In a World of Fragile Things

Chapter 7-Santa Carla Twilight

Santa Carla Twilight

And we kiss, in the Santa Carla twilight
On the beach, under a Santa Carla moon
I am lost - but I've found you in my arms
And my heart is blacker than the dark ocean

Eternity... belongs to us
Eternally... lasts our love
If you want forever close your eyes and surrender to me
Just remember today was the last that you'll ever see the sun
In Santa Carla

Hear the song of night tide
It's been ages since I felt this alive
At long last I've found you and it ends
The loneliness we feel that they could never understand

And in this land beyond the dusk

A consummation of unholy loveBetween two children of the night
As all time dissolves into a crimson dream

-Tiger Army-

Two days. Two nights. That was my deadline. How can you put a deadline to how long a life will last? Because either way, life as I knew it would end. If I walked through door number one I would become a child of the night, an immortal. And as tempting as that sounded there was still the matter of killing to survive and the fact that I would have to give up and probably forget most of my mortal life. Door number two led to a much grimmer fate, dying and not seeing another night. I had made my choice and I thought it was the right one.

When I woke up in the morning I spent the whole day outside with Jack, taking in the warmth and the sun. Tonight I would have to tell them what my choice was. Tonight my life would change forever. I was terrified of what was coming. Jack noticed something was off, of course, but he apparently decided to humour my half hearted attempts to stay joyful and happy. As the sun reached to point when it was about to set I left jack to his own devices and headed down to the beach. The same spot Paul and I talked on two nights ago. I sat down and looked at the sun setting, watching the colours blend together over the ocean. A thought hit me as I sat there; this might be my last sunset. It made the scene even more mesmerizing and I tried to imprint the image in my mind so it would stay there forever.

I didn't go looking for them; I knew they would come to me, eventually. And I was right, not long after the sunset heavy boots landed next to me. I didn't look at them at first; I just continued staring straight forward.

"Have you made your decision?" I looked up at David and only now did I realize that he was alone. A shudder went through my body and I hoped that the other boys were near.

"Yes," I whispered but I knew he heard me. I had read up on vampires and knew that their hearing was excellent apparently. Not that it had to be true, I just assumed. He nodded, but didn't say anything. He just looked out at the ocean and smoked on his cigarette, I continued looking at him, wondering. What was he doing here alone?

"I am here alone so you can tell me, the leader of my pack, your choice before you tell the others." He finally turned his head towards me and the emotion in his eyes was for once not hidden, it was right there plain as day. Fierce protectiveness of his pack, his brothers...his family.

"I know you would have preferred to tell Paul first, but as the leader I feel that I should know first. Whatever your choice is it will have a deep impact on my pack," his voice was smooth as ever but there was a hint of warning and an undertone of uncertainness in it. I understood what he was trying to say of course but I still felt nervous around the peroxide blonde and telling him my decision was nerve-racking.