Thunderstorm

"Yes, they do," Alice agreed, watching him watch the dolphins. She thought she saw a flicker of rage cross his face, but decided it was just the light of the television. He's not pissed, he's completely happy here....

Still, she had to ask, "James, what are your feelings on murder?"

"Murder? Well... it's a necessary part of life." James explained. "We murder so we can eat and feed... that's how it has to be, doesn't it?" James asked, pretty sure the answer was a straight yes. He felt an urge to break something, but resisted it, since all the objects around him were ornate and beautiful.

"Well... yes, that has to be it!" James confirmed to himself, expecting Alice to agree with him.

Alice breathed in before answering, "That's only for animals, right James?"

She was concerned about his seeming lack of conscience, and plowed on, "I mean, killing animals to satiate our thirst is totally different than killing a human out of spite. Human lives are valuable, and they have thoughts and feelings too. Humans are friends, not food! Do you agree?"

Please say yes, please say yes, I quoted Finding Nemo so you'd agree with me! she begged in her mind.

"Umm... why are they different though? I'd probably agree with you if they had some major difference, but I don't see much of one. What makes humans special?" James asked. "Other than they look like us of course!" he added.

He remembered that irresistable smell, and wondered if that came off a human.

"Humans are like us in the sense that they are..." Alice sighed in frustration at being unable to explain this. "Well, you see, humans...are special because they can accomplish great things. Like Albert Einstein, he contributed to the world greatly, and he was human! Even though humans are physically inferior to us, they are mentally gifted. You used to be a human once too, remember?"

"No... I do not, I do not remember anything remember?" James said, almost stammering as he said the words. Taking a moment to ponder what Alice had said, he had then nodded in agreement.

"Okay... I see your point. Humans are friends, not food. I'll remember that." James said, making sure the fact was pressed into his head.

He watched the dolphins a bit longer before suddenly the view switched to a yoghurt pot.

"Dalmios' fresh brand yoghurt... it's partially hydrogenated!" came a booming voice from the TV.

"HEY! What gives?" James shouted angrily at the TV.

"It's called a commercial, it shows while a show is on break," Alice explained. "They advertise stuff, but I never pay attention to them. Just switch to a new channel, commercials tend to last a few minutes."

"And I'm glad you agree with me," Alice smiled warmly at James. "Do you want to keep watching the television, or is there anything else you want to do?"

"What is advertisement for? Is it to make you want to buy stuff? Because that Cola is making me thirsty!" James said, watching the bottle pour a blackened liquid into a large, transparent mug, before filling it to the brim, and a person lifting it to his mouth, seemingly in a huge bout of pleasure.

"Hmm... I think I get this. I do hope the show restarts soon though!" he hoped, he liked watching the dolphins.

"Yeah, same here," Alice remarked, watching the TV calmly. The dolphin program started up again, and she found herself becoming deeply engrossed in the lives of dolphins. I kinda wish i were a dolphin, their lives must be so simple. They don't have to worry about secrets, or vampires, or anything else. They just have to out swim predators, she thought to herself.

"And back to Aquatic Lives... dolphins are the second most intelligent animals on the planet, capable of even understanding human language when combined with gestures, have empathy to save human lives for apparently no reason and have the perception to even watch tv, and percieve 3D instructions from 2D objects," the narrator had said from the show, before displaying dolphins watching a television for a brief moment with a scientist giving gestures, and going through the red hoop, which the scientists claimed was the message they had sent.

"Wow... these animals ARE smart. Almost as smart as humans and vampires." James admired. "Yet their lives are still so simple."

"I know, and I envy them for it," Alice answered. "I kind of want to be a dolphin because they don't have to worry about secrets or vampires or anything else. They just have to swim and evade sharks. I know it sounds crazy, but don't you feel the same way?"

Maybe I am crazy, Alice commented. Maybe that's why I don't get along with 'normal' people so well, it's because I'm insane...

