Ch 56 - Death Will Never Conquer

If sweet death
Should ever conquer me
Take me down
To some place below
If you hear him coming
Won't you set me free
Let me go
Boys, let me go
If you hear him comin'
Won't you say for me
That i just
Don't want to go

“Death Will Never Conquer” - Coldplay

The sound of my alarm clock blaring in my ear startled me from sleep. I shot up quickly and glanced around the room frantically. I had been in the middle of a dream, but I couldn’t quite recall what it had been. It wasn’t entirely pleasant, that much I do know judging by the dread I felt running through my system. I didn’t think it was of the accident—I usually remembered when I dreamed of the accident. But that dream hadn’t come in awhile.

I shut the alarm clock off and got out of bed. I slowly walked out into the living room, yawning. Edward was standing in the living room, glancing around. There were boxes sitting everywhere, some taped up and others still sitting open.

“Looks like you’ve been busy,” I mumbled. He looked up and smiled at me.

“Yeah, I hope to get everything packed and over to the house today. Maybe get it all unpacked too,” he said with a shrug.

I smiled. “Wish I could stay and help.”

Edward rolled his eyes playfully. “I’m sure you do.”

It was January 4th. We’d been busy the past few days, getting ready to move and preparing for school. Tomorrow was the first day of the semester, and Edward and I both had classes in the morning. We actually managed to schedule two of our classes together, since we both needed to take some basic general education requirements as freshman. I was excited and a little scared about returning to school. Edward was excited about it, but I think he was happier about me going. I don’t think he personally cared about learning anything himself, most of what they’d cover the first two years he’d already taken time and time again anyway.

Because school started tomorrow, Edward wanted to get the apartment cleaned out and everything moved today. I had to work so I wouldn’t be around to help, but I had a feeling my presence would actually hinder him. He’d be able to get it all packed up and moved in the blink of an eye if he didn’t have to worry about my human clumsiness and lack of speed getting in his way.

Today was also my last day working at the library. I was really sad about the fact. It had been a wonderful job, my coworkers were so nice and the atmosphere there was amazing. It had been my saving grace after I left the hospital, my sanctuary where I could go and for just a little while I was simply Bella Swan, lover of books. The people there didn’t see me as the lonely troubled girl I had been. But I didn’t really have a choice but to quit. I was taking a full course load and needed to focus my attention on it. Plus, Edward and I were engaged now… I had a wedding to plan. Actually, technically Alice was doing all of that, but it was already becoming a full time job keeping up with her. She was calling me constantly about ideas and plans, wanting my approval. I was so close to telling her I didn’t care, just to do whatever, but I knew if I gave her free reign I’d probably be walking down an aisle somewhere with everything plastered in pink. If Alice had her way, it would be worthy of a televised event—and knowing the Cullen’s connections, it wouldn’t be surprised if she tried to pull that out also. She was positively giddy that Edward and I were going to get married. She loved her brother and was ecstatic to see him happy.

“You’re going to be late for work if you don’t hurry up,” Edward said, smirking. I groaned and headed for the bathroom to shower. After I was clean and woken up enough to function, I headed into the bedroom. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a white top and headed back out to the living room.

Edward had some coffee waiting for me. I smiled and thanked him, kissing him quickly before downing the hot liquid.

Edward snaked his arms around me, pulling me back into him. I sighed and leaned my head back into his chest. He took a deep breath, inhaling my scent.

Things were going amazing and I had to wonder how I’d gotten so lucky. It was hard to believe that today was the one-year anniversary of my release from the institution. Hard to believe that a year ago I was still so broken, that I’d given up hope. And now here I was, engaged to the love of my life, starting college, and moving into an amazing house. Everything was falling into place, all that was left to deal with was my mortality. I wanted to ask Edward about it, was planning on talking to him tonight at the new house about whether he'd change me after college.

“You want me to walk you?” Edward asked. I smiled but shook my head.

“No, you’ve got a lot of work to do. Is anyone coming down today?”

