The song for this chapter is Time After Time by Quietdrive
[audio:https://twilightguy.com/music/timeaftertime.mp3]
Time is a very curious thing, and as school finals are rapidly approaching, my management of it has become of utmost importance. Should I study history for two hours more and government for two hours less? Should I work on my art paper or review 34 of the 85 Federalist Papers? Should I at least open my study notebooks or just continue watching addictive videos involving chinchillas and raisins?
Like Bella, I can’t imagine for the life of me where this year went. Wasn’t it just New Years? Didn’t I just move into this apartment? Sheesh. It is obviously one of those human things: and if time flies for us, how much more so for vampires, who are hardly affected by it?
I can see in this how Bella is indecisive. She wants to become a vampire, and join Edward for eternity — but at the same time, she is suddenly realizing the eternal consequences of making that choice. How will it feel to be eternal, where time hardly affects you, and to have the same strengths and new weaknesses that vampires have? How will it feel to know that this is something irreversible: that once she makes this choice, she can’t go back? Bella’s feelings are seen most in these lines:
I knew exactly what I wanted, but I was suddenly terrified of getting it.
In theory, I was anxious, even eager to trade mortality for immortality. […But] In practice… being human was all I knew. The future beyond that was a big, dark abyss that I couldn’t know until I leaped into it.
This is the reason why when people fervently askΒ me if I’d like to become a vampire, I hesitate with my answer. Like Bella, I have a fear of the irreversible. I’m not the type of person who would get a tattoo, not because I particularly abhor ink, but simply because I know that immediately afterward I will regret it and eternally grumble that I shouldn’t have done something that could not (easily) be removed.
Similarly, if I was to be turned into a vampire, there is literally no way of reversing the process. Even though I might be amazingly fast, have gigantic muscles and every person on the planet admiring every inch of my sparkly skin, I still might long to be human, and not have any possibility of it happening. Everyone knows just how much Bella wants to join Edward — the fear of becoming a vampire for eternity is obviously strong to make her hesitate in her decision. As Bella said: it is a big, dark abyss — how do you prepare for that type of decision?
As for Alice, Christmas must be impossible around her, and if I was one of her siblings I might just get something and throw it at her days early, since there’s absolutely no point in wasting time to wrap the gifts.
The unfortunate thing, however, is that for some reason she can’t see who is causing all this trouble in Seattle. Obviously, this newborn vampire problem is getting bigger. Usually, I can read what is going on but this time I can’t decipher exactly who this is. My thoughts are that it’s someone from the Volturi trying to cause trouble; Victoria; or even maybe a fourth member of her vampire coven: some member I have yet to meet.
But I keep wondering what the reason is. Are they killing these people to draw the Cullens out into the open? Or perhaps are they trying to incite a war between the werewolves and the vampires, by making it appear that the Cullens are attacking people against the rules of the treaty? I have little doubt that Jacob and the werewolves will soon be involved in this conflict — now the question for me is which side they will be fighting on.
Question for the comments: would you hesitate becoming a vampire because of how eternal your decision would be, or try to change as quickly and as soon as possible to avoid humanly dangers?
——NOTES——
– As the next two weeks are finals at school, I will probably not be posting as often or as lengthily as usual. However, immediately after I will be back as usual, until Christmas takes over π
– The Twilight Youtube Contest Of Awesome will end this Friday at 11:59 PM CST. Be sure to get your entries in before it’s too late!
120 Responses
Thats A Hard Choice..
Of Course It Would Be Awesome To Become A Vampire-
If Someone Suddenly Asked Me, I Would Say Yes Straight Away!
But If I Had Time To Think About It-
I Would Be The Same As Bella..
Confused Really..
x
Wow I Hadn’t Realized I Was The First Post :]
VAMPIRISM NAO PLZ KTHX.
but really…
i’d do it. the pros outweigh the cons.
Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge twilight fan and love Edward and his family.
But truely I would not want to be a vampire. There are just to many human experences that I want to have. I guess you could say, I want the life that Roselie always wanted.
Kaleb, tattoos are not that bad. I love the one I have.
Kab
I would love to be a vampire forever, there’d be no need to be afraid of anything anymore XD But I would need to lose weight
If I was like Bella, had the perfect soulmate, and was constantly plaugued by ridiculous amounts of danger, I don’t think I would have trouble making this decision.
