Note: This is the longest chapter of the story. Due to its length, I've split it into three parts. Once you start, you won't want to put it down, so make sure you have the time to read the whole thing. I'd love to hear your comments, as the entire story has been slowly building up to this day...
Chapter 54: The Day the World Changed
Los Angeles, California
May 22, 2023 – 9:16 AM
Wanting to make a strong impression for her interview this morning, Bella had gone shopping the day before, picking up a pair of perfectly fitting jeans and a flattering yet conservative white blouse. She knew the importance of looking the part, and her new outfit struck the right balance between professionalism and approachability.
Later that night, wanting to satiate her thirst, Bella headed out to a particularly rough neighborhood where she'd had good luck in the past. It had been a little over two weeks since she'd last fed, and with the next day looming, she didn't want to feel on edge. Deciding to overindulge a bit, she quickly found and drained three drug dealers, their tattoos marking them as gang members. The sprawling decay of this section of Los Angeles afforded her easy pickings, and she was pleased to finish her hunt without any complications. Leaving full, with no mess to clean up, and well before midnight, Bella couldn't help but hope it was a good omen for the next day.
Now, freshly showered and exuding the polished confidence of a professional young woman, Bella stepped out of her hotel. The crisp morning air greeted her, and the sun cast a warm, golden hue over everything it touched, making the world feel alive with possibility. Her interview was just a short distance away, and rather than rushing, she chose to savor the moment. With each step, she let the tranquility of the beautiful May morning in sunny California wash over her.
The sidewalks were bustling, even at this early hour, as Bella made her way through the upscale shopping district where her hotel was located. The high-end clothing displays in the store windows caught her eye, and she couldn't help but think how much Alice would adore this stretch of stores. As she walked, her thoughts drifted to the upcoming interview, and a sense of optimism settled over her. She had come prepared, and she was feeling good about her chances.
Having been a vampire for nearly 16 years now, Bella had yet to take on a steady job, but that was hopefully about to change. If all went well, she would soon be a writer and photographer for Vistas magazine, which specialized in showcasing exotic locations. Over the years, photography had become a passion of hers, capturing the world through her lens as she traveled to far-off places. Writing had always come naturally to her, even back in her human days, and now she was ready to put both skills to professional use.
For the past two years since her graduation, Bella had been traveling, steadily expanding her portfolio by taking pictures wherever she went. She had indeed taken that trip to Hawaii and captured some incredible images of the tropical paradise. She had also traveled across Europe again, visiting many of the sights she'd missed the first time around. That trip gave her the first real chance to spend quality time with her mom since her transformation, allowing them to go out together and see the sights as equals, without any concerns on Bella's part, as her mom's newborn days were long behind her.
If the interview went well and she landed the job, it would allow Bella to continue her travels—something she loved dearly—while also giving her human persona a sense of purpose that had so far been missing from her life. Under one arm, she carried a large leather carryall filled with some of her best photos, along with writing samples she'd crafted based on those images. The building she was headed to was in a recently developed, upscale part of LA, a centerpiece of the city's major redevelopment project that had been transforming the area for well over a decade.
Bella was just about to step onto the crosswalk when she heard it—a deafening noise that reverberated through the air, freezing everyone in their tracks. The sound was so abrupt, so jarring, that it took a moment for those around her to react, their faces etched with confusion as they tried to comprehend what had just happened. But Bella felt more than just the noise; subtle tremors beneath her feet told her something was very wrong. That wasn't the sound of an earthquake.
She turned instinctively to her left, her senses telling her that whatever had caused the noise had come from that direction, likely more than a few blocks away. A sense of unease began to take hold, and she found herself moving in that direction, her steps quickening as a bad feeling started to settle in her gut.
Soon, she saw the first people coming from that direction, but they were running, fear etched on their faces. Clearly, they were escaping from something. Bella began to run too, but unlike them, she was heading straight toward whatever had sent everyone scrambling. Sirens began to wail in the distance, growing louder with each step she took. It was clear that she and the emergency vehicles were converging on the same point. As she rounded the corner, the scene unfolded before her.
