In Dire Need of Cessation

Ten

"Don't you want to, Edward?" Rosalie asked menacingly as the family discussed burning sage in an attempt to rid the house of the presence. I glared at my sister from across the table.

Opening my mouth in an attempt to speak, I only shut it again as my family watched. "I just think that if the sage wasn't to work, what happens then?" I lied. "The presence would only be infuriated by our attempts and perhaps would cause more damage than if we were to leave it alone."

It was no secret that I was strongly against the topic of eliminating whatever was in the house among us, I couldn't explain my reasoning to the family since I could hardly figure out why myself.

Presumably, I had, accidently, without any attention, connected myself to this being, thus why I couldn't force myself to agree with my family's terms. Had the sense of solitude beside my family grown too great? So great that I had formed an undeniable longing to discover more about who was here.

Surely not!

"What damage could it do?" Rosalie spat, earning a disapproving glance from Esme. "Break your little heart?" she laughed. I looked at her incredulously, reading her mind as well as listening to her words. Has he seriously become so desperate for attention that he's protecting a ghost?! How childish!

Emmett frowned, not knowing where to stand with this issue as he was the one to buy the sage, yet he didn't want any disturbance from the family. I'm sorry, Edward, I thought it was a good idea... He didn't look at me but keep his gaze on the table before him.

"Don't be so provocative, Rosalie, I understand that no physical damage can be enforced upon us," I sighed. " I believe you would be more understanding about the predicament I am in if you were in my shoes, and having been affected by my hallucinations and disturbances,"I answered calmly, struggling to do so but succeeding as I didn't want Esme to be upset with another disagreement with my sister.

Couldn't Rosalie act like an adult for once? Was it really so difficult?

"I don't think there is any trouble trying?" Emmett suggested in more of a questionable way, afraid that he would only fuel the fire.

I tried to hold my violent panic, but even if I physically managed, Jasper could feel what I was truly feeling, his eyes never leaving mine as he calculated my emotions. He knew I was strongly against this, hence why he stayed silent.

"If it doesn't work," Emmett continued, "then, depending on what we all want, we can either leave it be, or ask a priest to perform an exorcism." My heart leaped in fear (giving me the illusion I was alive) and my stomach felt heavier, as if it was knotting a noose for me to use- of course, it wouldn't actually work. Jasper's eyes stayed on me as I caught his. A neutral expression of his face, showing no side to the (fight) (for survival) debate, whereas his mind raced.

What does he fear? Surely he doesn't even possess the knowledge of who is even here, it could be anyone. I would have thought the targeting of all these bizarre time flashbacks would have the opposite effect on him. If anything, he would be the strongest to espouse this matter of ridding the house of the presence. What a peculiar turn of events.

I wanted to continue my argument, to just simply say, 'I don't want this presence to go, and I can't explain why!' but even then, my family wouldn't understand. I needed to put my family before my own desires, our safety was vital and goes before anything else. Therefore, I found myself withdrawing, feeling a pull in my chest as I said, "Okay."

•   •   •

I wanted to leave the house when they started to light the sage, simply lighting a match while Carlisle held it, his thoughts wary and dubious.