chapter 17 the life of Edythe Cullen

Bella hadn't been to the lumber yard before. When she was younger, she past by it on a couple occasions, but they never went into the lot or spoke to any of the workers. It was abandoned now for faulty equipment. Renovations were supposed to take place, but the legalities of the whole thing slowed it to a complete stop. Perhaps this was why she jumped at the chance to go that night at dinner. After having a strange – yet very pleasing – moment with Edythe, Bella came downstairs to help her father with dinner. He was currently on the phone, and didn't look too pleased. He was currently trying to push mashed potatoes onto a plate while cradling the phone on his shoulder and balancing himself on a crutch. Bella, realizing that her father would more then likely let the pot fall to his foot, took it from him and served dinner while he spoke.

"Are you sure you can't go, Steve? It has to be done by tomorrow..." He sighed, setting his crutches aside and falling to his chair. "I know... I'm sorry you're not feeling well, but Jason's out of town... And I think Mary's baby is due next week..." He rubbed his forehead. "Well... I think I can go notify them... Might be a bit of a hassle, but I can do it... Yeah, I'm sure..." He frowned, letting his hand drop to the table. "Steve, I'm limping, not dead. Of course I can drive. My foot still works. Anyway, I'll let you go then. Drink fluids, and I'll check up on you Monday. Get better." He hung up the phone and set it aside. "I'll be out for a bit tomorrow," he commented before starting to eat. Bella looked at him curiously.

"What for?" she asked, pouring ketchup on her meatloaf.

"Well, Mr. Willard needs a notice for his old lumber yard. The county's planning to tare it down for a park or something... Why he still owns the old thing, I have no idea. Kids sneak in all the time. Anyway, Steve's out with the flu and my other two deputies can't do it. Looks like I'm going to have to do it."

"How long a drive is it?" Bella asked. She was obviously worried about Charlie's safety. For more reasons then one.

"Not too bad," said Charlie with a shrug. "Maybe twenty minutes... Half an hour with the snow." He took a bite of food and salted his green beans. "Probably gonna have to miss the pre-game show..." he muttered, frowning at his plate. A smile tickled Bella's lips. Missing Sunday sports would be made illegal if Charlie had his way. Bella leaned forward and took his hand.

"I'll do it," she said kindly. Charlie looked at her.

"Oh you don't have to, Bella," he began. "Besides, it'd be better if someone from the precinct gave it to him. Legalities and such..."

"I'd just be a messenger, right?" Bella argued. "You could write a note telling him that no one else could give it to him."

"Even so," Charlie continued. "I don't want you to go out of your way or anything..."

"Not at all," she reassured him. "You just focus on your pre-game show, ok? I'll handle it, no problem. Who knows, I might even pick you up something, if you're good."

He laughed a bit at that, taking a swig of his beer. "Well if you really want to... I'll print out directions for you and write the note tonight. Then tomorrow, I'll give you the envelope to give to him. Though I must warn you, Old Man Willard can talk up a storm. My suggestion is to slip it into his mail box and run."

Bella giggled at him. "Duly noted." After a little more chatter, they cleared their plates and said goodnight. Bella wanted to be there when Edythe got back. She slipped into her pajamas and brushed her teeth, thinking. She was such a strange character. One minute, she hated her guts, the next, she was staying over and giving her a shoulder to cry on. She was such a complex person. How she wanted to get within her layers and see what made her tick. Perhaps it was just her curiosity speaking. Perhaps not. She stared at herself in the mirror, deep in thought. Did she have a reflection, she wondered? And what on Earth was her dark gift? That irritated her the most of all. She was so intrigued with it, it almost killed her. After rinsing, she came out to her room, her eyes landing on the mess she made just the other night. Bits and peaces of her now demolished teddy bear were littered around the broken pieces of glass from her picture frame. She decided she might as well clean it up. More then likely, she'd wind up cutting herself. So, swiping a plastic bag from the kitchen, she began to brush up the broken remains of her last love. She paused when she held up the photograph to throw away. Jagged glass crowned its way around the wooden frame, the photograph having been slit in a few places. Her eyes lingered on Carrie's face. Her smile was frozen on her charming, tan face, her long hair messy around her head. They had taken the picture during a summer sunset, sitting on Carrie's porch. She could still remember that afternoon...

