Alice: Recovered Memories

Recollections

"You can tell Alice about her past?" Jasper asked.

Shelly nodded.  "With the touch of her hand, and a little concentration, I can call to mind some flashbacks.  I can't guarantee that I can give you the whole story, but hopefully, it will help you piece together your past."  She looked up at Steve.  "We sensed how manipulative that Riley was, how he intended to use others of our group, Fred and Raoul, who are also gifted.  We would not be used like that."

"As I stated a moment ago, I'm a tracker," Steve continued.  "We escaped from Riley's group and headed west, crossing the sound.  We came across your coven's scent." He paused.  "We knew you were vampires, but you smelled just a little different from us.  We weren't sure why, so we followed the scent.  I see now by looking into your eyes that the differences go deeper than we first thought."

"You're right.  We don't follow the traditional vampire diet.  We only hunt animals," Jasper explained.  "It allows us to stay in one place for longer, to be less conspicuous.  And to live closer as a family."  

I swallowed reflexively, a little nervous by the presence of these strangers and their news, which seemed too good to be true.  My human past had always been a mystery.  The only clues I was able to find was during my travels to my home town of Biloxi, Mississippi, by going through old newspapers and public records.  "Excuse us for a moment."  I towed Jasper by the arm to a spot several yards away.

"What is it, Alice?"

"I want to speak with Shelly, but I'm hesitant," I spoke in a voice so low that I was certain they wouldn't be able to hear.  "I don't see anything happening but who knows?  My visions aren't always perfect, and they were associated with Riley and Victoria.  I just think we need to proceed with caution."

Jasper nodded.  "Agreed.  Perhaps we should introduce them to Edward first, to make sure their motives are pure."  With that, he grabbed my hand and we returned to Shelly and Steve.

"We'd love to speak with you more," Jasper continued, "but first, there's another member of our coven that we'd like you to meet."

Steve and Shelly exchanged confused glances.  "That's fine by me, but as we said before, we mean you no harm," Steve assured us.  Jasper continued chatting with the couple while I whipped out my cell phone.  I quickly and quietly explained the situation to Edward and he agreed to meet us in the woods.  I hung up the phone.  

Within about a minute, Edward joined our small group in the woods, with Bella tagging along.  While we all agreed that Steve and Shelly seemed harmless enough, if a confrontation occurred, Bella's gift of a mental shield may come in handy.  After the initial greetings, Shelly explained again her gift to Edward and Bella.

"How interesting," Bella commented.  She had only been a vampire for about three years and was still learning things that we had known aboiut for years.  Every day was a new discovery for her.  Shelly and Steve apologized after realizing that she had been the primary target of Victoria and Riley's wrath.  She smiled wryly.  "No hard feelings.  I know that you had no control over what happened to you.  You didn't choose this life.  You were lied to, and I'm glad that you were able to escape.  We wish you nothing but the best."

I glanced over at Edward.  What of their thoughts?  Do they seem honest to you, or do  you think they have something planned?  He shook his head, which I found a little ambiguous.  I frowned.  He gave me a thumbs up symbol.  "Well, it was a pleasure to meet you.  I hope you don't think I'm being rude, but my wife and I were just about to go hunting ourselves.  Consider yourself to have an open invitation to visit our home, but please, do not hunt in this area.  We only hunt animals, as I'm sure Alice and Jasper explained to you.  If you choose to stick to your traditional diet, please take your leave from our area first, at least a state over, if you don't mind.  I wish for nothing but an amicable relationship for all of us."  He looked at me.  "Shelly, I believe you and Alice have some matters to attend to." He smiled at me and I giggled.  I still couldn't believe my good fortune.  

"Of course," Shelly agreed, and Steve nodded.  "We'd never want to take advantage of your hospitality in any way.  Thanks for your time."  With that, Edward and Bella dashed deeper in the woods, nothing but a blur of color.  

Shelly turned to me and extended her hands.  "May I?"

I nodded tentatively, grasping her hands.  I was excited, but a little nervous, too.  How traumatic was this going to be?  Once I knew about my past, there was no going back.  Would I still be the same Alice, with this new knowledge?  I guess I was about to find out.

"This is going to be a little intense," she warned.  I felt Jasper's calming presence pass over me and I immediately felt more at ease.  He put his arm around me.  I closed my eyes.  "What is the first thing you remember?"

I took a deep breath.  "I woke up to my new life as a vampire.  It was 1920, and I was 19 years old.  I was institutionalized in a mental asylum not too far from my home on the coast in Biloxi, Mississippi.  Of course, I remember the blinding thirst.  I was so confused.  I didn't know why I was there, or even what my name was... I woke up from the transformation in an abandoned house.  I left there and walked a few blocks to the asylum.  I broke in and, though I had no memories of my time there, I had a strange sense of deja vu.  I recognized the place, but I wasn't sure why." I paused for a moment.  This part was difficult for me.  "I found a nurse...somehow I just know she was the one that had been strapping me down and giving me the shock treatments.  I sneaked up from behind and knocked her out.  She was my first taste of human blood.  At the time, I didn't know why I'd chosen her, but later, after piecing together the bits of my history that I could, I knew it was her.  She took pleasure it seeing me on that table, I think."  I had to stop myself.  "After her, I ran as far as i could.  I think I ended up in Jackson, Mississippi, later that night.  I wandered the streets, not sure what to do.  I found an abandoned building.  I tried to go to sleep there, but of course I couldn't.  I kept having visions of a guy with blonde hair and red eyes like myself." I smiled in spite of the painful memories as I squeezed Jasper's hand.  "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania kept popping into my mind, but I knew that I couldn't leave yet..." I trailed off and opened my eyes, smiling coyly at Jasper, my soul mate.  He grinned back at me.

"Do you not remember anything of your childhood?" Shelly pressed, squeezing my free hand.  I shook my head no.  I closed my eyes again.  This time, a sense of lethargy passed over me.  I don't remember ever sleeping, but I imagine this is what it would feel like.  It was stronger than Jasper's power.

I saw an image: a little black haired girl with fair skin and brown eyes, looking in a mirror.  She ran a brush through her straight, silky hair.  A woman's voice called up the stairs.  "Mary Alice!  Come downstairs this instant!  We're running late for Mrs.Burson's garden party!"  The little girl dropped her hair brush, smoothed the skirt of her dress, and ran down the stairs.  The little girl was me.