Eternity | Teen Ink

Eternity MAG

By Anonymous

(Inspired by Twilight by Stephenie Meyer)

It’s strange that I never noticed how fast clouds move before. It was sort of frightening. I almost felt like running for cover, as though they might lose control and tumble from the sky and crush me. I might have done just that had I not been so comfortable where I was, lying in the sun in a lush meadow.

I turned to look at the beautiful, ageless being stretched on the grass beside me. His looks were deceiving, for while he appeared to be a normal teenage boy, I knew he was well over 300 years old and not human at all.

“Nathaniel,” I said, my voice sounding loud in the calm of the clearing.

“Mmm?” was his only reply. His eyes were closed and a lazy smile graced his lips as he soaked up the sun.

“I want to see you.”

He opened his violet eyes a fraction, peering at me with a look of amusement and adoration. Then, he closed them again and let out a long breath. Slowly, he started to change. The color in his skin faded until he was all white, except for his lips which remained a pale rose, and his hair became an impossible shade of black. He sat up and a set of filmy, sparkling wings sprouted from his back, the light bouncing off,sending rainbows dancing around the meadow.

I pushed myself into a sitting position and grinned when he opened his eyes, now a deep purple.

“Much better,” I said, and his lips parted in a breathtaking smile.

He lowered himself onto the grass,holding his head up with his hand, his face turned toward the sun. He looked so perfectly at ease and so easily perfect that it was hard to believe he was even real. He was so lovely that it hurt to think of what he saw in me. The ordinariness of my humanity couldn’t possibly be endearing compared to the fantastical beauty of this faerie boy.

Yet there he was, utterly content to be with me. I wasn’t sure I’d ever understand, but I didn’t mind.Having him was more than enough. To ask for an explanation would be greedy. Still, I had to wonder if there had been others before me. After all, he’d been alive for three centuries. Certainly he hadn’t spent those years alone. It hurt to think of others holding his heart, and that others would, because, of course, I wouldn’t be around forever. I would grow old and die, and he would goon.

But if he loved me as he said he did, would he be able to goon? Would he survive after I was gone? Were our positions switched, I knew I wouldn’t be able to exist. Now that I knew what it was to be with him, I don’t think I’d be able to live without him.So, did the thought of being without me frighten him? Did it scare him to think he would live forever?

“What are you thinking?” he asked softly, looking at me with curious eyes.

“Well,” I said, mirroring his position and propping my head on my elbow. I took his hand and flipped it so his palm was facing up. Running my fingers lightly up and down the inside of his arm, I looked at him. “I was wondering if it ever scares you, the thought of living forever.” I saw him frown.

“That’s a strange thing to think about.”

I shrugged. We’d long ago established the fact that my mind didn’t work the same way as everyone else’s.

“Does it?” I prodded.

With a sigh, he wrapped his arms around me.

“Sometimes, yes, the thought frightens me, mostly because of how inconceivable it is. When does forever stop? Does it stop? How do you measure an eternity?”He paused, I assumed, in thought. I saw his lovely face tighten with anguish and confusion and sorrow. “No one can even say for sure when it began. Some say billions of years; others say millions, and others believe thousands. If we don’t know where it started, how can we know where it ends?”

I’d never heard him voice his thoughts so freely. He growled in frustration and the sound was loud in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

“Or if it ends at all! What if I just go on infinitely? What if my family and others like us never truly die? What if I am doomed to walk this Earth,to exist in this universe, ...” His eyes closed with some ancient emotion I could not comprehend.

“Forever?” I whispered.

His gaze came to rest on me and I propped my head upon my forearm, which was folded over his chest. And then his eyes met mine. The sorrow, the pain, the turmoil, the deep, heavy woe in his eyes broke my heart several times in that fraction of a second. The emotions were so strong, so inconsolable, that they shook me to my core and before I knew it, tears rolled down my cheeks. It wasn’t until I felt him wipe one away, his fingers as light as a moth’s wing,that I even realized I was crying.

I felt it, though. I felt the emotions reflected in his eyes. I felt them deep in my chest, weighing heavily on my heart, choking me. I felt the total impossibility of his existence. The uncertainty and the forlorn question of what his purpose was. I felt it all, and I nearly exploded with grief. All of the heartache bubbled over and my body shook with sobs.

I felt his arms form a loving shield around me, although the anguish was his, and not mine. I should have been protecting him, consoling him, but I couldn’t hold myself together.