What a sunset. She and Carrie sat on her porch swing, gently swaying back and forth. The summer breeze was a sweet, warm air that gently played with strings of their hair. Carrie's house was right on the edge of the desert. To Bella, it was paradise. The squeaks of the old swing were faint, humming to the melody of the orange sky and dirt brown earth. Off in the distance, the chirps of the last birds of the day were calling out to the sun, once or twice flying across the cascading warmth that the couple so enjoyed. Bella sighed, tucking her head beneath Carrie's chin. She was so warm... so familiar. She breathed softly, chest pushing on her ear only slightly. Her fingers played with her hair, the both of them watching the last golden rays disappear.

"Hey..." Bella looked up to her girlfriend. Her soft voice reverberated off of her breast bone, tickling her nerves. She smiled at her, her blue eyes deep and clear. "We should take a picture."

"Oh you know I'm not photogenic," said Bella, hand on her stomach. She squirmed out beneath her and let their lips connect for a moment before pulling back.

"Phooey," she said with a smirk. "You're my hot mama." She laughed as she tapped her nose, and then slipped away. She came back only moments later, a camera in her hand. She set it on the railing, having already set the timer, and took her proper place beside her, lacing her arms around her waist. After about five seconds, the picture was taken. They stared at it, their faces happy in the digital screen. Bella laid her head on her shoulder.

"You look better then me," she said with a smile. She kissed her neck. Her smell was that of strawberries and lilies. She loved that smell.

"Hey now," she said, rubbing her lower back. "I'm more then a pretty face, you know." They laughed together before staring back to their photograph. Carrie's smile fell. "So... you're really thinking about moving?"

Her heart fell within her chest. She shifted where she sat and shrugged. "Maybe. If mom follows through with Phil... which she might." She clung to her. "Besides... Dad has always wanted me to live with him. He's just never admitted it because he doesn't want me to feel pressured."

Carrie looked down to her. "But what about your mom? Don't you think she's pressuring you a bit, too?"

Bella took her hand, lacing her fingers through hers. "I don't want to talk about it right now." She looked to her, her brown eyes ernest. "Let's just... sit here, ok?" She cupped her cheek and let their foreheads touch.

"Ok..." She opened her eyes and let their lashes mingle with one another. "I love you, Isabella Swan."

Bella felt a happy heat rise to her face and she smiled to her. "I love you to... Carrietta Lucas."

"I guess I don't love you as much as I thought."

Bella pushed away a tear and trashed the photograph. Why? Why couldn't she have any terrible memories of her? She could still sense the smell of her... the taste of her lips lingering on hers. She wanted so badly to hate her. But she couldn't bring herself to. Even after all she'd done, all the promises she'd broken, all the pain she caused her... she couldn't hate her. She leaned against the side of the bed, staring at the garbage bag. This was her past. She couldn't dwell on it. It wasn't healthy. She tied a double knot on the black bag and pushed the bag into the garbage can inside the bathroom. She'd throw it away outside later. Right now, she just didn't feel like leaving her room. She flopped onto the bed, laying flat on her stomach and fixing her eyes on the wooden head board. So many memories had gone with that black bag... She had been so sweet to her. So kind and gentle... Why would she do this to her? She pushed her face into the pillow, fearing that she was descending back into her previous state. Thankfully, the tap on her window brought her back to Earth.

It didn't startle her the first few times Edythe came over. Perhaps she was getting used to her visits? She turned her head away in order to wipe her face before walking to the window and opening it for her, inviting her in as usual. She put on a smile for her. It was a little difficult to do after her short flash back, but it got easier the longer she stayed there.

"Thank you for coming back," she said sincerely. She nodded to her, glancing at where the mess was earlier. She was obviously checking to see if she had cleaned it up yet.