"Hmm... ignorance is bliss, but even so, I'd rather stay as a vampire. It has more perks, I mean, living simply could be nice, but it's rather, that I feel I was made a vampire for a reason. Like a force out there dictated it, and now I am in my correct fate. I think that might be more crazy than your idea." James said, smiling at Alice, but then turning back to watch dolphins preforming more amazing tricks.

"I think you're right, maybe we're what we are for a reason," Alice said thoughtfully, mulling this over. "Did you ever think how vampires came into existence? I know vampires are turned by biting a human, but how did it all begin? Was it a terrible lab accident? Steroids gone wrong? Or is it just evolution?"

"Evolution doesn't explain the supernatural. It's the argument given by ultratheists... but seriously, before this whole argument was invented by an American court group, theists also believed in evolution. But even so, they also kept a degree of supernatural being present amongst the natural. That's what I believe too. We are perfect examples of creation by a higher being. We can do stuff that isn't physically possible, scientifically anyway." James explained.

"You know it's funny, all my emotional memory seems to have gone, but yet all my knowledge was retained. Do you think my 'recreation' recreated me exactly as before in physical respects, but that emotional memory was a supernatural thing?" James asked Alice.

"It's possible," Alice allowed. "But I think God just watches. Maybe God just created vampires for shits and giggles, and sat back and watched everything since? Maybe everything is left to chance...does that sound overly simple?"

"Hmm... well then, you still believe in a power, just one that isn't omnibenevolent. Personally, I believe it doesn't matter what he is, everything is in his power anyway." James said, before seeing "the end" written on the screen.

"Well... show's over." James stated, sighing and handing the remote to Alice.

"Do you want to watch anything?" he asked, frowning a little.

"No, I don't really like TV, it seems mindless," Alice shrugged. "Now that the show's over, what do you wanna do now? I'd suggest going to the mall, but seeing how that turned out," she chuckled at the memory. "Maybe not the best idea."

"Wait, so the TV is a living thing?" James asked, misunderstanding what she meant by mindless.

"Aren't there any other places we can go?" he asked. "The mall isn't the only place worth coming to in Forks, is it?" he said. "And yes, I know this is Forks, thank you mental GPS!" James laughed.

"Yeah, but are you sure you wanna be near humans so soon?" Alice asked concernedly. "We don't need a massacre to cover up anytime soon. And what if we run into Bella?"

"Well, I didn't seem to react badly at the mall? Why should this be different. Maybe I should go feed first, before I go anywhere, just to be sure. I think I am a little thirsty actually." James explained, licking his lips and staring out of the window.

"Hmm... I smell something I like again!" James said, before bolting out of the room, running out of the house and then roaring before jumping onto something outside.

Alice waited patiently for James to return by the front door. "Are we ready?" she asked as she began walking out to her Porsche. "And sweetheart, roaring before pouncing is unnecessary," she suppressed the oncoming laughter. "And going about town is different because we might run into the girl with the really amazing scent, remember?"

"Well... I really like deer. I think you got me into it!" James told Alice, laughing. "And the roaring? I do that for kicks," he said, jumping into the back of the Porsche.

"Well... I think I'll resist it okay?" James told her, almost pleading to go somewhere. His adventerous nature dictated it.

"Well, alright," Alice agreed reluctantly. "But if you try to hurt anyone, we're going back home, okay? I don't feel like covering up a murder in this weather," she glanced up at the dark clouds. "I hate the darkness of rain, it reminds me too much of my past. Or, should I say, lack of."

"Well it is annoying, you have that right." James noted. "It adds to air resistance, which lowers our speed. Not too much, but enough to be annoying to me." James said.

"I hate the rain," he agreed with Alice.

"I don't care about the speed, I'm content to just watch the scenery, you know? Enjoy life, smell the roses?" Alice explained. "I don't necessarily hate rain itself, it's just the darkness of some storms, and I don't like the darkness all that much."