Shed some Light

by Amber Naralim

“I was just asking him a few questions,” Edward shot back.

  “Were any of them any of your business?” To his silence, Ellie said, “Yeah, kinda what I thought.” Ellie sighed, slipping her hands into Vincent’s wild hair. “Knock it off, Edward. You’re not too big to put over my knee, you know.” Ellie’s tone fell into playful, a smile pulling at her mouth.

  Edward couldn’t stop the smirk. Ellie was here. That was enough to make him happy. He would have to deal with Vincent, for now. Edward followed them back to the house. Vincent set her on the floor just inside the front door. Ellie went bounding toward the table and the dinner on it. She pushed herself in next to Reese, who was staring Vetler down.

  Vetler’s mousy brown hair was short and spiky. His large ears stuck off the side of his head, but it didn’t take away much from his rugged good looks. A heavy brow and hard chin helped temper delicate golden-brown eyes and a pair of thin lips. He rocked worse five o’clock shadow than Reese.

  “Mmmmm Mmmmm, pass me those potatoes!” When Reese didn’t move Ellie elbowed him in the ribs. He looked down at Ellie. His anger leaked away easily when she flashed him that ballsy grin of hers. “Potatoes!” Ellie demanded, her eyes wide. Reese shook his head at her reaching for them.

  “Yummy. Yummy. Yummy.” Ellie spooned out a portion Reese swore was bigger than her head.

  Vincent slipped into the seat on the other side of Ellie. Edward took the seat across the table next to Anna and made himself busy helping her put food onto her plate. Reese was the only one who noticed the annoyed look on Anna’s face when Edward grabbed her hand and set it on the edge of her plate. Charlie sat down at the head of the table with a happy grin on her face. She loved the idea of big family supper.

  Reese looked down at the mashed potato and chicken-laden plate Ellie had in front of her. The mountain of food threatened to spill onto the wooden farm table beneath it. Ellie dug in with big green eyes, chewing her first bite happily. Reese ignored the glare Vetler gave him and instead focused on the smile his little brother had.

  Charlie smiled at him. “Would you like some lemonade?”

  Reese flashed her a happy grin. “Yeah. Yeah, I would.”

  Chapter 3

  Charlie made herself busy cleaning up dinner. Both Vincent and Reese offered to help. Ellie sat on the other end of the couch moaning. She looked ill. Edward smiled at her. He focused his attention on her. Edward didn’t really want to think about her pet monsters. Wasn’t one bad enough? Vetler certainly shared that sentiment. At least, this time, Ellie hadn’t come back to him full of bullet holes. Only bruises, blood, and dirt covered her when they pulled up with his cure in hand. Ellie refused to tell him what she’d done to get the serum she brought home to save him. It bugged him. He’d tried asking Vincent and just like every other time he tried talking to the kid, it ended up with them fighting.

  “That’s what you get for eating half your body weight in one sitting,” Edward mocked.

  Ellie frowned at him. “Hey, you’ve had her for months. We’ve been living off Pop Tarts and microwave burritos when we could get ‘em.”

  And humans. That thought rang out loudly in Edward’s head. He was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, though.

  “It was just so yummy,” Ellie whined. A burp escaped her.

  Edward laughed at her. God, he missed the munchkin. Edward mussed her hair. She looked up at him with a playful scowl and stuck her tongue out at him. “You’ll be alright, Squirt,” he said flopping down on the couch next to her. “I did the same thing when we first got here.”

  Reese watched them from the kitchen silently. He remembered that look. The one Ellie gave her big brother, wide-eyed and full of wonder. Vince used to look at him like that. Reese hated to admit that he sort of missed it.

  Vincent swallowed hard. Ellie had that brilliant smile on her lips. As much as he liked seeing it, Vincent hated that it was Edward who drew it out of her. All the hardness in her melted, the horror in her eyes just floated away. She laughed at his stupid jokes. For just a few minutes at a time, Ellie stopped looking over her shoulder. Vincent wanted her to be happy. He did. But moments like these brought the fact that he couldn’t give it to her into sharper focus.