"I said I would," she reminded her.

"You did," she agreed. As was expected, her once black eyes were again a fluid golden color. Perhaps they faded the longer the time between feedings. "So, do you think it'll be sunny tomorrow?"

Edythe thought once more, sitting on the edge of her bed. "Not sure. I don't think so, but I should double check. Why? Somewhere you have to be?"

"Well, dad needs me to go give some papers to the man who owns the old lumber yard. So yes..." She paused. "But if you can't come with, that's fine. Julie came with me to the store. I'm sure she can come with me tomorrow too..." Her voice faded off as she turned to look at her.

"I'll be glad to go," she said, almost immediately. Bella blinked at her.

"But... shouldn't you check if – ?"

"It should be fine. I'm going."

Bella frowned and crossed her arms. "You're not worried at all?"

"I'll take an umbrella if I have to," said Edythe stubbornly. She then muttered something under her breath. Bella wasn't quite sure what it was, but she thought she heard something along the lines of Julie being a "filthy mutt", or something of the like. Bella sighed.

"Edythe, please be a little nicer to Julie." She looked at her, cocking an eyebrow. "I know you and her don't get along so well... but she's my friend too. So, please be a bit nicer. At least don't call her stuff like that."

Edythe huffed and looked out the window. "Fine. But I'm still going with."

"Whatever." She flopped onto her bed, letting her eyes close. There was a silence in the room. She didn't feel Edythe stir from her spot. Finally, she turned on her side to face her. "Thank you." She glanced over her shoulder.

"You already said that," she pointed out.

"Yeah," said Bella, "but I wanted to say it again."

"Why?" She seemed to be sincerely confused.

Bella shrugged. "I just really appreciate it is all."

Edythe frowned. "Well quit it. It's irritating."

Bella tossed a pillow at her head, which she caught. "Alright, fine. I'll stop thanking you." She rolled over on her other side, pulling the second pillow to her chest. There was another long pause. Behind her, Bella could feel the springs lower. Edythe had laid down.

"Sorry," she sighed. "You're welcome."

A small smile came to Bella's face and she sat up. With a grin, she poked at her chest. "Cream puff."

They spent the rest of their night talking to one another, until Bella's eyes refused to stay open. She didn't know when her head fell to her chest, but when she woke up that morning, she could hear a rhythmic breathing below her. She blinked, glad that it was foggy that morning. Focusing her senses, she realized that there was no heart beat. Not one that she could decipher, anyway. She tapped on her stomach, but not to wake her. She was simply content, laying in her presence for most of the morning. Soon, however, it came time for her to leave. After her morning rituals, she roused Edythe, and the two of them slipped into her rickety truck and headed out. Edythe yawned a couple of times. It was obvious she was used to sleeping in on Sundays.

"The second exit's easier," she said, patting her mouth, mid yawn.

"What?" Bella glanced at her as she drove.

"The map you have?" She looked to her paper. "It's the long way. Go to the second exit. It actually shaves off a mile."

She looked at the exit signs and spared her another look. "You sure...?"

"I've lived here for at least ninety years," said Edythe. "I'd like to think I know where I'm going."

Bella rolled her eyes but took her word for it. Remarkably, they arrived there ten minutes or so before they said they'd be there. From off the main road, Bella moved onto a dirt laid pathway, the gravel and snow crunching beneath her chained tires. Thankfully, the rusted gate was open, so they were able to drive right into the lot. Even though the windows were up, the distinct scent of pine and saw dust was prevalent. Even more so when the two got out of the truck. To the left of them sat the old mill. Old, rotting piles of cedars and redwood were piled in stacks, some actually deteriorated in half, clinging to the chains that bound them to the rest of the pile. Smoke stacks which hadn't seen action in ages sat atop the roof, lonely and cold. The windows were boarded with ply wood, marked up a bit by neon spray paint. And to the right of them sat a tiny hobble. Once used for an office, more then likely, the shanty was now a house, a make shift mail box stuck unevenly in the muddy snow. Bella was going to slip it into the tin container, but it wouldn't quite fit, and she was worried about folding anything. So instead, she decided to just slip it under the door. She paused, as though waiting for the door to swing open. It never did. She was somewhat relived, considering what her father had warned her about. At the same time, she hoped the old man wasn't dead. But, peeping through the window, she saw a crotchety geezer with only half a head of hair laughing loudly at a blue television screen. With a light smile, Bella brushed herself off and turned to tell Edythe that they were done. But she hadn't seemed to hear her. Her eyes were plastered to the sky. For the first time, they were frightful.

