Let's see if this works, shall we?
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WHITE DUSK (A FanFic)
“Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.”
Marie Curie
“To the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure.”
Taken from 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' by JK Rowling
PrefaceI screamed as the poison rushed through my blood stream.
I'm going to die! I'm dying! Why aren't you here stopping this?!My body writhed on the floor, trying to extinguish the fire burning me from within.
I'm dying! Your life is meant to flash before your eyes when you die – and I see nothing! It's a lie! I'm dying, and I see nothing!
But I'm not dying. The me up to this point is dying. Once I'm gone, there will be something else in my place, a monster like the creature standing over me, their emotionless blood-red eyes glinting in the moonlight.
1: ForksI woke up to the sound of rain and forgot where I was in the world.
Then I saw the green light thrown over the curtains and onto the ceiling and I remembered. Something inside me suddenly got crushed, like a canary being run over by a tractor.
Oh, great. I’m here…
I curled into a small ball under my duvet and closed my eyes. I didn’t know why I was reacting like this. I knew exactly what I was letting myself in for when I decided this. But never thought it would be this hard, this painful. And though I knew I shouldn’t blame my Mum for falling in love with my soon-to-be-stepdad, Dan, a tiny part of me did. I was happy that Mum was, but moving to another country, away from my family and friends, away from my school and job, away from my life to this unknowing was hard to swallow.
I sighed and forced myself to sit up and look at the time. As I landed in my new home that was America, I was expecting jet-lag. But I, surprisingly, was in sync with it. But today was going to be me finding my feet, getting use to my new house, my new town, and getting to know where everything was before I started the horror that was to come tomorrow.
Secondary school. Or, as the Amercians (was I one now?) called it, high school.
Shivering at this thought, I forced myself to get out of bed and get dressed, looking round my new bedroom. The walls looked so bare, I felt depressed just looking out them. There were a few empty shelves, which I immediate planned to use for favourite books and DVDs, had a small wardrobe and a small desk. On this desk was my laptop and, luckily, internet connection so I could stay in touch my friend back home…
No, this is home, I reminded myself. I live here now.
Sighing again, I got dressed quicker, went across the landing to the bathroom, cleaned my teeth and tried (yet failed) to make my black hair look neat. It looked like a haystack on top of my head.
Giving up, I went downstairs, almost tripping over a few cardboard boxes.
It seemed so stupid to me that, rather than Mum and me move in with Dan, that he sells his house and us to buy and live somewhere new. “It’ll be our home,” my Mum had said to me when we came to see Dan last time, before the move.
So, we had a new home. In a small town called Forks. Where there were hundreds of large, green trees, which must outnumber the humans that live here 100 trees to 1 human ratio. And Forks – my new “home” – was a town, not a city as it stated on its welcome sign – “
The City of Forks Welcomes You”.
I’m trying to find faults with this place, I realised as I glanced out of the window in the hall and just saw green. Why is America shown on UK TV as sexy and fun? Not just plain green?
I walked into my new kitchen and saw my soon-to-be-stepbrother, sitting at the table, reading a newspaper.
“Morning,” I suddenly had to stifle a yawn.
Xavier looked up from his paper. “Morning,” he smiled, his white teeth catching my attention.
The one main pro about getting a new stepdad, is that fact that I was getting a new stepbrother. The older brother I always kinda wanted. What made him even cooler was the fact he was training to be a doctor and that he was here while Mum and Dan were still down south, trying to sell his house.
“Shouldn’t you be catching up on your z’s?” Xavier asked, closing the paper.
“I slept a lot on the plane,” I commented, sitting down opposite him.
“So, how’s Forks for you?”
“Green.” There was no other word to describe it.
“You’ll get use to it.”
“Yeah,” I sighed. But what if I didn’t? “So, what’s your plans for today?”
It was weird, but Xavier and me just clicked when we first met. It was, as if, we knew each other all our lives. We just talked about stuff. Important and not-so-important. So, even now, that I had just done possible the hugest thing in my whole life, it seemed only natural to talk to Xavier like this.
“I have to study.” He sighed. “And finish a paper.”
“An essay?” Already, the differences between our two worlds were evident.
“It’s dull.” He waved a hand. “What about you?”
“Make my room more… well… me, I guess.” I admitted, even though this truly meant that I was doing nothing.
“You should check this place out.”
“What? The house?”
“The town.” Xavier made a gesture with his hand. “I mean, you are going to live here.”
Thanks for reminding me. “I would, but I need a car to do so. I don’t have one.”
“You can drive, though.” Xavier pointed out. The last time I was here to meet Dan and Xavier, I took my driving test and, by some weird yet amazing miracle, I passed. “You could borrow mine.”