  Edward leaned back against the corner of the couch, his legs spread wide. The two of them eyed Reese and Vincent. Reese helped Charlie with the dishes. Vincent moved about the dining room, wiping down the table. It was odd. After living through the fear of what her boys were, after every awful thing she’d seen them do. Domestic chores were the strangest thing she’d seen, Ellie decided.

  “Do they do windows too?” Vetler asked. He sat down in one of the leather chairs in front of the fireplace, lacing his hands behind his head. He leaned back a little too quickly and winced. His gunshot wounds were still healing.

  Ellie shot him a withering look. “Can’t you at least try to be nice?”

  That was enough to silence him. Still, Vetler did not like Reese that close to Charlie. It was like she forgot to be afraid of them. Ellie infected her. Neither of them cared what the Hale brothers were capable of. How dangerous they could be. Vetler watched Charlie protectively as she smiled at them. She joked and talked with them like they were normal.

  Vetler caught himself looking at her again. Charlie was short, standing at 5’4”. A large bosom, her soft, ample curves helped her carry the extra forty pounds well. She had the warmest smile he’d ever experienced. Brown sugar waves framed her rounded cheeks, falling just past her shoulders. Charlie tucked a swath behind her ear and batted large hazel eyes at him over her shoulder.

  It was better without them here. One of the monsters he could almost handle, but three. In that moment Vetler hoped Ellie’s magic when it came to those beasts was real. Somehow, around her they were tame. They tried to be human.

  Vetler spared a glance at Ellie. She was such a tiny thing, with her silky blond hair and ragtag clothes. Fighting hard to make five feet, she weighed just over a hundred pounds. With a button nose and thick kissable lips, Ellie looked about three years younger than she actually was. Her heart shaped face and small stature gave her an air of innocence.

  She had this strength, though, an indomitable will. It made even the most terrifying, snarling beasts bow down to it. Vetler hated to admit it, but sometimes he saw it. It was in her eyes. They were like polished stones. He wondered if that was what brought this life down on her, or if it was the only way she could survive it. Either way, it made her formidable. A leader like that, made you want to follow. Sometimes Vetler wondered how she dealt with all this. That was in her eyes too. Ellie was haunted. Just watching her at dinner, he noticed the signs.

  Ellie made sure to check the exits every few minutes. Her eyes darted back and forth. Once she finished eating, she did a walk of the perimeter. Ellie made sure to do it twice in the morning, and twice at night. She looked out each of the windows as she passed them by. Little cracks in her foundation. Ellie hid it well. But if you knew what to look for, the symptoms were plain as day.

  “You know what. There is a shower upstairs. I am going to make use of it and possibly throw up,” Ellie announced, pushing up from the couch cushion. Yes, she’d taken a shower only a few hours ago. But it was a shiny perk to this settled down life Edward was trying hard to saddle her with. Vetler watched her walk up to Vincent. He watched her put her arms around him and lay a kiss on the center of his back. He watched as Vincent turned in her embrace and lay the most gentle kiss Vetler had ever seen on her forehead, on her mouth. Vincent revered her. Vetler looked on in wonder. He was sure he would never understand the relationship between them.

  Vincent watched Ellie waddle down to the back hall. He spared a glance over his shoulder at Edward, then went back to his work. Tapping and ticking sounded announcing Anna’s approach. Birdie, the gigantic golden retriever followed behind her. He never left her side. Her cane swung back and forth in front of her. Anna ticked her way to the edge of the couch and reached out awkwardly.

  E
dward watched her clumsily struggle with it for a moment before he took her hand. He helped her sit down. Anna flopped onto the couch and scowled, angrily folding her cane. “I hate this,” she grumbled to the room in general.

  “You’re getting the hang of it,” Edward said helpfully.

  “You are a horrible liar,” Anna said, turning her head toward the sound of his voice. The light danced in her dead eyes. Her flame-red hair was pulled back to reveal her shapely neck, the soft turn of her jaw. Edward lay his hand on her thigh to comfort her. Anna heaved a heavy sigh. A scowl pulled at her lovely features.

  “I can barely make it through the living room. We’ve been here how long?” she asked rhetorically. “I’m so sick of being useless.” Anna huffed throwing her cane down next to her. Edward sighed. He opened his mouth to argue and she stopped him. “Don’t try to deny it. Your teenaged sister can change the world. She can fight monsters and I can’t even find the goddamned couch!”