The clouds, which had been sturdy all that morning, were beginning to part.

Before Bella could blink, Edythe sped off, vanishing into the doorway of the saw mill, which was a good fifty feet away. The quickest shelter she could find. After all, she didn't need permission to enter into an abandoned building. Bella quickly followed her, closing the door securely behind her. She looked around, a must filled smell now surrounding her. She put a hand to her nose, the floorboards creaking beneath her in irritation. "Edythe?" she called. She moved carefully so as not to bump into anything. The old mill had chains that hung from the ceiling, and rusted tools laying about the floor. An old conveyer belt lay useless in the middle of the place, a couple of hard hats tossed to the side. "Edythe?" she called again, a couple of boards beneath her almost feeling as though they were about to cave in.

"I'm here..." As if from nowhere, Edythe merged into the faint light. She had stripped herself of her jacket, the thing now laying atop an old supervisor's chair. She wore nothing but a light tank beneath it, revealing her bony shoulders and thin ams. She rubbed her forehead. "I didn't think it'd get sunny all of the sudden... But at least we're at the mill."

Bella nodded. "I'm sorry I asked you to come," she said, fiddling with her hands. "I didn't want you to risk it..."

"My fault for not checking the whether." Edythe slumped down to the floor, a cloud of dust rising in her wake. Instead of sitting with her, Bella turned and began to explore the mill. What a strange old place. Dust covered everything, and world around her told a story of what once was. Bella wondered what happened there. What stories were told between these old walls? How many lives had passed through the same room again and again, day after day, the world turning as they moved? Old buildings had this sort of affect on Bella. It made her imagination run off – like a child's would. How many men worked with their sons? Were there lives lost here? Perhaps there would have been more, if their coworkers had not made daring rescues to save them. Machine malfunctions and such. She imagined a man getting word that his wife was in labor. How excited he would be. He would run off, the other workers – like a family – cheering him and telling him to name the baby after them. He'd come back to work a little later with pictures that he paraded proudly about the work place. About eighteen years later, that same man would be just as proud. His son was going off to fight in the war. He was worried, obviously, but his pride was far outweighing of his fear. Fast forward a year. The man, now a bit worn and tired, works without so much as a word. He hadn't heard of his son in four months. Was he alright? Why didn't he call? That's when his supervisor comes to him with the bad news. His wife was on the phone – hysterical. Their son was dead.

Bella blinked and gave herself a mental shake. Why did her day dreams always have to end so tragically? She rubbed her temple and looked to Edythe. Her eyes were on her, curiously. "What are you thinking about?" she asked.

Bella shifted and then shrugged. "Just zoning out I guess." She tapped the wall a couple of times. "I was just wondering what life might have been like here." She leaned against the wall and mindlessly began to bounce off and on it. It creaked each time she made contact.

"I can tell you if you like," said Edythe. "I was here for the most part... I didn't see it get built, but I've seen it evolve and die." She eyed her actions. "Bella, don't do that."

"Do what?" she asked, continuing to bounce back and forth.

"The walls are weak. Don't slam up against them."

Unfortunately, her words had been drowned out by the wham of her back on the wall. In a teetering crack, the wood behind her began to splinter and finally gave way. What Bella didn't realize before they entered that part of the mill was up on a slight cliff. She screamed, her eyes wide as she fell with the splintered bits of wood. She had fallen for only a second or two before she felt something grab her, and turn her violently in the air. She collided with the ground, something breaking her fall. She bounced up and rolled off to the side. For a moment she couldn't breathe. She laid on her side, staring out in front of her. She was brought out of her shock, however, by a blood cuddling screech. She got to her knees and quickly turned her head. There, she saw Edythe, writhing on the ground and crying out in pain.