However, I rather like my life. π So, I think if I were to make the choice right now I would say no. Immortality is something everyone dreams about, but in the end, no one would truly want to live that way. Only if you have someone to spend it with is it great. That’s why bella’s choice is justified.
It’s really so hard to say…At first thought, I’d say no. Suddenly disappearing and the pain that would cause my family and friends is not something I could do to them. Adding in a dilemma like Bella’s, though…I really don’t know. If I had a mythical true love that I literally could not live without and I had the opportunity to spend forever with them…I’d probably choose the immortality. And put all my best efforts into causing my loved ones the least amount of pain. Without that gun over my head, though, I wouldn’t go anywhere near immortality. But if I didn’t have anyone that my disappearance/death would hurt then definitely immortality. The pros outweigh the cons.
Get excited for Ch. 13. Jasper’s story is great! Good luck with finals π
I may hesitate momentarily, but I wouldn’t mind being a vampire. I may also have a fear of the permanent, I think I could be just fine with vampirazation.
As I have also run out of time due to things with school, i.e. finals, I find the lack of sleep would be excellent. I also think the speed and everything would be better than human. I also tend to accidentally hurt myself, so balance is a plus.
I don’t find too many cons in the end. And those are outweighed by the pros.
even though it would be amazing to have such immense speed and power and living forever would seem like nothing with your soul mate by your side. i would also hesitate. not sure i could make the choice. to leave a family i love so much behind me. it would be very difficult. but of course i have no edward in my life so who am i to know if i would hesitate if i was in love with a vampire like edward.
I think no. I depends on the circumstances. But if my boyfriend suddenly appeared in my window right now, confessed to be a slightly physcotic but still loved vampire and begged me to become a vampire. I’d have to go with… yes.
I agree completely with Charlee, Bella’s choice was justified and it would be impossible for her to continue living if Edward never aged. She would die, eventually, the differences between herself and Edward would become more evident (talking physically here), despite Edward’s reassurances that there would be no difference. They could never grow old together…so they stayed young forever.
If I were to be as lucky as Bella to find a soulmate, if one does exist, I would say yes right away. However, if I didn’t find a soulmate, and someone did ask me, I would be very tempted. I’d love to watch the world change, and witness various historical events, and have enough time to do the things I have always wanted to do.
i’m the kind of person who makes split decisions right on the spot… regrets them immediately after, then gets over it just as fast. that being said… i’d totally be a vampire if i had the chance, burning and all. and i’d do it as soon as possible… 20 already seems too old…
Finals are going on at college for me as well right now, so I totally sympathize. Thanks for giving me a much needed laugh between my studies. I am curious though how you find these random, funny youtube vids…did you just think to look up chinchilla and find this…I love it…
i would definitely become a vampire. aside from my immature fear of aging, i would do it to spend forever with the love of my life. i’d be 22 forever, with my soulmate, no problem.
The only reason Bella wants to become a vampire is because she loves Edward so much. If she wants to spend her life/forever with him she needs to be turned. When there wouldn’t be Edward she would not do it – not for Alice or the other Cullens.
When there would no reason like eternal love I would rather die than be a vampire. I don’t want to live forever, have the constant struggle to be thirsty and be responsible that many human beings are dead (face it – none of us would handle it to be a Vegetarian). When my true love would be a vampire than I would consider it. But otherwise I prefer to stay human. The idea to be IMMORTAL is more terrifying as exciting.
Being a vampire would be awesome! Immortality, diamond hard skin, honey-gold eyes (vegetarianism anyone?), impossible speed and strength, the flawless face, and the heightened senses. Basically, the perfect creature. Anyone’s dream, right? If I was given the choice of immortality, I would love the pros more than the cons. But, I’m a teenager and I know my choices are bad. . . I regret getting a new shirt the day after I buy it. . . At the moment, eternity as a vampire doesn’t seem as great as it should. There are so many human experiences I would would want to have before exchanging my human life. . . I guess the answer would be, “can you bite me later on in life?”. Eternity is just that: eternity. That’s such a long time to dwell on any mistakes. I would have to endure the constant thirst for blood and having to escape the sun every single day. I would want some time to see if my life was heading anywhere. . . Immortality as a vampire sounds great, but I want my human experiences first. . . =)
Hm. I’m not really sure. It’s hard to say without actually having the option presented to you. I think living forever would be pretty boring, so I’d probably rather die. On the other hand, I’d rather live forever than age. Getting older sucks. Though I’m a little wary of the 2-3 days of agony. Then the thirst afterwards. Which actually leads me to another point.