Across the expanse of a large open park, a tall building stood against the sky, but a massive plume of black smoke was billowing from its side. Bella's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight—whatever had caused that explosion, the damage was profound, and she knew, with a sinking feeling, that the day was about to take a dark turn.
Bella stood still, her sharp eyes quickly taking in the scene. As she took a few tentative steps closer, the chaos before her became clearer. Multiple fire trucks were already arriving, their sirens blaring as firefighters jumped into action. Even from a distance, her enhanced vision allowed her to see the full extent of the damage—the entire lower right side and corner of the building was gone, obliterated by what she could only assume had been some type of powerful explosion.
Her gaze shifted upward, catching sight of the large logo at the top of the building: Federal One Financial Building. The structure was imposing, rising a good 15 stories into the sky. Yet, as she stood there, transfixed, disturbing, unnatural sounds began to emerge from within—metal groaning under pressure, glass shattering as windows exploded outward—the entire building was straining under the trauma it had suffered.
Watching the first responders getting their gear on, Bella couldn't help but be hit with flashbacks to 9/11. She had been just shy of her 14th birthday when her mom had woken her up on that awful morning. Together, they had watched in horror as the events of that day unfolded. The images were seared into her memory—firefighters rushing toward certain danger, their faces set with grim determination. And now, as she stood there watching these firefighters gear up before running into the building, she knew it was happening again. A memory came unbidden of a particular firefighter she had seen on TV that day. He had been speaking to the cameras while putting on his gear before either of the towers had fallen. His voice had been steady as he prepared to do his duty and then left to fulfill it. She had never learned what happened to that man, but deep down, she knew, even if she didn't want to admit it to herself.
As Bella watched the tragedy unfold before her, she looked up at the towering building, knowing it was filled with terrified men and women. A resolve began to take root deep within her. She had the power to save those people—not all of them, but so many lives could be spared... if she acted. The weight of what she should do pressed down on her, her mind racing with the enormity of the decision she faced. Bella knew the laws that governed her kind. If she acted today, the world would change. The consequences would ripple far beyond this single moment in time.
She didn't fear for her own safety; that was of no concern. But what would this mean for vampires as a whole? What would happen if one of her kind revealed themselves in such a public, undeniable way? There would be no covering this up—not with news crews already swarming the scene, cameras rolling, capturing every second.
The path forward was unclear, but the urgency of the situation demanded a decision. The clock was ticking, and Bella knew she had to make a choice.
The building began to sway, and in that instant, Bella's decision crystallized. She wouldn't stand by and let innocent people die. Glancing down at the portfolio still in her hands, she realized it didn't matter anymore. It slipped from her grasp, falling to the ground, forgotten. She took a deep breath, her eyes scanning her surroundings as she prepared to act.
That's when she spotted it—in the window of a nearby department store. Several female mannequins stood on display, each adorned with simple masks that covered their eyes and cheekbones. Bella's lips curled into a smile. Maybe, just maybe, she could do this without fully revealing herself. With a burst of speed, she darted into the store and grabbed a blue mask with gold edging.
Putting on the mask, Bella felt a surge of determination course through her. She was ready. No longer a newborn, she had spent the last fifteen years honing her abilities, sharpening her skills to a fine razor's edge. Now, nothing seemed beyond her reach. The chaos unfolding before her would push her to her limits, but she knew she would succeed, as failure was simply not an option.
With her resolve set, Bella launched herself into the air, cutting through the sky with purpose. The teetering building loomed ahead, growing larger with each passing second. Hovering about seven stories up, Bella could hear the structure groaning under the strain of the damage it had sustained. Taking in the scene, her mind raced through her options. The first step was clear: she had to stabilize the building to prevent it from collapsing entirely. Only then could she focus on rescuing the people trapped inside.
Without hesitation, she began her work. Flying around the building in tight, controlled circuits, she started placing shields at key points, layering them at different angles and levels throughout the structure. Each shield's goal was to support and reinforce the building. She concentrated, her focus unwavering as she ensured the building held together.
Soon, the building began to steady under her efforts, the groans of metal and creaks of concrete easing as her shields took the weight. With the structure now secure, at least temporarily, Bella knew it was time to move on to the next task—rescuing those trapped within.