He shook his head. “Esme’s coming tomorrow while we’re in class though to check out the house.”

“Think she’ll decorate for us?” I asked, my voice hopeful. Edward chuckled.

“I’m sure she will.” Edward spun me around to kiss me quickly. “Have a good last day at work.”

“I will.” I gathered up my stuff and headed out, turning to blow him a kiss before darting down the stairs. I heard him chuckling behind me and smiled. I loved the sound of his laughter—loved making him happy.

Edward had put me in a good mood and I ended up humming to myself on the way to the library. I arrived and Margaret was already there. She smiled brightly at me, coming out from behind the desk to pull me into a hug.

“I’m going to miss you working here Bella!” she said. I laughed lightly.

“I’ll miss you too. I promise I’ll come back and visit. I’m sure I’ll spend some time here studying too.”

She nodded. “You better visit, missy. But come here…” she said, tugging me over to her desk. I gasped when I saw a small cake sitting there with “We’ll Miss You Bella” written on it.

“Oh wow Margaret, you didn’t have to do this!”

She smiled and shrugged. She grabbed a plastic knife and cut off a slice, plopping it on a paper plate. She handed it to me and cut herself off a slice.

“Cake for breakfast?” my coworker Jonathan asked from behind me. Margaret smiled at him and handed him a slice. He smiled. “Awesome, thank you.”

We sat around and munched on cake, chit-chatting. After awhile patrons started arriving so we filtered off to work.

I was helping a teenage boy locate a book when Margaret approached. “Bella, you have a phone call, line 1,” she said softly. I furrowed my brow in confusion, a little baffled as to who would be calling me at the library. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, glancing to see if maybe I missed a call or something but I hadn’t.

I walked over to the front desk and picked up the phone. I pressed line 1 quickly. “Hello?”

Complete silence. I glanced over at the phone, to make sure I’d answered it correctly as the buttons stuck sometimes and noticed Line 1 was lit up. “Hello?” I said again.

Nothing. I felt the dread I’d woken up with creeping back up through my system. “Margaret what line did you say the call was on?” I asked, slightly panicked but trying to keep my voice composed.

“Line one dear,” she said with a smile.

“Hello?” I said again. I paused for a moment, listening to the silence, before turning and slamming the phone down. Fear was surging through me—I felt my breathing pick up and my heart rate start soaring.

It couldn’t be, there had to be some mistake. Whoever called had to have just not heard me, or maybe reception was bad and I couldn’t hear them. She was dead. Edward had sworn that he personally watched the pieces of her dismembered body burn to ash.

“Everything okay?” Margaret asked. I nodded.

“Did they say who they were?” I asked.

She shook her head. “They just asked if Bella Swan was here. It was some guy,” she said with a shrug.

I furrowed my brow in confusion. Guy? Could it have been Jake? He didn’t have my cell phone number but I remember Charlie talking about me working at the library while I was there, so he could’ve gotten the number here and just chickened out at the last minute.

I pulled out my cell phone and started scrolling through my address book, contemplating. I could call Charlie and ask if maybe Jake had been asking about me. He’s the only one that made sense. But something just felt off, something didn’t feel right.

“Can I help you sir?” Margaret asked someone from the front desk. I scrolled back through my address book until I hit Edward’s name. I felt ridiculous panicking like this, but I knew Edward would be upset if he found out and I didn’t tell him.

“Sir?” Margaret said again, hesitantly. Something was off about her voice—she seemed panicked.

I glanced up and something shiny caught my eye. I gasped and dropped my cell phone, throwing my hands up instinctively as collective screams rang out around me. People ran in the opposite direction, some jumping under tables for cover.