Why does everyone want to be vegetarian vampires? I don’t get it. Seems like a lot of effort to me. I’d rather just join the Volturi or something. That Aro seems like a nice guy.
Anyway, I think I’d probably take immortality if it was offered to me. But if someone was like, “Living forever or immediate painless death.” I’d take the latter. I mean, I get bored easily.
So there’s my comment.
I would not choose to be a vampire, but then, I already believe we’re eternal beings already. This mortal experience is just a small part of a very long road of existence. So I wouldn’t have that issue to deal with.
The other issue, the “sword hanging over Bella’s head” is another issue entirely. I always feel the nervousness of staying human and the risks to Charlie and this is with knowing what’s going on. One of the reasons I love these books, every time you read it, the emotional journey is so real.
the ONLY reason i would CHOSE to become a vampire would be to be with the person i LOVE for eternity. i will NOT base my decision on the fact that i will become extremely beautiful, fast, and strong. all of those things don’t matter when you look at the consequences for being what you are: a blood thirsty predator.
for Edward – Gladly
for the sake of being a vamp – uhhh… no.
<3 π also i can’t imagine getting Alice anything for Christmas either!! i think i would not buy her present in advance… i would tell her that ON Christmas we will go SHOP for her gift π and let her buy it… idk… nevermind lol
I certainly agree with Bella on this topic. I don’t know if I could ever make a choice like that. The pros are that you will become beautiful, strong, and very fast. But you also become a blood-thirsty monster (literally) that can hardly control yourself. Add Edward to the equation, and you get an even more difficult decision. Even though she loves Edward and would be able to be with him forever, it is a lot to give up. I could never make a decision like that. It isn’t fair to ask. Humanity or true love? That is exactly why Edward doesn’t want her to change. I think I would only be able to make the choice if I were in the situation. Considering that I don’t have a vampire boyfriend that I’m madly in love with, I couldn’t understand what I would be giving up if I stayed human. What I’m trying to say is, I wouldn’t be able to make that decision unless I were in Bella’s situation. Even then, it would be very hard to choose. Even if Edward is the perfect man…
I would never, ever become a vampire. I also want what Rosalie wanted too much. Plus, I could not stand to lose everyone that I love. But in Bella’s place, who knows? I would probably have the same thoughts as she does.
Christmas with Alice. I have a solution. Don’t think about what you got her or change your choices a bunch of times to get her confused. Kind of like how you have to think of other things to block Edward out of your mind.
On to the question: The only thing keeping me from turning into a vampire would be the pain. Even though I am really sadistic, I have a low tolerance for pain. This completely dispells the “people who like spicy foods have a high tolerance for pain” myth. If the transformation didn’t hurt so bad, I would be first in line to change, even with the problem of never seeing my family or friends again. I am an insomniac by nature, so the no sleeping thing wouldn’t be new, also with the high speeds, I can run and check up on my family in the middle of the night. Plus, since e-mail is my prefered way of communication, it wouldn’t seem weird if I just e-mailed all the time to hide my “musical voice.”
That was a ton of rambling for one question…..lol
If I was given the choice to become a vampire or not, my answer would be no. Even though I am already married and have 2 kids and in theory have done everything that most girls would say they would like to do before the change/die, I like the idea of time passing and it actually meaning something.
If I were Bella, I wouldn’t hesitate. Her future lies with Edward. WHile it would be a huge change and would take some adjustment, she will never be happy without Edward. And she has been given the opportunity to spend eternity with him. I’d take it without hesitation!
I too have a fear of the irreversible. I don’t have any tattoos or piercings (not even my ears). It’s not that I’m against it; I just don’t want to do anything I may decide I don’t like afterward and be stuck with it.
When it comes right down to it, I would never want to be immortal. I would be scared as Hell. I mean, think about it, living forever, indefinitely… I can’t wrap my head around a concept like that.
The best thing about life is that it is limited. We have only a certain amount of time, and so we make the best of that time while we have it. If life never ended, what reason would we have to learn or love? or do anything at all? It’s frightening.
