Love is a Pretty Tragedy

I knew now was the right time to open the box. It had been sitting there ever since I moved in a couple of months ago. I left it in the corner, and tried to avoid it until after everything was over with Shawn. There was a thought in the back of my mind that I might die in the process of killing Shawn. It continued to irk me so much that I knew I had to do it before. I slowly walked around it, afraid that something from my past might pop out like a jack-in-the-box. However, I knew I was just nervous to what I might find out about a life I didn’t remember. The box had been sitting at the top of Keane’s closet this whole time, and he choose not to reveal it to me. There must have been a reason. What kind of dark past could I have that a vampire, Keane, wouldn’t even want me to re-learn about? I had already set my mind; I couldn’t stop myself as I peeled the tape off and opened the box.

There wasn’t much for such a large box to my disappointment. On the top there were the clothes that I must have worn the day of the accident as they were clean, but they were torn. I placed them to the side before I began to dig some more. I found my old wallet that still had a couple of dollars and a few pennies. There was a gift card to a fast food restaurant and my license. I pulled it out and stared at myself for a moment. I had a funny smile for the picture, a mix between disbelief and nervousness. My hair was buzz-cut, but my eyes were brighter than I had ever seen them. I looked at my name – it was still Henry. I guess Keane didn’t see a reason to change that, but my last name was Stephens. I didn’t take Keane’s last name so I wonder why he changed it. I guess it is better to have some changes for a new life..

I looked at the address. I lived a couple of towns over from this one. I guess we were on our way home when the accident happened. I was tempted to Google the address and see where we lived. I thought that I might do that later – maybe even swing by the house.

I dug through the tiny pockets and found a few small pictures. The first one was of me and a dog. I was much younger, maybe 10, and the pug mix was licking my ear. I knew it was me, but at the same time it felt as I was looking at just another picture, a child and his dog. Nothing came back for me when I stared at the boy’s smiling face. I didn’t recognize the dog or even know what his name was. I shifted that picture to the back of the stack and paused at the next one. It was of my parents – or so I assumed.

I had imagined them several times before but never like this. My father was very thin with big round glasses and hunched over shoulders. It seemed like maybe he had a rough job as his clothes were disheveled, and there were a few cuts on his face. He looked happy as he had his arm wrapped around my mother. She was larger than I imagined with frizzy dark brown hair and an apron on. They looked as though they would never belong together; however, their smiles were completely genuine and contagious, as I caught myself smiling. They were sitting in what must have been our kitchen. It looked like a very modest house with a pile of papers on the table in the background. It was strange because without even remembering them I missed them. I felt like I missed out on the little information that I wish I could remember. Where did they meet? What was my favorite meal that my mother cooked? What was my father’s favorite book? What were all of those papers – were they in debt?

I massaged my head and really tried to focus. My eyes were shut as I tried to block out the apartment. However, it didn’t help. I should just accept that I will never learn anything about my real parents or my human life. These might as well be pictures from a stranger’s life. I placed the picture down, and now I was staring at the last picture from the stack. It must have been recent as it was of me and a girl at prom. I squinted to try to see if I could recognize who the girl was. She had extremely long brown hair that was straightened to become even longer for the occasion. It might have even gone to her butt. The red dress contrasted her dark facial features, and I couldn’t help to see why I liked her so much. Even in the posed picture, she had a certain look in her eye that screamed confidence. That she felt she could do anything she wanted, any spur of the moment kind of decision.

I wondered how that night went. I tried to envision how I asked to the prom, or maybe she even asked me. She seemed like the girl that wouldn’t sit around and wait for a guy to ask her. Maybe I was shyer than I was in high school this time around. I could have been the nerdy geek in the back of the room, instead of the cocky jerk I was this time around. She could have been a girl that found me attractive even though all of her friends discouraged her to date me. There were so many possibilities, and it was starting to bother me the more I thought about it.

I rummaged through the box some more as I put the pictures back in the wallet. There was a pair of sunglasses that were broken along with some sneakers. There was also a ring. It appeared as though maybe it was my father’s as it was too small for my finger. I put it in my pocket though. I finally had something that was his. I realized that he was probably wearing this at the crash site. I wonder if Keane took it off his finger for me to have. When was Keane planning on sharing all of this with me?

I leaned into the box and saw a small, silver picture frame. I speculated how Keane would have even gotten a hold of this. I turned it around and saw that the picture was once again of that same girl and me. This time it appeared that I had just helped her up on a horse. She had her hair braided as we were wearing matching plaid. I wondered where we were as it didn’t look too much like Ohio. It was much too bright and sunny. Maybe we took a vacation together with her family? It appeared my family did not have much money. My eyes were focused on her while she was smiling to the camera. I could feel my love for her radiate from the picture. She was my only focus in the world, and everything else was tuned out. I never believed that I could have that look for anyone but Estelle.

I wanted to meet her. She knew me. I needed to know who I was. I took the picture out of the frame to see if there was any writing on the back. It was blank. I picked up the little wallet picture, and there was writing. Just the information I needed: Catherine Jane, yours forever.

So I did once love someone else, and she once loved me. I would only assume that she was alive and that she had mourned me. I don’t know how I would ever explain what happened. Perhaps I could shape-shift into someone else and get to know her that way. I had done it before. It wasn’t that I wanted to be with her again. I knew that Estelle was the only girl that I would ever love in this life. I still wanted to meet her so badly, and I would be determined to do so after Shawn. Just as I thought of him, my phone vibrated. I already knew it was him and teleported to where we had been training.

