The Forgotten Child-Twilight

Chapter 6

Chapter 6 - The Boy

Edward let the hunter in himself take over as he entered the cavern blocking its exit. As he pounced on the cat he smelled the other scent... so, it was hiding here as well.

The wildcat scratched at him, but it could have been gentle caresses as far as he was concerned. Suddenly he felt the wildcat go limp as he sucked the last bit of blood from its body. Edward tossed the dead cat aside and turned his attention to the other animal.

Edward was stunned that in front of him, leaning against the rock wall was a child. A boy of no more than eight, with dark hair and blue eyes so dark they could almost be black.

But Edward was already too far into the hunt and couldn't stop. As Edward hissed and prepared to strike several things happened at once.

Edward spied a hideous monster; blood surrounding its loathsome face, the eyes in the face seemed like two empty holes burning with fire.

It took Edward a second to realize that the monster he'd just witnessed was from the mind of the child. Then he saw the boy close his eyes and look away while he shook in horror.

'STOP!' Edward commanded of his inner monster. Edward's mind was reeling, he was in hunt mode, he could NOT stop.

'Was this even real?' Edward thought to himself. He reached out to touch the boy on his shoulder.

Edward's rational mind came to him as the boy's dark trousers became darker... as the smell of urine assaulted his nostrils.

Edward struggled to put on a "human" face to the child. But it just stood there shaking, waiting for the end.

"Who are you?" Edward hissed. He was surprised at his own voice... he'd meant for it to be kind, not wicked.

Edward swallowed then tried again, "Please, who are you? I'm sorry if I scared you."

The boy opened his eyes, turned and gazed up at Edward.

Edward praddled on with more questions, but he only received silence, hearing only a fast drumbeat in the background.

Edward should be hearing the child rant and rave inside his mind. Edward listened closely. Nothing. Edward studied the boy, despite his soiled clothing and wild hair, he thought the child unusually beautiful. Lustrous dark brown wavy hair to his shoulders, the unusual dark blue eyes, his pure paleness.

Wait! Could it be possible? He stopped and listened again, realizing that the quick drum beat was the racing heart of the boy.

'No,' Edward mused to himself, 'definetly not an immortal child.' Edward reached down to pick the boy up and began speaking doing his best to sooth the boy. "Let me take you home, maybe Carlisle or somebody will know you and be able to help you." The child submitted to him and just stared Edward in the eyes.

Edward ran but not too fast as he didn't want to further frighten the child. He eventually approached the house and entered, seeing that Esme and his siblings were in the living room alongside with Bella.

Everything came to a standstill the moment Edward walked in with the boy.

ooOoo

Bella looked questionly at Edward, "What's going on? Who is that?" she asked pointing toward the boy.

Soon Edward was assaulted with question after question. He sat the grubby little boy on the floor.

Edward began, "I was hunting and came across him, and I have NO idea who he is. He won't talk, I've asked who he was, where he came from, and his name." Edward looked almost irritated, "He's answered none of my questions. I'm going up to take a quick shower and a change... I guess I scared him and he wet himself," Edward said as he quickly left.

Esme and Rosalie tried to ascertain the same questions that Edward asked but received no answer. The boy just looked around staring at the vampires... he seemed to study Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Esme, and Bella, ending with Rosalie.

"Esme, I'm going to give him a bath, can you help?" asked Rosalie.

"Of course," replied Esme.

Together, they took the boy to the master bathroom and bathed him, wiping away the dried blood on his feet and ankles. His skin was snowy white and it almost seemed to glow as from an inner light source. Rosalie dried his hair and began drying the boy's skin as Esme fetched one of Carlisle's undershirts. Esme began dressing the boy in the undershirt as Rosalie watched.

"He's so incredibly beautiful," sighed Rose.

"I was thinking the same thing," Esme said, "I've never seen another human remotely like him. He doesn't even smell like a human."

Together, they took the boy downstairs where he sat on Rosalie's lap. Edward had come back down freshly showered and he and the other vampires looked at the boy, all with a loss for words. The boy returned their stares then shuttered when he saw Edward.

Edward got up, went over to where Rosalie held the child, he went to his knees and placed his hand on the child's back.

"I'm very sorry that I frightened you like I did," Edward said, "I would never try to hurt you on purpose."

The boy turned his midnight eyes to Edward's, and then he did the most astounding thing... he smiled. If Edward had had a heart he would have thought that it had broken in response to the boy's smile. Edward couldn't help but wink at the child and chuckle.

"Something's just not right," said Jasper and continued, "He just doesn't smell like a human, although it is a pleasing smell."

Rosalie said, "I wonder if he's hungry? Do we have any food yet, Esme?"

"I don't think so," replied Esme, but I can get him some water. Esme returned with a glass of water, which the boy drank thirstily.

"Well...what should we do with him?" asked Emmett.

Rosalie gave him a glare and said, "He doesn't have anybody, why would he be in the forest all alone?" Rosalie smiled and looked at the boy, "I'm thinking that I should keep him."

Everyone in the room looked at Rosalie in abrupt surprise, especially Emmett.

"Babe," Emmett said, "We can't just take some kid out of the woods and claim he's ours."

"We really need to know who... or even what he is first." Bella said. She looked at her husband, and said, "I was wondering why we never met up in the woods... I guess I see why now."

"I've just talked to Carlisle," Esme said, "I told him about the boy and he's bringing some food from the hospital cafeteria."

Edward was beginning to feel stifled in the living room, so he walked across the room to the grand piano and began to play.

The boy appeared mesmerized by Edward's playing. The gentle harmonies of classical music began to drift through the Cullen home, calming its occupants. Emmett picked up the remote and turned on the flat screen, putting it on mute, searching for a football game.

Edward stopped playing and tilted his head to the right saying, "I think Carlisle finally made it back from the hospital."