The Long Road Home: The Journey of Alice & Jasper

The Long Road Home, Chapter 5: Rue de Paradis (Alice)

By now, I knew, Carmen would have completed her transition into...what we were, and he would be watching over her carefully, giving her the protection and guidance that I had never had. I felt a little pang of jealousy at that, but I knew I had my golden lion, my Jasper, waiting for me in my future, so it was only a little pang. Just a tiny one.

I thought also of Carolyn, the waitress from my cafe back in New York, and hoped she found some joy. Sometimes, I would concentrate very hard and try to see her. It wasn't as easy with her so far away, and now that I had learned how much more intense my visions for my own kind were, the ones I had for humans seemed to pale by comparison, and were difficult to bring into focus. But I did glean a few hopeful glimpses: Carolyn smiling in a new dress, a blessed few pounds heavier, wearing the shoes I had bought her. Also, Carolyn strolling down some unknown street, not in New York anymore, arm and arm with a pleasant-looking fellow in a nice suit who smiled down at her with delight and fondness as they laughed together. I hoped that meant that she'd found a good man and would have a peaceful life, somewhere.

The images of the falling man, the suicide, were still engraved onto the insides of my eyelids. I couldn't escape the horrible sight, could still hear the screaming echoing in my mind. I was so glad to be away from the City and the memories. Perhaps a new start would help me get past it all.

It did worry me a little to be in Europe, so close to the Volturi that Corin and Eleazar had told me about. Would I run into any of them? I doubted it. Now that I knew what to look for, I thought I had a pretty good chance of being able to evade them, and I would be looking for any decisions they might make concerning me, even if only vaguely. It struck me several times how very lucky I was, to have such an ability, to have these visions: it would be very hard for anyone to sneak up on me!

"M'excuser, mademoiselle, peux-je vous aider avec quelque chose?"

A human voice jarred me out of my reverie, bringing me to the present again with a jolt. I opened my eyes and turned to the direction of the speaker, holding my breath.

A rather unremarkable little boy stood there, dressed much like little boys dressed back in New York: knee trousers and shirt, jacket, cap shoved down over a mop of unruly brown hair. His round face was dusted with freckles, his smile was gap-toothed, his eyes brown and intelligent. He stared up at me fearlessly, his hand out like he was waiting for something.

It took me half a second to remember the French I'd been learning during my voyage. He'd asked me if he could help me with anything. It was common back in New York as well, children of that age working as guides and helpers, greeting arriving tourists. And they often robbed the tourists as often as they helped them, I remembered, smiling wryly.

"Oui, s'il vous plaît, pouvez-vous me prendre pour un bon hôtel bon marché? Je viens d'arriver de New York," I replied politely. Yes, please, can you take me to a good, inexpensive hotel? I have just arrived from New York. I decided I would give him a chance. I didn't get any immediate sinister pictures from him.

He grinned even wider, reaching up to lift his cap in greeting and bent in a very elegant bow. "Yes, mademoiselle, I can help you very much!" he said in halting but clear English. "My grand-mère has a very nice pension, on the Rue de Paradis, it is very clean and not expensive, and my grand-mère cooks very well!"

I laughed. Clean would be always welcome...the cooking wouldn't be necessary. But he didn't need to know that. "Thank you..." I trailed off, biting my lip. "What is your name? My name is Alice." I held out my gloved hand for him to shake.

The boy immediately shook with me, pumping my hand effusively, like he was trying to get water from me. He wasn't that much shorter than myself, I noticed with a bit of chagrin. "Perrine, Mademoiselle Alice, my name is Perrine. Perrine Bruyere."