That being said, I would love to have a LONGER life. I love to learn and I love to travel and life is so short and rushed that we never have enough time for the things we love. If I could live longer, say 500 years maybe,I would be a very happy person.
When you think about it it’s really the wolves who have it the best. They can live for as long as they want, and when they find their someone, they can become human again and settle down. They also don’t have to live with the pain of thirst every time something with a heartbeat comes close to them.
So, would I be a vampire? no. Even if I had someone I loved to spend eternity with, I would be scared out of my mind. I would only become a vampire if becoming a wolf wasn’t an option -which i guess it’s not for Bella, so she’s making the right choice. But if I could become a wolf, that would be the obvious choice.
Hmm… the question you make is quite profound, and I guess it is something most of us thought about when reading Eclipse. Knowing myself, I doubt that I will have chosen to become a vampire. I live with physical limitations, and those are part of what make me. The idea of perfection simply repulses me, and as hard as it is, I appreciate the ‘trying harder’ bit, the learning, the improving, knowing that there is always someone better than I am at it.
Then again, I am not Bella. Still, I sympathize more with Rosalie’s way of thought π
And, if I may, do your art paper π sounds the more interesting of all the things you need to do (but perhaps that’s because I’m an art historian :D)
Just imagine how different a world we would love in if people entered marriage as if it was an irreversible commitment…
I don’t think I would. Because being a vampire would meant that I would NEVER change. I don’t think that I’d want to be the same forever because I’m constanly learning, changing and evolving. Does that make sense?
HALE YES!
Given an impossible opportunity? I’d take that up before my toast is done.
I’m curious to know what life is beyond this one. So curious that I would opt to stay a human so that I will find out one day.
I would want to remain human, I think. After all, look at Rosalie. She certainly hates being a vampire.
hmm i read this last night and thought that maybe i should sleep on it and see if i could answer the question a little bit better today. but it seems as though it didn’t help at all.
I suppose if i was in bella’s situation i would probably have no problem choosing to become a vampire right away
But if i wasn’t eternity is a long time to spend looking for a soulmate and being happy with the choice you made so im gonna have to say unless im in love with a vampire already, i don’t know that i could become immortal.
My boyfriend and I have had this discussion, jokingly, many times. Because I am older than him by three years, I would not hesitate to become a vampire and enjoy my seventeen-year-old speldor for all eternity, and wait for him to turn the same age, and then turn him as well, so that we could be together for all of eternity, and no one could protest about it–they’d all be dead in a matter of time, just to paraphrase Edward.
I would definitely hesitate on making that decision. Only if I were in Bella’s situation would I consider making that kind of change. True, there are many positives, but they all seem canceled out to me by the thirst. I would NEVER want to be a slave to that forever. To constantly have a craving to kill people…that would be horrible. And living forever is just unnatural.
Interesting theories Kaleb…have fun reading. π
I just realized what a hideous run-on I just posted. GAH!
Because I have kids, I would opt to stay human with them. I also believe we are eternal beings – life after death and resurrection, all that stuff, so I believe we will be immortal, without all the constant thirst, etc.
Although, somedays I think it would be nice to never sleep, be extremely fast and strong and not need to prepare meals for everyone!! ha ha
If I were Bella – very few family ties, few real friends and a true love who would live forever, I might choose to be a vampire.
It certainly is a dilemma: Bella has a future, but Edward has forever. Should she trade her future for eternity? I think she eventually made the right decision (no spoilers, LOL).
What would I decide? Honestly, as much as I love Twilight and anything with vampires, I don’t think I would want to become one. Nothing is permanent, and I’d hate to become a vampire for the sake of someone I love and then a year later he’s gone. For whatever reason. Then in the meantime I’ve lost all of my human friends because they think I’m dead. Then there’s the whole need to drink blood, but I probably only find that disgusting because I’m a human…
I would definately hesitate. I would still probably choose to be a vampire (as long as I had the support base to know that I won’t kill anyone), but it would not be an easy decision for me to make.
I think it would be cool to be a vampire, if I didn’t have any human attachments. But I would definitely hesitate, and if I had the chance, I’m really not sore if I would take it or not. If I were like Bella and had Jacob, I wouldn’t. There would be too many things I would have to leave behind.
