The first one was more of a metaphor, I mused. Since I actually was dead. "Okay I guess." A simple answer, but it didn't match the electricity I felt running through my skin.

"Are you new here? I haven't seen you around."

Does this girl ever stop asking questions?

"Yeah." I wondered if she was afraid of me. She looked a little afraid, but her curiosity and wonder must have burned brighter.

You are going to attack her.

You aren't going to attack her.

You are going to attack her.

The visions blurred through my head. I needed to go, now.

"Look, I'm sorry, but I have to go. I fear I won't be able to book a hotel if I stay any longer."

Maybe the girl was secretly happy I had to go. She breathed out, "Okay. See you—"

I was already gone.

The truth was, I wasn't ready to book a hotel. The temptation of all those humans…Maybe if I wasn't so hungry…no. Thirsty.

But at the same time, I knew I could not injure another human. My first kill hung heavy on my shoulders, already weighing me with guilt. Maybe a vision could help me with an alternative.

I plunged into the 'river', searching, waiting. My body was frozen, sitting on yet another bench alone with the night as my companion. Then a vision flowed into my head, a tumble of images, words, and senses.

Damp mossy rock, like velvet beneath my feet. I walk silently, listening to a deer graze the dewy grass in a meadow ahead. I leap and attack my prey.

Laughter drifts near me while I feed. I stand up.

Of course! Animals!

I leave the town behind, looking for some prey.

The woods are silent to humans, but to me, I can hear every little whisper of the trees and every footfall of my intended prey. I sniff the air. The smell is almost repulsive, like vegetables you don't want to eat, but you're so hungry you eat it anyway.

Better than killing an innocent person.

The deer made the mistake of once again shifting its weight. I pinpointed its location, just around the next tree. I lunge. The animal didn't stand a chance, I note while my teeth tear into its soft warm flesh. It falls to the ground, bleating in terror. I gently take its neck, patting it, soothing it. The deer calms down a little, and then I break its neck with a sickening sound that made me shudder. Blood flowed freely from the wound. I wrinkle my nose, then start to feed. The blood was too sweet, with a aftertaste like mud. I gagged, but continued, until the creature was sucked dry.

I wiped my lips, noting that I got a little on my new coat. Then I headed back to the city, to look around for a job.