Flying to the front of the building opposite the park, Bella could hear the murmurs and gasps from the onlookers below as they noticed her presence. But she blocked it all out, pushing aside the noise and distractions. Her focus had to be solely on the task at hand. She needed an efficient way to reach the people trapped inside, but the front of the building stood in her way. A novel approach came to mind—something she had never attempted before, but it would grant her the access she needed. Steeling herself, Bella prepared for what she knew would be the most challenging task she had ever undertaken.
Captain Johnathon Samuels of the LAFD caught sight of the smoking building as his fire truck roared toward the scene. Even from a distance, the sheer magnitude of the damage to the building's structural integrity was unmistakable. A grim realization settled over him—many of his men, and quite possibly himself, might not be making it out of this one alive. He couldn't be sure, but it looked like a massive truck bomb had slammed into the side of the building and detonated, ripping through its lower levels with devastating force.
As the fire truck screeched to a halt, his men quickly began gearing up, their faces set with the determination born from years of training. Samuels wasted no time, barking out orders with the authority that comes from 25 years of command. This was what they had trained for, what they had prepared for, and no matter the odds, they would do their duty and try to save as many people as possible.
He had just sent a group of men in to assess the situation inside the lower levels, hoping they could access the stairs and start bringing those trapped on the upper floors down to safety. As he turned to organize the next team, a commotion erupted among his men. Several of them were yelling and pointing into the sky.
What now? He glanced upward—and then froze. There, circling the building, was a figure. A person. And they were flying?
For a moment, he stood rooted to the spot, struggling to process what he was seeing. He shook his head, half-expecting the vision to disappear, but it didn't. The figure remained, impossibly suspended in the air, moving with purpose.
What the fuck was this? This wasn't some superhero movie; this was real life.
Samuels was at a loss for how to handle this new development. It wasn't something covered in any handbook. Just then, something happened that defied all logic. The figure, who he now suspected might be a woman, paused mid-air, hovering halfway up the building. She seemed to be staring intently at the structure. Then, without warning, the entire front of the building—or rather, a thin slice of it—began to separate from the main structure.
He watched, stunned and unsure of what to make of it, when a new commotion broke out on the ground below. Cars and trucks were being shoved aside, as if by some invisible force, clearing a path. Then, the separated slice of the building started to collapse in on itself, but strangely, debris wasn't flying everywhere. It was as if the rubble was being carefully contained, controlled, until it settled into a neat pile on the ground.
Looking up, Samuels could only gape in disbelief as the entire building appeared to have been cleanly bisected, revealing a cross-section of its interior, like a dollhouse sliced open for anyone to peer inside. Floors, rooms, and shattered walls were now exposed to the open air, an unsettling sight that left him struggling to comprehend the purpose of such a precise and surreal action.
His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of screams, pulling his attention back to the scene above. He squinted, his heart sinking as he realized what was happening—people were jumping from the building. But as he braced for the worst, expecting to witness a horrific descent, something extraordinary occurred. Instead of plummeting to their deaths, the people were drifting down slowly, as if cradled by some unseen force.
And it wasn't just one or two. Dozens of people, from multiple floors, were emerging from the exposed cross-section simultaneously, descending in a slow, controlled manner. And more kept coming. It was the most surreal sight he had ever seen. The first of them touched down softly on the ground, their faces a mix of confusion and shock as they looked around, trying to process what had just happened.
In that moment, Samuels' sense of duty snapped into place. "Men!" he shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "Get these people to safety now!"
He watched as his men got to work, leading the startled survivors to safety. Looking back up, he still didn't know how to process any of this, but more and more people were floating down from the building. Somehow, that woman was saving everyone. A hope began to creep into Samuels' mind—maybe, just maybe, this day wouldn't be as terrible as he had first feared.
Forks, Washington
Charlie Swan sat at his desk, a steaming cup of coffee by his elbow as he worked through a stack of incident reports. The steady patter of raindrops on the roof provided a backdrop to the quiet of his office, and a glance out the window confirmed that the rain wasn't letting up anytime soon. Flipping to the next report, Charlie frowned. Yesterday after school, Jimmy Marks had been caught smoking marijuana behind the gym. What concerned Charlie more was that the boy had mouthed off to Deputy Johnson, showing a complete lack of respect for authority.
