Spitefic: The Elephant

[gehayi]

Title: The Elephant
Author: gehayi
Fandom(s): New Moon
Rating:PG-13
Word Count: 2,223
Inspiration: Chapter 23 - The Truth. Sonya Pospisilova's comment here gave me the idea.
Warnings: Talk of suicide and suicidal ideation.
Summary: Her reasons for wanting to become a vampire all come down to one reason, in the end. The elephant in the room.
Author's

Comments

[das_mervin]

This was absolutely spectacular. I have to say, I think this is not only one of the best you've ever written, but probably my favorite one you've done. This was a completely realistic reason for Bella to want vampirism, as well as a sympathetic one. Basically, you made Bella a human, not some bratty, whining monster who doesn't care about anything but being beautiful and immortal simply because she wants it, goddammit, and she's gonna get it. I applaud you.

[gehayi]

Thank you very much! I'm glad that Bella comes across as a believable and sympathetic human in this.

Bella's horror at having to wait until she was thirty to be turned was what triggered this; thirty isn't all that old, after all. And it would make more sense to be an adult in the prime of life forever than to be a teenager.

The only thing that made sense was that Bella, for some reason, had a deadline. And then I remembered something Thirteen said on House about her mother getting sick with Huntington's before she was forty. So I looked up the age range--and found out that it generally hits between the ages of 35 to 44...but that an affected person can get sick at any point from infancy onward.

As quickly as that, I had the whole story.

*blushes at the applause*

[anakinnotvader]

This makes me feel really, really sorry for Bella. What a great explanation for her obsession with the vampires.

[gehayi]

Thank you very much. And I'm flattered that this makes you feel sorry for Bella, as we've all come to hate Meyer's version by now.

[quicksilvermad]

Oh, wow.

An illness, real and gradual, is far more terrifying than any horror novel. Because you can't fire rock salt at it, you can't vanquish it, and you can't ignore it. This would have added such a more painful, realistic turn to all of the books. But Meyer didn't think beyond her creepy dream of that meadow.

Thank you for writing this.

[gehayi]

An illness, real and gradual, is far more terrifying than any horror novel. Because you can't fire rock salt at it, you can't vanquish it, and you can't ignore it.

YES. EXACTLY. The illness is creeping up on Bella, and she can't get away from it.

I'm flattered that you think that this would have added a more realistic dimension to the books.

Thank you for reading it!

[kseenaa]

Oh dear... You've done the impossible. I feel sorry for Bella. This was a very sad reason for wanting to be a vampire. And it makes a sad kinda sense. Brilliant work.

[gehayi]

You've done the impossible. I feel sorry for Bella. This was a very sad reason for wanting to be a vampire. And it makes a sad kinda sense.

I'm very glad that it makes sense. And I'm enormously pleased that the story works and that you feel sorry for Bella.

[kermit_thefrog]

Wow.

This was phenomenal. I loved it. It made Bella so sympathetic, because she had a *reason* for wanting a "get out of humanity free" card. It wasn't because she didn't want to live, it's because she didn't want to get sick and lose her mind. I'm echoing what's already been said, but I wish Meyer had thought of this herself.

Bravo!

[gehayi]

It made Bella so sympathetic, because she had a *reason* for wanting a "get out of humanity free" card.

It's amazing how much the story changes if Bella just has a decent reason for wanting to be a vampire. I couldn't believe how much it transformed the character.

I wish Meyer had thought of this herself.

Oh, man, so do I!

And thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!