𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍:
Weird Cult
(1971)

(AN: Important announcement at the end/author's note.)

"YOU'RE NOT IN THE ZONE, CECE, YOU'RE MAKING IT EASY TO BEAT YOU IN THIS," Emmett teases with a grin, a playful twinkle in his eye, chest puffed out, and a proud expression as he held the billiard cue stick with his right hand and his left hand propped on his hip.

Corazon rolls her eyes, "Maybe it's just your lucky day," she sizes up the table, ready to take her turn. The sound of cue sticks striking balls fills the air, accompanied by the satisfying clack as they make contact.

They were playing billiards in their living room, and they were the only occupants of the house. Carlisle's at work–as usual. Esme has a consultation in one of the construction projects in the city—Edward's in one of his classes. Alice is working in the boutique, while Rosalie and Jasper want to look for new parts for the car that Rosalie is customizing.

Corazon had nothing to do; she had just gotten home from the university laboratory. Emmett was the one who did the honor of driving her home. He was bored, like always; Rosalie didn't let him join her because the car that she was customizing was for him, and she wanted to surprise him with the final outcome of the vehicle.

"Or maybe something is bothering you," Emmett prods, and Corazon gives him a dead-pan look. She shakes her head as she nudges her head towards the table; it is his turn now. Emmett leans over the table, and with his build, he towers over it with his body.

"It's nothing," Corazon dismisses with a light shrug of her shoulder. She takes the cue chalk and rubs the end of the cue stick.

Emmett looks at her worriedly; he fixes his posture, standing as his hands grip the cue stick, "You're not going to lock yourself up in your room again, are you?"

Corazon furrows her eyebrows, "No, I'm not," She tells him. He gives her a doubtful look as she repeatedly assures, "I'm not, it's just—" She releases a heavy sigh and places a hand on her forehead, "It's my sister's birthday today," specifically Miriam's.

Emmett nods, understanding what it means, "It never gets easier, trust me,"

"It really doesn't," Corazon purses her lips, taking a few steps as she sits on the bean bag. Placing the cue stick on the floor, "I'm here, they're not, they're probably celebrating right now, and I'm not with them."

"You should send her a gift," Emmett suggests as he leans against the table, legs crossed, his hands covering the end of the cue stick with his chin resting on top of his hand.

Corazon shakes her head, "I can't do that,"

Emmett raises an eyebrow, "And why not?" He asks.

"I stopped my letters to my mother because I wanted her to let me go. I know that being away from her pains her, and I don't want that. My disappearance left so many unanswered questions and possibilities. The money I sent had already drawn up conclusions if I was still alive, and I don't want to get their hopes up that I'm coming back because I'm not," Corazon explains as the feeling in her chest grew heavy. She unknowingly places a hand on her chest, drawing small circles where her undead heart resides.

She continues, "If something happens unexpectedly, they always think it's me. It's been years; I should give them the right to finally let me go, even if it is really hard for me, because they deserve that." Her throat felt restricted, almost raw, suffocating. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, her hands covering her face.

She hears Emmett walk towards her and sit beside her, gently holding her shoulder, "You don't have to let them go completely." He frowns as he recalls his family, mother, and siblings, whom he left behind. It's what he's been feeling guilty of until now, leaving his family.

When his father died of a heart attack, leaving him as the sole breadwinner of his family. He did his absolute best to provide for them and be the father figure for his younger siblings while also being the brother. They weren't rich or poor; they had a comfortable life where they had something to eat at the dinner table together as a family.

He loves his mother and siblings more than anything in the world. That's also why when he turned, he left because it was for their safety. But that doesn't mean he entirely agrees with it. He watched over them and provided for them from afar. In the beginning, when he was a new vampire, Edward offered to lend him money, something that he should leave for his family.

He did, and for that, he always held respect for Edward. When Emmett learned to invest and earn his own money, he made a way to ensure his siblings could attend college. He conjured up this plan of fake full-ride scholarships until they graduated; he paid for his mother's hospital bill and funeral and covered it as insurance.

Now his family is well. He has plenty of nieces and nephews and some grandkids from his siblings. He's happy; he did all he could and is satisfied with it.

"How?" Corazon asks, genuinely curious, as she removes her hand from her face and looks at Emmett.

"By loving them from afar, watching over them from afar. It doesn't have to stop. Send them gifts with no name or return address, or cover it up as a package from a company." Emmett suggests, and Corazon thoughtfully nods.

"You know, I thought that you accepted this life so easily." Corazon tells him, and Emmett answers, "I did because I thought it was cool; vampires were only stories, and I became one. Super fast and strong. Then Rose." With his last sentence, he sighs in contentment with a dreamy expression.

"But it doesn't mean I accepted what I had to do when I became a vampire." Emmett purses his lips, "But I had to accept it because what is there to expect? I had to leave no matter what because we never age. It's best if I leave early with no traces to find."