“But you’re going back to medicinal school in a few weeks. You need your car.”
“You could…” Xavier said slowly, his pale eyes going all mysterious, “you can always keep it.”
I barked a laugh. “Me? Keep Your car? How would you cope?”
“I got an upgrade.”
Suddenly, my brain catch the words. It defrag their meaning and I repeated the words. “You… got… upgrade?”
“Yes.” Xavier said. “My car is going to dust and I bought myself an upgrade. It didn’t cost me, so… as a ‘Welcome to your new home’ present, I’m giving you my old car.”
I stared at him. “You… car… huh?”
“I’m – giving – you – a – car.” He said, as if telling a toddler. “Be – happy.”
“I – I am happy.” I said, stunned. “Just – just wasn’t expecting it.”
Xavier rolled his eyes. “Here.” He handed me the keys to his car. “There. Now, let’s see it and see what will need.”
He got up. Automatically, I got up too. I was stunned. I followed him out of the house onto the front garden – no, front lawn – and saw his car. No, my car.
It was an old Ford Festia, with two doors and a boot (aka trunk). I was a passaenger in this car yesterday after my planes from the UK to Phoenix then from Phoenix to Port Angeles. I slept for a short while in the car, as well. It had a good CD/radio system.
“Do you like it?” Xavier asked, looking a little worried.
“I… I don’t know what to say.” I was still stunned. “Thank you.” Then I frowned. “Where’s your new car?”
Xavier smiled at me, mischievous. “Who said anything about a car?”
I blinked, then I saw the new, slick black motorbike that sat neatly next to Xavier’s – no, my – car. My mouth fell opened.
“I changed my mind,” I blurted out. “You have the car, I have the motorbike.”
“Tough. You have the keys to the car. Not changing now.” He looked at me.
“Mean.” I pulled a face. “You do realise that our parents are going to freak when they see that.”
“I know.” Xavier’s smile broadened. “But what kind of older brother would I be to you if I didn’t go off the rails once in a while.”
I stared at my car. My car. That was weird, thinking this car as mine. But, at least it would make life a little easier. Tomorrow was going to be a little less worse than I imagined. But first, I would need to find it.
Later, I decided. At the moment, I wanted to attack my bedroom, and spend some time with my awesome stepbrother. No… no, I didn’t like using that term. Stepbrother. That sounded wrong. Brother. No, Xavier was my brother. I prefer that.
“Can you help me put some posters on my walls,” I asked, “before you go off the rails, of course?”
He shrugged. “I could squeeze you in.”
It took us just over an hour to make my room feel more lived in. I had tons of film posters stuck to one of my walls and we filled several shelves with books and DVDs. We ever put up on magnetic whiteboard where half of it had photos, postcards, maps, old London Underground tickets – memories of my old life in England. The other half was there for notes or reminders that I had to do. Xavier wrote “
Thank Xavier for awesome gift!”
“Don’t push it.” I commented, as if talking about the weather.
It was still raining, but dizzying. More like British weather, but still unnatural American at the same time. So, the weather wasn't as bad as I expect or feared when I made a break from the house to my car. I did some research on my new home and discovered that Forks was one of the – if not, the – place to get the most rainfall and near-constant cover of cloud in the United States. Not much weather difference to my homeland.
Once I was in the car, I quickly checked over everything: radio, CD player, heater and my digital camera several times over. My hobby was photographic was trying in a slight obsession. Once I done that, I drove my new town.
I found practically found everything within half an hour. I discovered the local supermarket (aka general store), the police station (aka the sheriff's office), several diners and shops (most of these were linked to hiking in someway shape or form) and the library. I got a card for it, but discovered that it didn't hold the books I like. Maybe I would use the library more for schoolwork.
I think I would have discovered everything quicker, if I didn't stop every few minutes to take photos. I hated to admit it, but the scenery was beautiful. The way the trees caught what little light there was, and the colours of the leaves. So different from back home. I took several photographs of an old sign, informing that there was a Native America reservation, La Push, further up the road. I had to fight the temptation to drive up there that instant, but decided that I would go at the weekend. Give me something to look forward too.
I only had one problem, and it was a big problem. It was, also, quite stupid. I couldn't my new school.
I drove round the town for an extra half an hour, trying to find Fork High School. But nothing. I got myself more lost and more confused. I had to stop several times to get my bearings.
But I couldn't find it. Was my sense of direction that bad?
I pulled over one last time, trying to mental backtrack. The school, like most things in this town, had to be off the highway. Had I missed it? But now, looking round, I realised that I was in the middle of nowhere. Just in a road in the middle of a forest. There were no houses, no people to ask for directions.