A soft, soothing melody came and I realized Nathaniel was humming. My heart swelled with love and a wave of ease flooded me. I clung to his shirt, wanting to be as close as possible. I wanted him to know I was there with him. His hold on me tightened and I felt him press his face into my hair.

“My lovely Delilah,” he whispered. My name on his tongue sounded wonderful, and I wanted him to say it again and again. Reluctantly, I lifted my head from his chest and the sad smile on his perfect lips brought fresh tears to my eyes. “So absurd,” he muttered,stroking my cheek with his thumb.

“Nathaniel,” I sighed his name and my voice cracked. “I -”

His exquisite lavender eyes softened and he pulled me up so that my face was level with his. He pressed his cheek to mine and said softly in my ear,“What is it?”

I pulled back to gaze at his sinfully gorgeous face. Hesitantly, I traced its contours, his smooth brow, his lavender eyelids and the circles beneath them, the bridge of his nose,the planes of his cheeks, the angles of his jaw, his soft, soft lips. I heard his sharp intake of breath and the way my name floated from his lips.

“Delilah.”

In his eyes I saw are flection of my own longings and it made my stomach flip.

“Nathaniel,” I whispered. “The thought of you ... alone forever ...” my voice trembled and I buried my face in his neck. I forced back sobs as his hands traced soothing circles on my back. I shook my head, unable to finish my sentence. I hoped he understood.

His arms enclosed me completely and he held me so tightly that I was sure I’d fall into him. Except it wasn’t tight enough. It never seemed to be. I could never be close enough to him. He pressed his cheek to my hair and I heard him inhale deeply. He sat up and I stretched my arms as far as they could go around his chest,my fingers splayed across his back, making sure not to disturb his wings.

I wasn’t sure why, but my eyes were shut tight.Maybe I was afraid that when I opened them he wouldn’t be there.How would I live without him? He’d have to move on in a few years for people would notice that he never aged, and then what would I do?

I breathed in his sweet scent and tried to commit it to memory. The thought of him having to go through infinite lifetimes in pain was unbearable. I’d only have one life without him;he’d go on eternally.

“Delilah,” his voice washed over me and warmed my heart. “Look at me.” I couldn’t disobey and leaned back to gaze at him. His eyes were full of such intensity that I melted in his arms. I leaned in and his lips met mine. He kissed me hard, harder than he’d ever kissed me,and I knew he was pouring his heart into it. I was, too.

I smiled against his mouth and felt him do the same. My grin broadened and I leaned back to look at him. His mouth spread into one of his glorious crooked smiles and I brought my hands to my face, my cheeks hurting from the strain of smiling. I laughed breathily and shook my head.

“What?” he asked, his voice husky, his lips still stretched in a smile.

I shook my head again.“It’s embarrassing.” What was I supposed to tell him?That his smile made my insides turn to mush?

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and said, “Everything with you is embarrassing.” He grabbed my chin and drew my face closer to his.

“Tell me,” he breathed, and I was temporarily dazed.

I also totally lost all of my resolve. “Your smile,” I started.

“Yes?” he prompted.

“I love it.”

His grin grew into one of triumph and I pouted at having given in. He placed a kiss on my forehead and then on my mouth.

“I love you,” he whispered against my ear. I brushed his obsidian hair away from his forehead and smiled down on him, my face no doubt glowing bright red.

For some reason I laughed, then said quietly, “I love you, too.”

If possible, he smiled more breathtakingly than ever and pulled me to him.

“Those words from you will bring me happiness forever. No matter how long forever may be.”



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This article has 104 comments.


on Nov. 5 2010 at 10:27 am
xprezzionstar BRONZE, Jeffersonville, Kentucky
3 articles 0 photos 57 comments

Favorite Quote:
All it takes it 20 seconds of insane courage and I promise you, something amazing will happen

ok this is great i loved it but i also loved twilight. u can play of of twilight but dont keep it so close. u r very creative and u NEED to keep writin but venture to stuff new to u or maybe not so new. wht i mean is if ur like me then u day dream alot so write out one of them but spice it. this was good & i cant wait to c more

bellaballet said...
on Nov. 1 2010 at 11:27 am
bellaballet, Copley, Ohio
0 articles 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
yesterday is history, tommorows a mystery, and todays a book

kool story!!!!!

on Oct. 29 2010 at 1:04 pm
billkaulitzlvr21, Morton, Illinois
0 articles 0 photos 4 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Ignorance is your new best friend"~Paramore
"Together we'll be running somewhere new through the monsoon"~Tokio Hotel
"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."~Edgar Allan Poe

OMG I LOVE THIS SOOOO MUCH PLEASE WRITE MORE!!!!!!