She gripped the dirt, her fingers digging deep into the earth. Her fangs were even longer, as though a natural reaction to her affliction. Her white skin was quickly turning red, the veins in her face popping out of her skin. Bella could see small bits of steam rising from her body, and her skin actually began to bubble. It sizzled and hissed, the bright rays of the sun cooking it like bacon. Bella needed to act quickly. She spotted a thick, blue tarp that covered an old fork lift. Yanking it down, she ran to Edythe and draped it over the both of them. She panted, giving out the occasional yell of agony from her burn. Bella sat on her knees, wanting badly to help her. But there was not much she could do. So she sat, waiting, until it was over. Her heart panged at her anguish. After all she had done for her, it was hard for Bella to just let her be hurt like this. Finally, the red went away. Now, her skin was simply a faint pink. Her jaw muscles were still a bit tight, and her nostrils flared, but she wasn't crying out anymore. She was soon relaxed enough to sit up, her breath coming more normally.

"I'm sorry," said Bella earnestly. "Are you alright?" She didn't answer right away. But soon she said she was fine. "Are you sure?" She gently tapped her forearm. She winced and drew it away. "Sorry..." she repeated.

"It's fine..." She sat back on her hands, looking down to her arm. The pink was slowly fading away. "Should be all better in a little bit. I heal pretty face. This was just a little sun burn. Nothing serious. I'm a quick healer, anyway."

Bella looked her over. "But... if it was something serious?" she asked, tentatively.

Edythe glanced at her. "Well... if it was something serious, I'd need fresh blood. Or else the healing process would be long and very painful... But it's only for something that would be fatal. No worries." Bella pulled her knees to her legs with a nod. She was glad she was all right. "In any case. Looks like we'll be stuck here for a while. What do you want to do?"

Bella twirled a piece of her hair. She looked up to the blue tarp, the sun shedding light above them. "Hm... well..." She turned her eyes back to Edythe. In the cyan tint, she looked almost ghost like, blending in well with the back drop they were shrouded in. "I'm curious."

"About what?" asked Edythe.

"You," she replied simply. She crossed her legs and laid them flat, hands in her lap. "For instance... How long have you been alive? You know... from the time you were born human to now?"

Edythe gave a faint chuckle. "Oh well now let's see... I was born in the spring of 1902, I think. Or was it 03? So... I'm about a hundred and seven or a hundred and six. Give or take."I think I could be wrong i don't know.

"Wow..." she said, her chin between her hands now. She had never taken the time to examine the time span that Edythe had lived. It was mind blowing when she looked at it. She must have seen so many things... "Tell me about your life."

She laughed outright at that. "All of it?"

"Alright, let's start with the mill then. You said you've seen most of it? Tell me..."