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Charlie weighed his options. Jimmy had never been in trouble before, and he knew the importance of addressing this before it became a pattern. Deciding on a direct approach, Charlie resolved to bring the boy down to the station and give him a firm talking to. A mix of tough love and positive reinforcement could make all the difference, keeping Jimmy from heading down the wrong path.
Just as Charlie finished jotting a note to call Jimmy's parents after dinner, the door to his office flew open, and Deputy Crabtree burst in, wide-eyed and flushed. The sudden intrusion jolted Charlie from his thoughts, and he looked up to see his deputy clearly shaken.
"Chief! You won't believe it. I was right! I told you. Aliens! They're here!" Crabtree blurted out, his voice a mix of excitement and disbelief.
Charlie was well accustomed to Crabtree's, let's say, eccentric theories on aliens and the supernatural. If only his deputy knew the truth of such matters like he did.
"What are you yammering about, Crabtree?" Charlie asked, irritation creeping into his voice. He didn't have time for any of Crabtree's nonsense today.
Crabtree shook his head, his usual bravado replaced with something more urgent. "Chief, you need to hear this. There was some kind of explosion—they say it might be a truck bomb—in downtown Los Angeles. CNN's covering it live right now, and… an alien just swooped in and started saving people. Come see. I'm not making this up!"
Charlie froze. It couldn't be… Without another word, he stood and walked past Crabtree, heading straight for the front office where the TV was on. He found every member of his staff glued to the screen, their faces a mix of shock and disbelief.
His eyes locked onto the live footage, and the words scrolling across the bottom of the screen sent a chill down his spine: 'Unidentified Woman at LA Explosion. Alien Involvement?'
As Charlie watched the screen, his stomach dropped. Oh God, that was Bella. The broadcast showed a still frame—an image taken from a strange angle, looking upward—but there was no mistaking it. That was her. She seemed to be wearing some sort of mask that obscured her face. On the right side of the screen was a wide-angle live shot, and as he watched, he could make out dozens of people floating down from various levels of a damaged building. Once they touched down, they were being guided away to safety.
Charlie's chest started to swell with pride as he took it all in. His little girl was saving so many lives. She was a hero. He had always known she was, but this… this was beyond anything he could have ever imagined.
"What do you think, Chief? She's got to be an alien, right?" Crabtree exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement.
"I don't know if she's an alien, Crabtree," Charlie replied, his voice firm but filled with emotion. "But look at what she's doing... She's saving those people. She's a goddamn hero, that's what she is."
Charlie sank into the nearest chair, unable to tear his eyes away from the screen. Awe washed over him as he watched his little girl step into the spotlight, saving lives and making the impossible happen.
Bella was laser-focused. She had to be. This was more taxing than anything she'd ever attempted before. Her little stunts of moving dozens of objects around a room at once was nothing compared to the sheer scale of what she was doing now. The level of multitasking required was stretching even her advanced mind to its limits, but failure wasn't an option—not when lives were at stake.
She kept pulling more and more people from the building, lowering them carefully on their descent to safety. Her head moved constantly, scanning in every direction—up, down, left, right. She needed to see everything at all times to maintain control. She couldn't help but think of herself as a conductor, directing the most important symphony of her life. Bella felt the weight of it all pressing down on her mind, but she carried on without faltering.
At first, the people had been rightfully terrified, suddenly finding themselves floating hundreds of feet above the ground with nothing beneath them. But soon, word spread, and from what their own eyes saw, the fear faded as they realized this was their chance to be rescued. Slowly, from all floors, more and more people came to the edges, waiting and hoping that she would grab onto them next and deliver them to safety.
While Bella continued lowering people, she could see multiple fire trucks below, their hoses dousing the lower levels of the building with water. She knew their actions would buy her a little more time, but the building was beyond saving. The fire inside had taken root throughout the lower levels and was consuming everything. Nothing could stop it now. The knowledge that time was running out only made Bella push harder, intensifying her focus to save every last person she could.