Zzzie SILVER said...
on Oct. 7 2010 at 6:32 pm
Zzzie SILVER, North Canton, Ohio
8 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Think positive, or I'll have to start singing."

Sorry, didn't see the first part.

Zzzie SILVER said...
on Oct. 7 2010 at 6:28 pm
Zzzie SILVER, North Canton, Ohio
8 articles 0 photos 38 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Think positive, or I'll have to start singing."

I loved it! No offence, but it kind of reminded me of Twilight. Still, I loved it!

on Sep. 30 2010 at 7:05 pm

OMG!!!! talk about mamzing! i think u redefined amazing!!!!!!!

fairy bites...where can i get 1?


on Aug. 29 2010 at 1:26 pm
Eatfoodzap SILVER, Winchester, Massachusetts
5 articles 2 photos 24 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. But if you can overcome the sacrifice and make it your own, you will gain an irreplaceable Fullmetal heart."- Edward Elric

That was very sweet. I like how you took the meadow scene from Twilight and added you own creativity to it. However, I will give you this criticism: You described it well enough, but I didn't actually feel it. The part with the clouds was lovely, so very lovely, because you described what she was feeling without every saying it out loud. However, after that, you used the direct words relating to all of their emotions. While this is fine, I encourage you to really reach out with your adjectives and verbs, really make me feel like I'm there.

I did also enjoy how you made it so that they DON'T have a possibility for a happily-ever-after. Very nice. ;D


on Aug. 14 2010 at 12:22 am
EternityRain GOLD, Burkesville, Kentucky
16 articles 0 photos 14 comments

Favorite Quote:
There is nothing worse
than not seeing much of the world
But having seen enough
To know you dont want to be a part of it......

Wow, this was great, I have read all the twilight books, wn all of them 2, but i tink this was even bettter than Twilight! It was awesome! Can't wait to read more of your work!

Mbmaddog said...
on Jul. 28 2010 at 10:49 pm
Mbmaddog, Bryantown, Maryland
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
I LOVE IT LIKE ONE PERSON SAID LIKE THE MAXIMUM RIDE/ TWILIGHT SERIES COMBINED

miamimo8 said...
on Jul. 28 2010 at 1:32 pm
miamimo8, Greensboro, North Carolina
0 articles 0 photos 15 comments

Favorite Quote:
Esse Quam Videri, To Be Rather Than To Seem

Soooo sweet! If this was a book I would buy it. Well done!

on Jul. 25 2010 at 10:33 pm
kielymarie SILVER, Sandy Hook, Connecticut
6 articles 0 photos 85 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When you do dance, I wish you a wave 'o the sea, that you might never do nothing but that." -William Shakespeare

wow! i love this! great job!

on Jul. 24 2010 at 1:08 pm
DiamondsIntheGrass GOLD, Martinsville, New Jersey
14 articles 1 photo 278 comments

Favorite Quote:
Worry is simply a misuse of the imagination.

beautiful.  but... a little too much like twilight. sorry.

on Jun. 24 2010 at 8:02 am
WinterMoon GOLD, Waynesburg, Kentucky
17 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
life is hard, but it could be harder
Suicide is for people who are too weak for the real world.
Those who dance are thought to be crazy by those who don’t hear the music.
People change, things go wrong. Just remember, life goes on.
What you feed your mind is what it gives back to you!
Be conscious of your subconscious mind. It’s the storage area for all the things you don’t pay attention to. It will eventually yield and even take over your conscious mind.
Life is all about challenges. To become an over comer, you don’t have to allow obstacles to become an impediment, but rather a stepping stone to your goals.
I have failed over and over in my life and that is why I succeed.
Imitation is Limitation.
Life is like a novel with the end ripped out.
Life is like a game of baseball
You’ll never know if you make the home run
UNLESS YOU SWING
Life is about creating yourself, not finding yourself!
There could be many options in your life, but before this life you had no option. So live with it
Life is like a dream. There’s good times and there’s nightmares. Life will only last so long, but your dreams will go on forever.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain..!”
“Enjoy what you can, endure what you must”
Love never ends, but life does.
Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out
Love is like a rainbow: the more you see it, the more you realize what a miracle it really is.
Life is about falling – Living is about getting backup.
never have regrets, because at one point everything you did in life was exactly what you wanted
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Dreams are like stars…one blows up and another one gets brighter
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.
You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough.
God, if I can’t have what I want, let me want what I have.
Life is like an onion: You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.

