|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 1:20 pm
ELEVEN
Okay, so, before I start, I'm just going to set down a few things here... this is set AFTER Twilight! There is NO New Moon in this. Sorry, there just ain't. I think that's it for now... yeah... if you find anything confusing that I could explain better, or just plain liked the beginning of Eleven, REVIEW!
Note that this is still cannon pairing, Bella is with Edward, Emmett is with Rosalie, Alice is with Jasper--etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.
Chapter one
Bella's Point of View (POV)
I reached up on the tips of my toes and kissed Edward lightly on the lips--fully aware and disappointed of the boundaries he refused to cross. He tensed when I didn't fall back on my feet. More than anything, I wanted to lock my arms around the back of his neck like my body urged me to, but I did not.
"You're beautiful, Bella." Edward said in his perfect voice as he pulled away. Carefully, I backed down to place my feet flat on the sidewalk. "I don't see why you choose to stay with me when you could be with someone better." Honestly, did he still think that there was someone better, or was he just playing Mr. Manners?
"No one's better than you," I paused and saw the reply about to escape Edward's lips. "And don't deny it." I added quickly. And it was true, no one, absolutely no one was more perfect than Edward. You could pay me a million dollars and I still wouldn't deny it. So why did he?
I stared into Edward's topaz eyes as he stared into my average human brown ones. The more I thought about it, the more offset I realized we were. Edward was a perfect god--he had the looks, the manners, everything--so why did he choose me?
"Hey Bella!" A voice called from behind us, interrupting my thoughts. I turned to see Mike rushing towards us. I hadn't noticed that the parking lot had already filled, when Edward and I had arrived, it had been empty except for the teachers cars.
"Hey," I said back as expected, but no where near as enthusiastic as Mike had been. Edward growled and I could only imagine what Mike could have been thinking. Instinctively, I reached for Edward's hand.
"Edward." Mike acknowledged coldly, nodding at Edward beside me.
"Mike," He returned politely, offering his hand, but Mike ignored it. Always playing the gentleman...
"So... Bella, I was wondering if you would maybe want to go to the movies with me tonight." I gawked at him. How dare he ask me on a date--in front of Edward. Did Mike have any shame at all?
I looked to Edward who was glaring at Mike--I didn't blame him, Mike had it coming. I turned back to Mike.
"Mike... I'm sorry but... I have a boyfriend, and he happens to be standing right next to me, right Edward?" Edward nodded and went to speak, but Mike had already started babbling again.
"I see what's going on, Bella." Again, I looked to Edward who rolled his eyes and squeezed my hand comfortingly. "You don't have to be afraid of him." He whispered, using his hand to make it so Edward couldn't see what he was saying. "May we speak in private?" Mike asked.
I knew better than to go somewhere with Mike--alone. Why couldn't he just take no for an answer? Eric had, Tyler had. Why didn't Mike?
Edward and I answered at the same time. "Absolutely not!" The words had rushed out of my mouth. "No." Edward had snarled. I expected Mike to look disappointed, but he kept a poker face.
He put his hands up as if in surrender. "I see, I see." He mumbled as he walked towards the main doors of Forks High School.
"What nerve..." I trailed off. Edward nodded.
"I really wish I couldn't read his mind." Edward said, shaking his head."
The warning bell rang and I realized that if we didn't leave for class soon, we would be late. "Come on, we better go." I said and started to walk forward, Edward's hand and mine still entwined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We were late to our first class of the day, History with Mrs. Harting, but, luckily, Mrs. Harting wasn't present, either. The classroom was chaotic and loud--almost as if we were at a party.
Edward and I took our seats in the back of the room. "I wonder where Mrs. Harting is." I thought aloud, not really expecting an answer, but Edward spoke just after I did.
"She's coming down the hall now. There was a faculty meeting that ran later than expected so all the teachers are late to their classes." Well, as much as he hated it sometimes, I guess his mind reading power did come in handy.
I slid my back pack off of my shoulders, took a notebook out, and slid the bag underneath my desk. Normally I would have just carried the stuff around, but I had grown accustomed to carrying the full bag around.
"Alright class, settle down now." Mrs. Harting ordered in her do-what-you're-told-now-or-be-sent-down-to-the-principals-office tone of voice. The class quickly quieted down and everyone found their seats.
I opened my notebook and tore out a piece of paper. "Now class, who can tell me..." I quit listening, Mrs. Harting was just about as fun to listen to as... well, picture the sound you hate the most, yeah, listening to her is about as fun as that.
I hate this class. I wrote at the top of the paper and passed it to Edward inconspicuously. He read over my terrible handwriting then picked up his pen and began writing. When he was done, he passed it back to me while Mrs. Harting was looking in our direction, but, thanks to his vampire speed, she didn't see.
Just imagine having to go through this class more than once, trust me, Mrs. Harting isn't as bad as some of the other teacher's that I've had. I stared in awe at his script. Never did it cease to amaze me how perfect he was. In the time that I had written four words, Edward had written an entire paragraph in his own type of calligraphy. Life just couldn't seem to balance us out, could it?