I drove over a bridge, I knew that, so I could drive back, then I would be back at square one.
That was when I saw the unpaved road.
It looked more like a dirt-track, but it looked recently used.
My first instinct was to turn the car around and floor it. What did it matter that I didn't know where my High School was. I would just follow everyone else.
But, I didn't listen to my first instinct. I put in gear and, slowly, drove up the road.
The road snaked through the trees for a long time. I was beginning to think that maybe this lead nowhere when the trees lessened and disappeared to reveal a shockingly stunning house.
I forced myself to stop the car and got out, feeling slightly awe-struck. It was three storeys tall and it painted faint white. All the windows caught the light perfectly while the trees perfectly protect it with their long branches. The house looked like something out of a fairy tale. The house looked timeless, effectless.
I was so caught up with it, I almost didn't see the two people walking towards me. But I looked quickly at them, before glancing back at the house.
There was a young man and a young woman. The man looked built like a tank, his muscles on full-display through his tight T-shirt, making my own body-confidence take an instant nosedive. He had short black hair, dark brown eyes and his skin was dark, making me instantly think of the La Push sign I saw.
The young woman that was walking beside him was total opposite. She was smaller than him, and her skin was chalk white. Her hair was light brown and a little wavy. Unlike her friend, she looked so gracefully in her movements.
Until she tripped herself up.
The man caught her in time, but she caught herself at exactly the same time. She smiled at him as she said, “I'm fine, Jake. You worry too much.”
Both of them looked at each other for a moment. I took a step back, feeling as if I was ruining the moment, and both their heads snapped round.
Oh, heck!
“Er... hi!” I tried to sound like I just got out of the car.
Both of the them took a step or two closer to me. I saw now that both of them were stupidly good-looking. My self-confidence took another nose-dive. So much so I lost my trail of speech and I forgot what I was going to say.
“Can we help you?” asked the girl. Oh God, even her voice sounded attractive.
“Er...” Why did I drive here? I'm going to leave with nothing of myself, am I? “Yes, hi. I'm lost. I'm new in town and trying to find Forks High School.”
I was suddenly aware of my British accent and what surprised me was neither of them seemed surprised of it. No one knew I was British, did they? But the look of their faces looked as if... as if they knew...
“Oh, yes.” The girl smiled. “I go there. We might be classmate.” Dare God, I hope not, seeing as my self-confidence is fading fast. “I'm Renesmee. Renesmee Cullen. But my friends call me Nessie. This is Jacob. Jacob Black.”
“Hi,” He smiled. His smile was nice. He meant the smile. I get a sense when someone's smile is real or not. “Welcome to Forks.”
He offered his hands, and I took it. His hand practically swallowed mine. His skin was boiling hot, but I wasn't sure if I was imagining that or not.
“Thanks,” I pulled my hand away. “I'm so stupid. I have no sense of direction. I almost drove into La Push by mistake.”
“I live there.”
“Oh.” By the way he said that, I had offended him. Great. I'm making so many friends! “I'm going to check out over the weekend. If I don't get any homework.”
Renesmee leaned in. Jacob saw this out of the corner of his eye and his face went a little hard.
“Anyway,” I pretended I hadn't noticed. “Directions?”
“Oh, yes.” Renesmee smiled again.
She gave me directions to the school and I realised where I had made my mistake. As she talked, I kept noticing that she was leaning closer to me. I kept taking a small side-step, not wanting to invade her space, but she kept leaning closer to me. Jacob was seeing this and his face was getting harder, his smile becoming more fixed. And what was with her? She kept sniffing me, as if I was wearing cologne or something.
Suddenly, an alarm bell began to ring inside my head.
Get out of there! Get out of there! Leave now!
“Thank you so much!” I pushed a smile on my face.
“No probs.” Renesmee smiled, making herself go back to Jacob's side.
“Yeah, no problems.” Jacob said, his voice low. I looked at him and the look I got back had a message I completely understood. Stay away from my chick.
“I... I have to go.” Lame. Try again. “I have so much stuff to do before tomorrow. Unpack, email some friends.”
“Oh.” That wasn't what Renesmee wanted to hear. But then an expression flashed across her face. I was confused by her own reaction.
“Yeah, sorry. I... I see you tomorrow, though. Or at La Push.” I quickly added. “See you both later.”
I didn't wait for their goodbyes. I must have come across as rude, but that look Jacob gave me and the alarm bell inside my head had mentally freaked me out. I didn't understand why I was reacting like this. I've never felt like this around other people before. Maybe I was suffering from jet lag.
I walked quickly back to my car, got it and, slowly, turned my car around and drove down the drive to main road. Both Renesmee and Jacob watched me drive away.