Shawn was pacing around as usual. I took a seat, not sure how long he would want me here. It was happening tomorrow, and I couldn’t deny that I was becoming more anxious by the second. I didn't let it show in my face.

"It's so close, so close. Almost mine." The power-hungry Shawn was now completely consumed with this idea of great power that he barely recognized any of my eye rolls or sarcasm. They were becoming more frequent by the day.

I kept my mouth shut as it had been for the past couple of months, my thoughts on Estelle, as Shawn yelled or ordered me around. Shawn just wanted someone to listen to his ramblings; there was no need to even respond. My thoughts were back on those pictures as I noticed that Shawn was staring right at me, expecting me to share his great enthusiasm. "Her flight is coming in tonight, and it will all work out tomorrow. The wedding will go smoothly. We want to get married, remember? Estelle hates her dad for how he treated me all that time and for tricking her with Ethan. We have been over this so many times before. The power will be yours, calm down."

"Who could calm down now, Henry? I don't think you understand this for me." If vampires could have a heart attack, I would be sure that Shawn would have had one by now.

"Well I think I am going to go to get prepared for tomorrow. I will see you at twilight with Estelle." There was obviously no point to him calling me here. I pulled out my phone and saw the text message was actually from Estelle. I assumed incorrectly, and unfortunately walked in on him ranting to himself. Now he was excited that I joined him.

It seemed like Shawn was now consumed with his own thoughts so I started to rise out of the chair until his voice boomed through the room like I expected it to. "Henry!" Shawn sped toward me until he was directly in front of me. "If you dare to mess this up and ruin the deal that we had set out, I promise to do worse than kill you all. I believe you know not to mess with me." Shawn slipped a bottle into my pocket. "Take these and I will see you tomorrow." With that Shawn disappeared out of thin air. I took a deep breath, instantly becoming nervous. Sure we had it all planned out to kill Shawn at the wedding ceremony. It would only be him, us and the someone to officiate the wedding. We knew we couldn't let him get past this point. If we didn't kill him now, we never would, and tomorrow might be our last day alive.

I teleported back to my new apartment. I did a quick glance of the whole apartment and the street outside to make sure Shawn was not stalking me in. No sign of anyone. I took this as the opportunity to take the dagger from my jacket pocket. It was truly beautiful with gold handle and a huge emerald in the middle. I quickly put it away, as my hands began to shake from just holding it. Sometimes I wondered how I would even go through with it tomorrow. I never wanted to kill anyone, and I couldn’t picture myself doing it. I had to, for Estelle’s future and potentially mine. The decision that I had to make seemed impossible. There was no way out, death or insanity.

Despite my uncertain future, Shawn needed to die and it was not like I did not have enough reasons to kill him. I know Keane and Wesley will be in the back of my mind as I stab the dagger through his heart. What happened to them alone are enough of a reason to kill him.

I now took out my phone, and read the text message. Almost home! Can’t wait to see you babe. :) I instantly teleported to Estelle's bedroom and waited for her at the edge of her bed. It was perfect timing as I heard her shouting in the distance from the stairs, and then her footsteps to her bedroom. She opened the door expecting me there as she had a huge smile on her face. She quickly closed the door behind her, and jumped on the bed and kissed me.

"Hi," was all she said, and it made my heart smile. I could never leave this girl, and that is how I felt every time I was around her.

"Hi babe." I kissed her once more and then I realized I forgot something extremely important. I broke away and gave her the motion to wait a second. I closed my eyes as I blocked the sound waves from exiting the room. I didn't want her father or Shawn, if he was listening, to hear any of the conversation that was happening in this room. "Okay done. Blocked the sounds so we are free to talk about anything. Are you excited for our wedding tomorrow?"

She rolled her eyes as she plopped down on her bed and took off her shoes. "If we even make it that far into the vows."

"Very true. Hopefully Shawn will be dead before we both get to the 'I do's'. " I grabbed Estelle's hand and looked into her eyes. I wanted to see that confidence that we were going to be able to do this. The same confidence that was in the girl’s eyes in the pictures, Catherine. However, it seemed that her statement was just as much of a front of fearlessness as mine was. We were both scared shitless.

"We know the plan. We have gone over it so many times that I think I know it better than what was on my English Lit final." She giggled, tried to lighten the mood. "We have been through so much already, and I am prepared to go through anything for us."

"Me too." I interjected.

"Then, there will be no problems. It may not go perfectly, but he will be dead and we will be able to move on with our lives." The confidence appeared in her eyes, and it was infectious. It was just what I needed. I kissed her with more passion than I ever had before. I grabbed her shoulders and tossed her onto the bed.

"We will kill him." I said as I kissed her neck. She grabbed my face, and pushed my lips into hers. She believed in my statement, yet I felt as though I was kissing her for the last time - if we could only stay in this one moment forever. I didn’t want to forget a single curve of her body or the way her lips tasted. I couldn’t forget everything like I did my human life. “I love you.” I had to say it one last time.

“I love you too.” Estelle said, but the worry was back in her eyes. She knew I was thinking the same as she was. Hoping that would not be the last time I would hear those words from her.