Bella had been steadily grabbing people and lowering them to safety for over an hour, and finally, the flow of people approaching the edge had begun to slow. Soon, she would have to start searching the building floor by floor, finding those who were hiding or trapped and unable to make it to the edge. She would then personally fly them down to safety. She knew time was running out, and she had to be quick. Even with her shields reinforcing the building, the groans and unnatural creaks from the lower levels, where the fire raged, were unmistakable. The structure was weakening, and she was painfully aware that her shields wouldn't hold the building up forever.
Still, she pressed on. There was no rest for the weary—not today. She had a goal, and nothing—neither mental fatigue nor the crumbling building—was going to stop her from completing it.
Bozeman, Montana
Jasper shut the door to his truck with a quiet thud, stepping around to the back to help Alice unload the supplies they'd just picked up. Alice had had a vision the other day of them redoing the guest room, so they'd just returned from the paint store. Jasper could only assume that her vision hadn't included what color they'd actually use, considering she'd bought ten different shades of white.
"I'm going to head to the room and start comparing colors. Can you bring everything in?" Alice asked, flashing Jasper a bright smile before hopping up to give him a quick peck on the cheek and disappearing inside.
"Sure thing," Jasper replied, chuckling to himself as he watched her flit away, amused as always by the sometimes ridiculous things that brought his wife so much joy. Lifting the ten-gallon cans of paint, five in each hand, he made his way inside, grateful Alice had propped the door open for him. Honestly, he couldn't imagine a better life. They'd been living in Montana for the past three years, and the quiet, simple life always had a way of grounding him in a way nothing else could.
When he stepped into the guest room, Alice was already darting from one corner to the next, holding up fabric swatches against the walls, completely absorbed and in her element. She didn't even notice him as he set the paint cans down next to the already white walls. With a shake of his head and a grin, Jasper knew she'd be at this for hours.
He left her to it, wandering into the living room and flopping onto the sofa with a contented sigh. Flicking on the TV, MSNBC was playing—Alice's go-to news channel. He was about to switch it to the History Channel, but the breaking news banner stopped him cold.
He stared at the screen for only a few seconds before shouting, "Alice! Get in here!"
Jasper couldn't believe what he was seeing. The headline across the screen read "Alien to the Rescue?" and the footage unfolding before his eyes blew his mind. A camera was pointed toward the sky, and there, floating, was a person? But what truly stunned him was when the camera panned back, it revealed dozens of people, all suspended in midair, slowly drifting down in front of a building that… well, he didn't know what had happened to it. The whole situation felt surreal, and Jasper quickly flipped through the channels, trying to confirm it wasn't some prank or movie. But no, every news outlet was showing the same thing. This was real.
Alice walked in, her voice questioning. "What is it?"
Jasper turned to her, uncertainty written all over his face. "You mean you didn't see this happening?"
Alice's gaze shifted to the TV, and Jasper watched her freeze, her eyes widening as she took in the scene. She looked as shocked as he had been moments earlier. But then, slowly, her expression changed. Her lips curled into a smile—one that grew wider and wider, until it seemed like she'd never been this happy. Finally, she whispered, almost reverently, "It's her. She's finally here."
Jasper heard Alice's words, but they weren't making much sense. "You've had a vision of this day?"
Alice's grin stretched wide, though her eyes remained fixed on the TV screen. "This day… no. But I've had so many visions of her over the years. Some of my very first visions after becoming a vampire were of her. She does so much good, Jasper. There was one time... I saw her save the entire planet. It was incredible—like nothing I've ever witnessed."
Alice's voice softened, her gaze still locked on the screen, seeing her hero not in a vision, but for the first time with her own eyes. "I wondered when this day would come. She hadn't decided yet that this was who she wanted to be. I'm so glad she's now on her way to fulfilling her destiny."
Jasper listened to Alice's words, but as usual, they didn't quite make sense. When your wife constantly dealt with visions of the future or events that might not even happen, sometimes her words could get a little wonky.
"It sounds like you know this person?" Jasper said, looking toward Alice for clarification.
Alice smiled, finally tearing her gaze away from the television to look at him. "Of course I know her. You do too. That's Bella."
BOOM! The World Has Changed!