Corazon then slowly smiles as she wraps an arm around his big shoulder, "It's far more easy to tolerate you when you're not annoying,"

Emmett then rubs the top of her head, messing her hair, which she slaps away with her hand, "That's what big bros do; they annoy the youngest. It's in the sibling description when you joined this family."

"Really? I haven't read that part," She jokes, a small smile on her lips. "Ah, that's it, smiling, that means I did it right," Emmett points at her lips as she engulfs her in a big hug, his large arms squeezing her, and she releases a big laugh.

"Emmett!" She exclaims in surprise; he stands up, taking her with him as her feet lift off the ground, completely caging her.

"Love you, lil sis. Even if you're a know-it-all,"

"Thanks, love you too, bear."

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

"HEY, CAN I TALK TO YOU?" Edward's voice came from behind her. She turns around to face him with a book in her hand. She's in Carlisle's library looking for medical journals for her research.

"Yeah, sure, what is it?"

Edward looks hesitant, like the words couldn't come out of his mouth, and Corazon raises a questionable brow towards him, "Did you kill someone?" Corazon asks as she sits on the sofa, crossing her legs while Edward bewilderedly looks at her.

"What? No." Edward responds in an instant, standing before her like a lost child.

"Well, you look like you did," Corazon tells him, "Just asking," Then she raises both of her hands up, "So we can get rid of the body,"

"You think I can't get rid of the body?" Edward asks, and a look of regret crosses his face. He is about to dismiss it, but Corazon already has an answer, "Honestly?"

"Don't answer," Edward groans.

"No, I don't think you can get rid of a body," Corazon retakes her book, placing it on her lap as she flips the pages, "If anyone in this family can get rid of a body successfully, I would go to anyone but you,"

"Fair," Edward shrugs as he sits on the opposite couch, looking uncomfortable, clasping his hands together.

"What is it?" Corazon tiredly sighs as she gives him a look, "Just spit it out already,"

"I know what you and the others have been doing when you hunt," Edward tells her, voice calm, but his eyes betrayed him; she didn't need Jasper's gift to know that he was anxious.

"Oh?" That got Corazon's attention; she closed the book and placed it on the coffee table as she motioned her hand for him to continue.

"And I've been thinking about it," Edward purses his lips as he brings his hand to his forehead, rubbing it with his thumb rather in a rough motion.

"Do tell," Corazon tells him with a nod. She fixes her posture, prepares herself, and closes her thoughts from him. Edward is probably going to condemn them for sinning.

"I want to join,"

Corazon looked at him, surprised, but she didn't let it show. "Sorry, memberships are officially closed,"

Edward scoffs, "Really?" In a sarcastic tone.

"We retired,"

Edward frowns, "Since when?"

"Since we moved here. We like this town, and it would be a waste if we moved in such a short amount of time," Corazon answers with a shrug as she looks at her fingernails, which are in need of a new pedicure. She ought to ask Alice to do her nails again. Alice has been practicing nail art for quite some time.

"Why do you want to join?" It's her turn to ask questions now. Edward is against everything that concerns taking human life, so it doesn't make sense for him to join them in their hunts.

Edward suddenly stood up from his seat, motioning a finger for her to wait; he disappeared in a second and appeared in front of her with a rolled piece of newspaper; he placed it in front of her on the coffee table.

The headline greets her, which makes her mood instantly darken.

MISSING CHILDREN IN FAIRBANKS CONCERNS AUTHORITIES.

She took the newspaper and read the report at a fast pace. Missing children are reported every day; they suspect that it's a child trafficking scheme.

"I read the first disappearance last month, and I didn't know that it got this far," Edward tells her.

"Have you gotten any leads since then?" Corazon asks.

"Yes, actually, I know where the children are; I just need help," Edward tells her, and Corazon looks up; she blinks, impressed.

"Where are they?" Corazon asks.

"They've been taken to a cult,"

"Not surprising,"

She'd read about the Charles Manson case recently, how the man was convicted of first-degree murder because Charles and a few members of the cult headed to a Beverly Hills home and murdered five people, including actress Sharon Tate.

"And what do you plan for us to do?" Corazon asks as she hears Rosalie's heels clicking on the floor.

Rosalie opens the office door, crossing her arms together, eyes switching between Corazon and Edward. "He doesn't have one. That's why he's asking us to do it,"

"For help, I want to join you all when you rescue the children," Edward argues. Corazon and Rosalie share a look.

"We'll ask Carlisle first," Corazon tells him.

"Carlisle knows what you've been doing?" Edward asks with wide eyes.

Rosalie scoffs, "Obviously, who do you think instructs us with how to execute the murder plan?"

"Edward," Corazon calls for his attention, "I think you're the only one in this family that doesn't accept that we kill humans,"

"Oh, please, he went on an exploration phase with human blood," Rosalie rolls her eyes, leaning on the door frame, "He was so deprived of human blood that he decided to rebel against Carlisle. He went off on his own and drank bad people's blood. Then suddenly he regrets it, deciding that it went against his morals, blah blah," Rosalie waves her hand in the air as she finishes mockingly.