Standing at the front entrance was a frail form, a tall skinny man. His skin was dark and filthy, his clothing disheveled. He looked like he hadn’t eaten or bathed in days, if not weeks. He also looked exhausted. I squinted, peering into his eyes as recognition dawned on me. His eyes were red—but not the same red I’d grown accustomed to in my enemies. These eyes were bloodshot and glossed over. I knew those eyes, because I’d seen them countless times before. I’d seen those eyes in patients that came into the institution while I was there. I’d seen those eyes on the street corners in the city. I’d seen those eyes reflected back at me in the mirror in Charlie’s house in Forks. They were the eyes of an unstable person--the eyes of a drug addict.

He was staring straight at me but it was as if he were looking through me. He was far-gone, there would be no rationalizing with him, no talking him down or making him see the light. He’d come to his conclusion, he’d made his decisions that led him here and he was going to follow through, no matter what anyone said.

I knew this, because I had been there. I’d made my decisions; I’d had that same look in my eyes. It didn’t matter who I destroyed, I had a mission just as the person standing in front of me did. He came here on a mission and by his expression, he was desperate to succeed.

He wasn’t a vampire—his eyes weren’t red from bloodlust, but it was clear he was out for blood none-the-less. He was mortal. A heart beat inside his chest, blood pumped through his veins. I wasn’t supposed to have to fear mortals; I had Edward to keep me safe. He’d saved me from mortals and immortals countless times before. But he wasn’t here now—he wasn’t here to save me from this one.

He had a handgun pointed straight at me. His hands were shaking--whether from fear or the drugs I wasn’t sure. But regardless he’d have terrible aim. He’d be shooting at me, that much was clear. He was here for my blood. But with so many innocent bystanders around, someone might get caught in the crossfire.

I had to get them out. I had to get everyone else safe, because I couldn’t allow the path my life went down to ruin anymore lives. I had already ruined so many already and everyone in this library had a future. There were children here, grandmothers, parents, and college students. These people had families, loved ones. They had their lives ahead of them. I couldn’t let a single one of them go down with me. I already had too much blood on my hands as it was. I killed Lauren Mallory, took her future from her. And although I had yet to kill Tyler Crowley, I now knew I would.

Because he stood a few feet in front of me, eyes glazed over, holding a shaky pistol pointed right at my head.

I wouldn’t kill him with my own hands, but I’d be the cause of his death. If he somehow managed to walk out of this library, he wouldn’t get far. Edward would end his life. I knew that.

I glanced around quickly. There were only a handful of people left in the library, all of them too afraid to try to dart for the exits. They were frozen in place, scared that any sudden movement would set the deranged man with the handgun off. None of them knew who he was or why he was here. All they knew was that he was troubled. They couldn’t guess that he had come for me, that they were just innocent civilians trapped in the middle of a war zone. I refused to accept any of them as collateral damage though. Refused to let any more innocent people lose their futures over what I’ve done.

“Tyler,” I said cautiously, keeping my hands visible and taking a step in his direction. Fury flashed in his eyes and the gun shook a little harder. “You have to put the gun down Tyler.” He stared at me for a moment and panic clouded his face. He wasn’t thinking straight and was highly unstable.

A man from the back of the library chose that moment to try to dart to the exit. The movement startled Tyler, who swung in that direction. His finger pulled the trigger and a shot rang out aimlessly. The guy jumped back to the floor and screams rang out, everyone cowering in fear.

My heart was racing fast and I was trembling. Tyler’s eyes darted around the room as he swung the gun around, pointing it aimlessly. “None of you move,” he yelled.

People were sobbing, a few little kids freaking out. The noise of their wailing was startling Tyler, and I knew the situation was grave. He needed to be diffused, this needed to be ended quickly, and I was the only one who knew what he wanted or why he was here.

“I never meant to hurt Lauren,” I said softly, trying to draw his attention back to me and off of the innocent people. Tyler’s head swung in my direction and he stalked forward quickly, shaking the gun at me. I recoiled in fear, tripping and falling on my butt.

“Don’t you say her name!! And don’t you talk to me!!” he bellowed as he towered over me. He brought the gun up and pressed it to my forehead. I sobbed loudly, startled and frightened as the cold metal pressed against my skin.