Special Ability [Alec Volturi]

Chapter Ten

Its night and the Eiffel Tower lights up the sky for an hour. I stand on my balcony looking out onto the city every night. I see the beauty of the landscape and people. I live in the city of love but my heart is empty. I simply watch the happy people, hoping love can lives forever even if I will never feel it again.

I, Poppett, live in a beautiful hotel room in perfect view of the Eiffel Tower. The one I sit in all day is pure white of walls and furniture, so innocent of color. I surround myself with books all day then leave during the night only to walk among the creatures of the night in the city they come to search for love and salvation. The sunsets and I leave my home. I walk in the cool night, I see things that others do not. I see prostitutes and crime, I see the homeless making their homes. I see a woman sitting on the pavement eating a stale piece of bread. I see a young child following behind his mother, barely able to catch up, trying to get home. I see the bad in the world, the many that exist but what life really is, what is the evil with that one ray of light that keeps you living?

I, myself, live in my own despair. I live in the darkness, I starve myself of drinking for weeks on end till I am at my weakest. I no longer allow this cold dead body to live. I am simply a shell of my former self. This is my life.

My new life is an empty void but that's exactly how it will remain. I think back to that day a lot, I still see the alterations still on my body, the scars, and remember every day the people I killed. The creatures who were once vampires, even once human. Then there is Alec. I think of that every day.

The sun sets but the people were still out in the world enjoying the beauties of France. I leave my chambers with a chill for winter has come to Paris. I stepped outside into the cold air, and small flecks of white snowflakes fell over the city making it look beautiful. I made imperfect boot impressions in the pure white snow. I saw couples and locals walking down the small roads enjoying the weather. How wonderful the Eiffel Tower looked, and the love bridge all covered in snow.

I made my way down the thin roads and into a small local store. I opened the wooden door with a ding of the bell overhead. I stepped inside shaking my boots lightly and walking threw. A woman in her 70s smiled at me lovingly from behind the counter, sitting on a stool. I smiled and made my way down the bookshelves that lined the walls. My fingers slowly ran along the binds of the classic novels, books decades old by writers who died long ago. This place is my haven, I had already bought Edgar Allan Poe's only novel here, a first addition Bleak House and even a second hardcover of the Grimm Fairy Tales Collection.

I smile looking at the books that have found their way to this store. I take down one that interested me to add to my little library. I held small hard-cover brown books in my hand. I had my back to everything and looked threw the titles. I heard the bell ring for the door but I didn't so much as notice anyone else in the world. I grabbed my books, three of them, and walked up to the counter setting down my books.

"Excuse me." a deep voice spoke as the old woman typed in the prices of my books into her older cash register. She stopped and looked up at him. "Do you have a specific book I need? It's an anniversary present," he asked in french, placing something he had printed out in front of her. I turned a bit looking at him threw my bang and nearly jumped, when I saw Edward. He looked down at me but I quickly turned and left my bangs in my face, hoping he will just see the hair and shake anything he might have seen.

"We have that novel right over there," she said pointing to a bookcase. "I will help you in one moment," she told him. He nodded saying merci but kept looking at me suspiciously as he walked away. I handed the woman my cash and grabbed my books not even letting her put them into a paper bag. I bid her goodbye and ran out of the store. I sped walked down the street but then I heard a voice.

"Hey!" someone yelled but I didn't turn, I just stopped. "Do I know you?" Edward spoke in English. I turned around, looking down at my feet with my hair covering my face.

"Je suis désolé, je ne parle pas anglais. Je dois y aller." I spoke in fleuent french.

"Quel est votre nom" Edward asked me, trying to adjust myself so he could see my face.

"Lilly. C'était agréable de vous rencontrer, mais je dois y aller." I told him. "Au revoir et bonne nuit" I said in a soft voice and quickly walked away, leaving him there. I just hope only Edward Bella and little Renesmee are here. It's a big city; I can keep my distance.

I spend all day reading books and just watching the guitarist outside my window. My face buried in a book in the fantasy world of another so I don't have to think about much. The human life I don't remember and the past two years I wish I could forget. All I can do is stay in my fantasy world, till I have to wake up every once in a while.

I crawl out of my room into the world and into my unused kitchen very slowly and ungracefully. I opened the refrigerator and pulled out a blood packet ripped it open and drank it down in two gulps. I felt energized and refreshed since I haven't fed in almost four months. After I cleaned up, brushed my teeth, and put on some light makeup, I went back into my room and changed out of my pajamas into a simple sweater and black pants. I felt more alive than dead. I slipped on my favorite boots and let my hair fall into waves as I pulled on my hat.

The pure white snow fell as I walked outside onto the streets of Paris. I ran across the street and into the park. Though it was snowing I saw families walking side by side and a few performers, artists, and tourists. A young man with shaggy hair and a beard spent his time painting the Eiffel Tower covered in the white blankets of snow. 

I watch a family of four spend quality time with each other. The young girl baby maybe five played in the snow while the son around nine bullied her but she took it because she knew he still cared for her. The mother and father watched with a loving stare. My attention was soon caught off guard by the sight of people out of the corner of my eye. Not looking at me but I still felt the need to look. People intrigue me. I turned my head slightly and noticed a young girl with short black hair, and a boy with curly blonde hair, all pale accompanying Edward. Something inside me stopped, giving me a pain in my stomach. I was seconds from walking maybe even running away when the black-haired girl turned and looked straight at me, Alice. She looked at me and then turned, grabbing onto Jasper. I quickly turned and walked away, not running so as to not look in distress to passers-by. 

Within moments Alice was calling for me. "Poppy." she yelled, with anticipation in her voice but I didn't pay attention to her and just walked down the pavement on an empty alley. I felt a hand on my shoulder and jumped in fright.

"Poppy!" Alice squealed, with Jasper and Edward not far behind. "Oh my. When I heard Edward thought he saw you I came right away. Poppy, I am so happy to see you." she hugged me tight, but I just pulled away and looked at her.

"Qui êtes-vous? Qui est Poppy? Mon nom est Lilly." I spoke in fluent french. "Je vais rentrer chez moi maintenant. au revoir." I told her, speaking coldly, then turned walking away.

"You can change your hair and change your name but I know our Poppy is still there, and Alec will too!" Alice called out to me. The sound of his name sent shivers down my spine, but at least I know he is still alive. I would have cried right then and there if I could muster emotion.