"He killed to taste human blood, while we killed to give the rightful justice to those who were wronged, and at the end of the day, we were the ones who sinned," Rosalie spat out with such venom, glaring at Edward, who looked away.

"Make sure you want to do this and don't back out at the last minute because we will be killing humans, whether you like it or not. They're more dangerous than us. We're not the ones placing children in cults," Rosalie pointedly looks at the newspaper, turning around as she walks away to talk to Alice.

"Let's wait for Carlisle to get home," Corazon tells him softly, "Don't worry, he won't disagree," Because he never does. Corazon takes the medical journal, leaving Edward behind. As she exits Carlisle's office, Jasper is waiting for her. Leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets, his corded muscles show, and his sleeves are rolled up. He's already looking at her with a grin, golden blonde hair tied into a man bun.

"I guess we aren't retired after all." Jasper offers his hand that Corazon took with no questions asked.

"I don't think we ever will be,"

•| ⊱✿⊰ |•

"THE FIRST STEP WHEN IT COMES TO MURDER IS TO HAVE FUN, AND MOST OF ALL, BE YOURSELF," Alice tells Edward with a chirpy voice as she puts on a black jacket and a black hat. Edward was asking them how they were going to murder the humans without leaving evidence or any suspicions behind.

"That's like a motivational quote you'll see in the bathroom or something," Edward looks at her with furrowed brows.

Emmett snorts, "We totally should have that in the bathroom,"

Rosalie intervenes, "Let's go, we only have one chance doing this,"

They were in the middle of nowhere, endless fields and one mansion. It first looked like an ordinary house, with white picket fences, a beautiful garden, a restored house with white painted walls, and a beige painted roof.

It looked like an ordinary mansion.

They arrived at the location by running; taking a vehicle would be too obvious and loud. As the only house in the block, the house's residents would be suspicious immediately. Corazon took a look at the house's blueprint. It has fourteen rooms, five bathrooms, an attic, and a basement.

Suddenly, laughter and the sound of drums echoed in the air, burning wood and shuffling feet against the grass. They all looked at one another and quietly walked towards the white fences.

There was a large burning campfire in the middle; kids circled it, holding hands with a distinct crucifix necklace around their necks, wearing white cloth and bare feet. Three men were sitting on the ground, praying.

"What is this, jesuscon?" Emmett harshly whispers, looking at the scene unfolding before them.

Edward points towards the man wearing a black shirt with red ribbons around his wrists, "That's Damien Rosou, the leader; the other two are Froi Hugh and Gregory Portman."

"So, who do we kill?" Jasper asks, and Edward looks at him; Jasper shrugs in response.

"The other two joined recently; one is a molester and a child rapist."

"I want the rapist," Rosalie answers in an instant, "Then I'll take the molester," Alice nods.

"How will this go, Alice?" Corazon asks. They conjured a plan just now, and it's a decision.

Alice answers, "Froi and Gregory die by a suicide pack; Damien, we hand over to the police with a recording of his confession."

"Nothing will go wrong?" Rosalie asks, and Edward looks at Alice. He shakes his head. Edward then says, "Only that Cece will lose her temper,"

"I can work with that," Jasper tries not to smile as Corazon lightly bumps his shoulder with her own.

"So we'll wait until the children go to bed?" Emmett asks, still looking at the humans prancing around the campfire. He winces, looking at them oddly.

Alice nods, "We'll go as quietly as possible. Kill Froi and Gregory first with the pills Carlisle advised. Then Gregory is in the basement, and Cece will ask him to confess."

"Sounds like a good plan," Edward hums, then suddenly Emmett asks, "Are cults this weird?"

"Yes," They all quietly responded in unison.

"And humans say we're a cult, but we don't do weird shit like this," Emmett motions his thumb towards the humans.

Rosalie rolls her eyes, "It's because they think we get good plastic surgery from Carlisle. That's why they think we're inhumanely beautiful and our eyes are similar. Even though we're all adopted."

Corazon is working on the eyes part of the narrative, but they can't do anything about the beauty they gained from vampirism.

"Guys, they're leading the children back in the house," Emmett tells them, and Rosalie grins, a sparkle of chaos in her eyes, "We're back in business,"

The next day, the news was flooded with the missing children returned to their homes; Damien Rosou drove himself to the police station with the confession of his recording admitting to his crimes, and he was charged with a life sentence. Froi Hugh and Gregory Portman died of a suicide pack, leaving a letter of what they had done. There's always something good about serving justice.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

━━ I am establishing a new rule that I won't update any chapters until the previous chapter I posted isn't receiving the amount of attention/hype (comments & votes) I would have preferred, so this time I know that ya'll actually want to read my updates. This might get a weekly update if I am satisfied with the feedback!

━━ Okay, so I'll be publishing a book that's specifically made for my long announcements that'll be too long for my MB and answering inquiries about my published books: ongoing and drafted and like future plans. Let me know if you want to be tagged so you'll be notified whenever I publish! Just comment your WP user here!

━━ Also, why have the comments and votes on this fan fiction been declining lately? Is it because I'm not updating every Monday?