  “Don’t compare yourself to Ellie,” Edward coddled. “She makes us all look bad.” Vetler and Edward both chuckled with the truth of those words. “Give yourself time.”

  Anna heaved yet another angry sigh. Pulling one leg up underneath her, she stared unseeing at the dancing fire. Edward was lost. He couldn’t imagine the grief of losing his sight. Anna was tragic and beautiful. He wanted to swoop in, give her back her sight, the life she lost. That was just a power he did not have.

  “It’s seventy-three steps from the hall to the fire,” Reese called out. “Four steps forward and three left from the fire to the chair. Twelve steps forward and three left from the fire to the couch.” Reese wiped a towel over the dish Charlie handed him and set it in the strainer. “Twenty-eight steps from the end of the couch to the dining table.”

  Anna smiled, looking in his vague direction. “Thanks. Reese, right?”

  Reese smirked at Charlie. “Right. You’re welcome, sweetheart.”

  Anna nodded and repeated what he said, committing it to memory. “What about from the couch to the steps?”

  “Thirty-eight straight, four right.”

  Shane tilted his head to one side. He’d been so upset that Ellie brought another monster home he hadn’t paid Reese much attention. Now Shane looked at him with a more discerning eye. Just the way Reese stood, Shane would lay money he was ex-military. Vincent told him they were soldiers… in World War II. That memory sent him spinning again.

  Shane sighed. His eyes slid to Charlie instead. She was the eye of this particular storm, the glue that held this rabble together. Thinking about her drew a smile to his face. It did every time. It wasn’t just because she saved his life. There was just something about her he could not deny.

  Shane summoned his courage. If Charlie could stand to be near the monsters, he could too. He pushed out of the chair and meandered into the kitchen. Charlie looked up when he came to stand next to her. She gave him that grin he was sure now he would never be able to live without. Shane opened his mouth to say something and she beat him to it.

  “I was hoping to get a look at your stitches. They should be ready to come out.” Charlie left them in longer because she was worried about his infection.

  “Alright.” Shane nodded. “The pets are doing clean up. You want to do it now?” He would use any excuse to get her away from Ellie’s monsters.

  Reese smirked unpleasantly but continued to dry his dishes without comment. Charlie gave Shane a withering look. “That wasn’t very nice.” Shane simply shrugged. Charlie turned to Reese. “Would you mind?”

  Reese’s face melted into good ole’ boy charm. “Not at all, ma’am. Ya were kind enough to cook, least I can do is held ya clean up.” Reese winked at her.

  “That’s very sweet of you, Reese.”

  Reese shook his head at her. “Nah, my mamma taught me good manners is all.”

  Charlie’s smile dropped when she looked at Shane. “I’ll meet you in the basement in a few minutes. I need to wash my hands.” Charlie sighed as she watched him walk away. Shane’s rudeness and fear of the boys irked her a little.

  Vincent came up behind her tossing the rag into the sink. “I’ll finish up for you.”

  “Both of you are so wonderful.” Charlie flashed Vincent a smile Reese noticed she only ever gave Vince.

  “You know, if he wasn’t so sweet on you, I probably would have eaten him by now.” A smile pulled at the corner of Vincent’s mouth.

  Charlie chuckled at him. She couldn’t help the blush that marched over her round cheeks. Charlie batted him gently. “No eating anyone. It’s rude.”

  That made both the Hale boys laugh. Vincent leaned in and laid a kiss on the side of Charlie’s head. She took a moment to wash her hands. As she dried them on a clean dishtowel, Charlie looked up at Vincent. “You really think he’s sweet on me?” It was part joke but there were little butterflies flapping in her belly.

  “Oh yeah,” Reese answered for his little brother.

  Reese watched her walk toward the stairs. He looked at Vincent when he handed him a dripping plate. “Ya two are close, huh? She another of your long lost lovers?” Reese's voice dripped mockery.

  “Dick. I’ve known Charles since she was a kid. The closest thing to a daughter I’ll ever have.”

  Reese batted curious eyes at him. He wanted to ask more but he didn’t think Vince would open up to him yet. Reese hoped that would change eventually.