Life or death the ultimate question.
Life is full of surprises and there is always room for more learning and experiences. Death is final (unless your a zombie) and with so much to see and do, I would want to choose immortality over growing old and dying.
However, the saddness of having my family and friends die around me could be too much for me to take. Living forever in a depressed state would suck, but then I just think that people could die at any time really and you always have the ability to make new friends and family.
Choosing immortality for a guy is dumb, I would have to make that decision on my own terms.
Nope cannot answer the age old life or death question. It’s definitely a conundrum.
Haha oh Alice. I’m very frightened to be around her during Christmas time. I think I would crawl into a hole and hide until the holiday season was over, or else risk getting blinded by the overwhelming number of colored twinkle lights (I’m picturing the movie Deck the Halls, but fifty times worse)
And as for your question, if there was a family like the Cullens who would let me join them, and if I had found my soul mate (like an Edward, Emmett, Jasper, or Carlisle) in one of them, I think I would become a vampire. Otherwise, I think it would be too lonely of an existence and I would rather be human. If I were to be a vampire, though, I would want to be turned at the age of 23 methinks.
I think I’d choose to be a vampire. Even though thirst is probably horrific and you can’t really be around the people you love, you would get to have eternity to find your one, true soulmate and live forever with them. And that’s true happiness.
Make me a vampire right now!
I would totally do vampire. I wouldn’t hesitate.
And thanks Kaleb for getting me addicted on addicting videos of chinchillas eating raisins on YouTube π You totally screwed up my homework. But I love anyway π
Not hard for me to say.
(but yet i thought about this before)
i would pick a vampire.. and be a veggie just like the cullens i dont want to kill other ppl!
If I was in Bella’s situation I would hesitate but probab;y do it in the end, but In my current state of mind, I do not want to be a vampire at all. My greatest ambition is too be a mother (not that I don’t want a career, but I consider motherhood to be a greater ambition) and I want to fall in love with someone I can be with for the rest of my life, but with that life ending one day. I just can’t imagine staying at one point in my life forever while the world around me changing.
i would probably hesitate. i dont exactly want to be frozen at the age of 13 for my eternal life. to me, there are not many human dangers to worry about. i understand that any day i could be hit by the school bus or be struck by lightning(knock on wood), but i dont worry about things like that. i am a teenager, the things i worry about are pimples, all my school projects and essays and getting all my friends(which is a real lot) some thing for christmas…
I would probably say no, thank you. π I (like Alli) would someday like to become a mother. This is why I was able to sympathize with Rosalie so quickly after learning her story; I have the chance to grow older, mature, and have children. She doesnt. We’re I in Rosalie’s place I might have to resist an overwhelming temptaion to throttle Bella for jumping into something so big so quickly.
I have a friend who, even before Twilight, would have let anyone bite her if they said they were a vampire. She was, and still seems to be, so sick of ‘mundane human life’ that she would have jumped at the chance to be imortal. Which has always concerned me deeply, being that she’s always wanted to run from what has been farmiliar to her. I exagerate, of course, but I liken my friend to Bella. They both seemed to want something more exciting, but where did that leave Charlie? Or myself? I digress.
My point is that most of the people who say ‘yes’ to such a huge change usually dont know what they’re getting into. I am fairly sure I understand when I give my answer: a firm ‘no’. π
I would definitally hesitate before becoming a vampire, because once you are one there is no way of going back. It’s forever, unless you get killed. I would rather live a normal life and die than keep going on and on and on forever.
BUT, if I had my true love waiting for me on the other side of the dark abyss of eternity, I wouldn’t hesitate as much. Being with someone like Edward would be completely worth it π
So if I was in Bella’s position, yes I would do it. But otherwise probably not.
Haha, it’s good to know that you haven’t figured out the Seattle thing yet! That makes me feel less stupid for never figuring out these sorts of twists when I read books…
Ok people, sure, all of us Twilight fans immediately say “YES YES! OH PLEASE YES!!” to become a vampire. But when you stop and think about it, Edward is the reason Bella is changing. We can’t all have Edwards. And sure you get to be super-strong and super-fast and super-gorgeous etc. etc. but I wouldn’t be looking forward to the constant thirst. Plus, who really wants to live forever? Personally, when my time comes I’m outta here.