Hey! I loved it, very different, but good! You should read some of my Twilight Fan Fiction. I do a series called "Twilight Child". A different twist to Twilight, good different, like yours. But, it doesn't have any fairies or Fairy Bites,lol.

on Jun. 24 2010 at 7:59 am
WinterMoon GOLD, Waynesburg, Kentucky
17 articles 0 photos 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
life is hard, but it could be harder
Suicide is for people who are too weak for the real world.
Those who dance are thought to be crazy by those who don’t hear the music.
People change, things go wrong. Just remember, life goes on.
What you feed your mind is what it gives back to you!
Be conscious of your subconscious mind. It’s the storage area for all the things you don’t pay attention to. It will eventually yield and even take over your conscious mind.
Life is all about challenges. To become an over comer, you don’t have to allow obstacles to become an impediment, but rather a stepping stone to your goals.
I have failed over and over in my life and that is why I succeed.
Imitation is Limitation.
Life is like a novel with the end ripped out.
Life is like a game of baseball
You’ll never know if you make the home run
UNLESS YOU SWING
Life is about creating yourself, not finding yourself!
There could be many options in your life, but before this life you had no option. So live with it
Life is like a dream. There’s good times and there’s nightmares. Life will only last so long, but your dreams will go on forever.
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about dancing in the rain..!”
“Enjoy what you can, endure what you must”
Love never ends, but life does.
Things turn out best for people who make the best out of the way things turn out
Love is like a rainbow: the more you see it, the more you realize what a miracle it really is.
Life is about falling – Living is about getting backup.
never have regrets, because at one point everything you did in life was exactly what you wanted
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
Dreams are like stars…one blows up and another one gets brighter
Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.
You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough.
God, if I can’t have what I want, let me want what I have.
Life is like an onion: You peel it off one layer at a time, and sometimes you weep.

lol, a "fairy bite" lol. Great.

on Jun. 19 2010 at 6:31 pm
TheMalfunctioningWallflower BRONZE, Houston, Texas
1 article 0 photos 45 comments

Favorite Quote:
"GET THE CAT!!!"

"I did wood paneling."

"Do not FEAR the Crooked Zipper!! EMBRACE the Crooked Zipper!!!"

"What's better than infinity?"

"Wear your helmets, we'll be reaching speeds of three!"

"You could walk on your hands and catch up to him!"

it is sort of Twilight and Maximum ride with the wings, but anything with wings reminds me of Maximum Ride... But yes, if it was a book I would read it!!

on Jun. 19 2010 at 2:34 pm
MeganAnne PLATINUM, Niskayuna, New York
24 articles 0 photos 157 comments

Favorite Quote:
All my life I've looked at words as if I were seeing them for the first time. ~Ernest Hemingway

This is really good! If this were a book, I would totally read it. And not because it's so close to Twilight, in fact, if you hadn't mentioned it, I wouldn't have even thought that it was inspired by Twilight. Seems to me you were just being modest, but don't be, please! This is good, and I love your style! Never stop writing!

Snow_White said...
on May. 30 2010 at 12:36 pm
I gotta say i did love this more than Twilight! :) Is there more??

on May. 25 2010 at 7:37 pm
AshenRose SILVER, Branson, Missouri
7 articles 0 photos 3 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Life may bend to my control, but Love I cannot kill."

I love your story. much better than Twilight, which was just flat out irritating. Excellent job!

on May. 23 2010 at 6:08 pm
littleleyah SILVER, Ozona, Texas
9 articles 0 photos 22 comments

Favorite Quote:
"When one doesnt belive nothing good can com from that." (ME!))

Although i liked this post i wont say it was better than twilight because it wasnt i am sorry it was good but u kind of killed it with the fairy gig because she will never be able to be with him after his time is up you should have kept him a vampire so he could change her or make something called a "fairy bite"

serena said...
on May. 6 2010 at 1:09 pm
cute! I totally will take fairies over vampires any day. and I've thought about that, that it would be really hard to live forever and see everyone else die and be so alone...