  Edward looked at Anna. It was nice to see that look on her face. Her long red bangs falling down around that gorgeous face made her pale skin seem like porcelain. That's exactly what she reminded him of, a porcelain doll. Even her eyes, dead as they were, had a certain kind of beauty. Large orbs of creamy jade with just hint of blue.

  He wanted to reach out to her. Touch that fragile cheek. Lay kisses on her mouth, on her neck. His emotions raged. Charlie told him the consequences. The serum was toxic. He was addicted to it and it was something he would never be able to kick. In the end, it would kill him. Once he heard the news, he had backed off her. Anna was doing her best not to show it hurt.

  Ellie brought more, but it was a stopgap and he knew it. Charlie wouldn’t be able to duplicate it. It was over. He had months left to live, and part of him wanted to live it with her. Edward wanted her so much, but he couldn't do that to Anna. He couldn't make her love him, just to die on her. It wouldn't be fair. Cruel.

  Edward chewed on his lip and fought the tears that stung his eyes. For the first time, it hit him. He was dying, and he couldn't tell her. He couldn't tell Ellie. That would just send her on a pointless mission that would get her killed. No, he would keep this secret. The only other person to know was Charlie and he had already sworn her to secrecy.

  Ellie had given up her innocence. She had given up her youth. She’d become a murderer, an outlaw and a thief all in order to save him from that damned hospital. Like beating your hands against a rock trying to make it bleed, it was all so useless in the end. He was dead anyway. At least now, Edward knew he didn't have to worry about her. Ellie had proven to him she was a thousand times stronger than he ever would have given her credit for.

  He stared at Vincent. Edward knew that Vincent loved Ellie. He knew Vincent would do anything for her, anything to keep her safe, but was it enough? Could he trust Vincent with her? If anyone, it should be the kid. Though admitting that was not the easiest thing for Edward to do. Part of him hated the kid. Part of him was so grateful. Those two emotions fought a war inside him every time he spared a thought for Vincent. He nodded to himself.

  Edward headed back to his room and pulled the book out of the top drawer. He flopped down in the chair next to the window. Pulled his legs up, and let them fall open. He sat back, opening the book. Only the first twenty pages were filled with his thoughts. He started the journal when Charlie told him what was going on. He wanted to say goodbye to Ellie. He wanted to make her understand why he’d done the things he’d done. Why he made the choices he made over their life. Why he kept the secrets he did.
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  He flipped the page, and this time, he wrote to Vincent. Edward looked around the room. These four walls felt more like a prison. He didn't think he would ever understand how Ellie could come to love this life? Edward raised his pen and told Vincent all the secrets he kept from her over the years. Edward told him about the abuse of their father. Edward told him about their mother's addiction. Edward told him that neither he nor his baby sister belonged to them. Edward told Vincent why he hated him and why he couldn't trust anyone else to take care of Ellie. Edward told him everything, tears rolling down his face.

  This book would be his legacy. This book, he hoped, would make her understand. Edward hoped these words would comfort her when he was gone. The world had spun so fast and dumped them out into a place so far from the home they had built together. Destiny had thrown him into a place that was so different from the life he planned. Edward had so much rage bubbling up inside him, so much sorrow. He had no idea what to do with any of it.

  Edward thought back to the argument he and Vincent had before dinner. Vincent could talk her into leaving. Edward wanted nothing more than to spend his last months with Ellie by his side. He was coming to the conclusion the only way to get her to stay was through Vincent. Edward had to put his anger aside. He had to come to grips with the fact that she loved the kid.

  He swallowed, heaving a sigh. Edward didn't think he had ever felt more alone than he did at this moment. He let his memories flood over him. He pictured Ellie, young and happy hanging from the tire swing in the backyard, her mismatched clothes, bright colors and polka dots. She was such a happy kid. Even when the police had come to the door to tell them about their parents, she had been the one to comfort him.

  The more Edward thought about it, he supposed, she hadn't really changed all that much. She was strong and he loved her for that. Edward spent their last few years together trying to be stronger. Now he knew that it was a mistake. She needed him not to be strong, but to be there for her. That is what he would do now.