And so she began to speak. She talked about how she'd watch as the workers all left at sunset. On rare occasions, she watched them enter just before the break of dawn. It had once stood proud among the trees, smoke billowing from its stouts. Its whistle could be heard for miles. The smell of fresh cut cedar was intoxicating. Almost as much as blood was. She had moved to Washington just when she reached her thirteenth year. They had moved from Oregon, and it wasn't all that much different. Her original name was Edythe Landry, named after her biological father, Ed. She had no brothers, no sisters. Her mother was much like Esme, but with a much sharper tongue. Up until her first teenage year, nothing really caught her interest in either state. The only thing that really captivated her was that mill. She had worked there for a while when she was still human. She could still remember a few of the jokes that passed from co-workers to co-workers; the smell of their sweat as they pulled chunks of redwood in for chopping. It was her second home. Murphy, a young man a few years older then she, showed her the ropes. It was the first non blood related person she considered to be family. Her mother didn't like the idea of her dealing with such dangerous things, but her father couldn't stop talking about how proud he was of her being independent. She had pretended to be a man and had been enlisted into the war by the time she was sixteen. Murphy enlisted as well. She was excited, her mother hysterical. Despite the enlistment, she never once saw combat. She and the others who went with her were traveling by boat to Europe when they were caught in a storm. It tore their ship apart. She had floated for days on the spare pieces of the ship before a fishing boat spotted her. Murphy was not so lucky. When she came home, she was ashamed to show her face. Too ashamed to reenlist. What would they think? A young recruit who couldn't so much as get past international waters? Who never fought for her country? She didn't even take solace in her beloved mill anymore. She did chores around the house, keeping mainly to her mother's side. What had built up in the half year between the ship departure and her seventeenth birthday, was loathing. At herself, at the cruel fates that took her friend... She began to despise the world. Then, just one week after turning seventeen, their house was broken into. She couldn't recall the names or faces of the nomad vampires that attacked them. All she could tell was that they smelled of rotting corpses and dead fish. Her father tried to ward them off, but it was no use. He was dead before he hit the ground, his neck broken and throat leaking blood. Edythe then did her best to protect her mother. They captured her and made her watch as they devoured her. After which, they turned to her. After eating their fill, they left her for dead. For a full day, Edythe was immovable on the floor of which her dead parents lay beside her. That night, another stranger entered her home. Edythe, despite her handicap, glared at her. All of her resentment for not being able to help her country – all of her anger at that storm for killing her friend – it had boiled over, seething through her pointed glare. But the man was not vicious or feral. He offered her a chance. A chance to live again. To right the wrongs of her conscious. Edythe took it. Though she would never reveal the reason to Carlisle, the reason she wanted to live was so that one day, she could kill the sons of bitches that took her parents.

Bella sat there, mouth slightly gaped at her story. What a tale. And that was only when she was human. Bella swallowed – her mouth was dry at the moment. "What happened after you were turned?" she asked.

"After I was turned..." she repeated. "Well... first I was scared. Petrified, even. I spent the first few years getting adjusted to myself. That's when the twenties rolled around." A little smile came to her face. "What a time. Now that I was used to my new body, I was restless. I wanted to explore this... new life that I'd been given. Perhaps it was selfish of me, but I had already forgotten about my parents murder. I still carried with me the mentality of a teenager. I still do, to some extent. Finally, Carlisle let me go to New York. Man oh man... what a party it was. I was young and full of energy. Thankfully, the city didn't really come to life until the night time. Carlisle had a good amount of money for me to use as rent so that I could sleep in the day undisturbed. God you should have seen New York in the twenties. Up town were flappers and jazz and parties. Downtown, underground fights and rugged freedom. Feeding was hardly a challenge. Get a girl liquored up enough and do a little necking in a dark corner of a room... Easy meal. I never killed anyone – I don't think. I just took enough to last for the week or so."

Bella snorted in laughter. "So what you're saying is... you used to be a playgirl?" She laughed a bit more. "Ah... Sorry, I don't mean to laugh. You just don't seem like the type is all." Not one bit, in fact. Where was that Edythe? The one who seemed to be fun loving and risk taking? What she wouldn't give to have seen her like that. She smiled ruefully.

"Well... I'm not the type," she admitted. "I was going through a wild streak, I guess you could say. But it got old, after a while..." She ran her fingers along the top of the dirt. "I was raised in a small town... Two of them. I wasn't meant for that fast paced life. So after about seven years of running around, I returned to Carlisle, only to find Esme waiting at his side. A couple years later, he showed up with Rosalie. Then... the thirties."

"The Depression?" asked Bella carefully.

"Well... yes," she said. "But a financial depression wouldn't hurt us. We didn't need money to live, considering that we had our own home." Her face became softer... more reserved. Her voice became quieter, and her eyes became gentler. "No... what the thirties meant to me was not the Depression."

"What was it?" Bella was on the edge with curiosity. What could have Edythe so gentle in her deposition? She looked at her for a moment and then stared at the blue tarp around them.

"Her name was Annabell Susan McCleary..."