The Spanish Influenza, a deadly silent killer. By the time you know, it's too late. I sit and watch as these innocent patients die from the virus. As more and more people are infected, but strange is this one young boy. Edward Masen, his father died during the first wave of infection and his mother infected him. His mother does not have much longer. No one jas much longer. The dead are piled up outside for the morgue to collect them when they have coffins or ditches ready. Guilt eats me alive, just one bite would save them all. Or would it? I am so lonely I want someone to accompany me on this rollercoaster, but to change someone who had choices, just for a friend, that is the most selfish thing I have ever heard. If I am not already damned thatbwould damn me.
But these dying people, none of them have options. Death is their option, either way death will get them. "Dr. Cullen, the little girl just died," Nurse Candy told me. She was an innocent child, he family all died before her, she was a fighter. I knew her before I saw her here. Her little brother had died of chicken pox and her mother had quite the fright she might have them as well. She had been giggly and happy and smiles. She had reminded me of Esme, a sixteen year old girl I had treated seven years prior, with a broken leg. She was perfect, if anyone would have been able to love me for what I was Esme would have been the girl but she was sixteen and I twenty one. I did not want to steal her youth. She semed hapoy anyway, I did not want to destroy her smiling face.
This little girl, her name was Maybel, she had brown haor with caramek tints and pale skin with warm brown eyes. A similar Esme. She reminded me so much of her. I walked over to her cot where a nurse was preparing to throw her out with the others, as if each dead human was trash to throw on the yard and wakt for it to be cleaned up, cleared away. I stopped her and said, "Let me do it." The nurse ran away to treat one of the millions of other patients and I cradled the young girl in my arms. No older than six years and her heart was silent. I carried her outside and in to the woods. I laif her down and dug a grave for her, I knocked down the trees and forced a coffi. I buried her in the coffin with flowers and sweet things. Happy things. I buried the grave and marked it woth a cross. God bless you, I prayed.
I reentered the hospital and a hand grabbed mine. I stopped in instict although I could have just as easily continued walking. It was Elizabeth Masen. She was sweating terribly from the fever and her heart was frantic, trying to not give out but any minute it would. I recognized the familiar sound of last attempts at survival. "Dr. Cullen," she whispered.
"Yes, calm down, don't stress your heart, yes?" I reminded her.
She took a breath and closed her eyes, I thought her dead but her heart stayed beatingg. "What others can not do, that is what you must do for my Edward." She panted. "You have to save him. Please, you must do something..." her heart fluttered extremely fast and she took breaths panting in anxiety as she felt death come. "Save him, you must save...whatev...th...c-c-ost...my Edwa..." her heart gave out and she dropped her grasp.
Edward, I thought, I can save him. I went home that morning, since I worked the night shift. It gave me something to do at night since sleeping was not an option. I thought over the pros and cons of doing as Elizabeth Masen had requested. I could save her son, but did she want me to save him in the way I would? Would saving him make him happy? Would he hate me? So many unanswered questions, I could never know for sure the answer to any of those questions. I made a deal with myself, if Edward survived for two mote days, I would change him. That gave me tine to hunt so, if, he was still alive I could change him and have my thirst under control.
I ran in to the woods and closed my eyes. A herd of deer was passing the creek, northwestern. I ran. Instict took over amd I narrowed my eyes. I lunged and took down three deer. The herd took off but they wouldn't escape me. I took down four more and let them go. I devoured every last dripping-drop of blood from the animals and kicked aside their carcuses. Animal carcuses were garbage, fertilization for the soil. Natural. The way of life.
I walked home slowly, at a humanly pace and reminced about my life with a companion, even if just a friend. We could hunt together, I would have to train him to accomadate my to the "vegetarian" lifestyle and to manage his thirst. The first year would be the hardest but after that, if he had not killed me, things would be better. I stepped in to a ray of sunlight and my skin sparkled as always. I sprinted in to the shadows. Sparkling was just another reminder of what I was and I did not need that. Not today.
I reached the hospital at seven on the dot. The exact time my shift started. I washed my hands and put on my scrubs. I headed straight for Edaard's cot but I could already hear the heartbeat of a person, if not him then they had already replaced his cot with another. I turned and saw him. Alive. I unhooked him from machines and found a nurse. "Edward Masen is dead," I told her. She nodded and collected his files. I picke dhim up, he was full grown, seventeen years old, but light as a feather to me. I carried him in the dark past the rotting bodies of influenza victims to my home. I laid him on a make shift cot and prepared myself. "I am going to save you Edward," I whispered and thwn I bit his neck. The pulse of blood entered my mouth. The sweetest thing that one could ever taste, want. I yanked myself away and watched as his eyes bulged open nd he screamed in pain. His body writhing in tremors as the venom spread throughout him, freezing everything and healing everything.
The sun set, the moon rose, the sun rose, the sun set and this process went on until he awoke. He was quite remarkable. His hair a startling coller color and his skin pale white like mine. It had not a single imperfection on it and he looked healthy. He opened his eyes and they were an auburn red. His throat must burn, I thought to myself.
"It does, why?" His voice was soft like velvet. He was standing up now.
How do you tell someone they are a vampire? I thought to myself, contemplating different ways and explanations.
"Vampire," Edward whispered. "What do you mean?"
"I am a vampire and I changed...you. My name is-"
"Carlisle Cullen, my mother asked you to do this, to save me?" Edward asked me.
"How di-"
"I don' t know'" he aswered.
He's answering my unansweted questions, he must have an ability. Like Aro's but he doesn't need contact to read my mind. "Telepathic," I whispered.
"I can read minds?" Edward asked raising an eyebrow and then his thirst kicked in and he was dry heaving, clutching at his throat.
"Follow me," I urged him and I jumped out the window. He followed me and I was impressed.
"I don't have many other options," he replied to my thoughts and I smiled.
You don't do you.
"Besides if my mother trusted you, so do I."
"That's good." I said and I found a slkt. Crowded with wild life. "Close your eyes. What do you smell?"
Edward did as he was told and his eyes shot open. He lept in to the air and took down an elk. I was impressed. He stuck to the diet and took down almost a whole herd of deer, probably the surviving deer from my last hunt. Then he seemed tame. I took him bacl to the house and explained things to him.
"Eternity? As in forever?" Edward asked.
"Unless someone breaks you into pieces and burns you, but no on will be able to we are in this together," I reminded him.
He smiled and nodded, "Together."