I guess you're right--but that doesn't make me like this class any more than I did five minutes ago. I wrote, taking the first reply that came to my mind. I had to wait for Mrs. Harting to look away to pass the note to Edward again.
Mrs. Harting turned around to write something on the white board, something that I could probably have Edward teach me later in about two minutes while it took our teacher a whole class session.
Before she could even turn around again, the note fell on top of my fingers.
Silly Bella, well, your lucky, let's just say that, shall we? On a different subject, Alice is going to ask you to go shopping with her at lunch, apparently there's a new store in some mall in Port Angeles. Just thought I'd warn you. Ugh... I hate shopping, how could anyone ever come up with such a thing and then go and label it 'fun'?
I hate shopping. I wrote quickly and handed it to Edward just as Mrs. Harting turned in our direction.
"Isabella!" Mrs. Harting snapped. "Since you clearly seem so talented at multi-tasking, would you mind telling the class what happened on July 11, 1804?" I stared at her blankly, searching my head for the answer.
"Uh..." I trailed off. Great, now I sound stupid. "I don't know." I admitted, rather than make up some phony baloney and get laughed at. At the opposite end of the room, Lauren Mallory snickered. I bet she doesn't know the answer either...
"I see maybe that will teach you about note passing in my class, this is important stuff we're learning here..." I turned off my hearing towards her. Honestly, when would I use all this history when I was outside of school? Why did all the teachers think that their subject was so important. If a student hate math, they'll probably just follow a career path that doesn't involve difficult math.
"And how about you, Edward? Do you know what event occurred on July 11, 1804?" Mrs. Harting asked Edward. She was now standing between our desks, making it impossible for me to see Edward.
"The Vice President at the time mortally wounded former Treasury Secretary, Alexander Hamilton, during a pistol duel in New Jersey." Edward answered out of either memorization or straight from Mrs. Harting's mind.
"Well then, Isabella, would you please trade seats with..." Mrs Harting paused to look around the room. "Trade seats with Lauren." Lauren grinned from ear to ear as she picked up her binder and bounced over to my seat.
I stood up and grabbed my things, then made my way over to take Lauren's seat... great. Lauren sat next to Mike. Why did Forks have to have so few students?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
After what seemed like ages, the bell rang and I zoomed--yes, zoomed--out of the class room, waiting just outside the door for Edward. Lauren stormed out of the class room just before Edward, I couldn't help but laugh.
"What was that about?" I asked as we made our way down the hall to our next class.
Edward looked down at me with a clueless expression on his face but then seemed to realize what I was referring to. "Oh, that. Lauren tried to pass notes with me like you did and I ignored it." I nodded. "How was sitting next to Mike?" He threw back at me.
I groaned. sitting next to Mike hadn't been pleasant either. "Nothing like sitting next to you. I stated as if it were obvious. And it was--to me at least, and every other girl who attended Forks High School--including the administrators.
"Right." Edward said, leaning down to kiss my forehead. I sighed, thinking to myself, if only this moment could last forever.
Yeah, I could end it there and have this be a one-shot, but then this wouldn't even have a shot at winning the contest I've entered it in, and, I've also got a wicked plot developed for it! Want to take a stab at it? You'll never guess it, but go ahead and try!
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:45 am
CHAPTER TWO
I stared at the clock, waiting for Science to end. Two minutes. I wrote of the already-covered sheet of paper and passed it back to Edward.
Edward looked at the clock and then back to the paper, wrote something on it speedy-fast and then handed it back to me.
Actually it's one minute and thirty-two seconds--the analog clock is slow. It was? Since when?
Well, we can't all have super-sensitive senses, now can we, I was about to stop right there, but when I saw that Edward was arranging the papers on his desk into a neat pile, I had to add something else. Mr. OCD Man? I giggled at an inside joke that had developed between Renee and I when I was a kid.
One of her boyfriends had been obsessed over everything being neat and organized to a pin point. One day I had been folding towels with Renee when--I'm pretty sure his name had been Bill--Bill walked in the garage door.
He had complained about the towels not being stacked correctly, so Renee asked him to show us how it was correctly done. He did. From then on and until Renee and Bill broke up, I had called him Mr. OCD Man.
I looked over at Edward who had on his perfectly gorgeous crooked smile. He handed me the note and I read it quickly.
Mr. OCD Man? I can assure you, Bella, I do not have an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. What are-were-you thinking, you have-had-such a concentrated look on your face. Twenty-seven seconds left. The bell rang right as I finished reading the note.
Edward and I picked up our things and made out way down to the cafeteria.
"Are you going to answer my question?" I looked at Edward quizzically, wondering what he could possibly be referring to.
"What question?" I questioned.
"Do you always have to answer questions with questions?" Edward asked, in a light tone as we entered the cafeteria doors.
"Is that the question you were referring to?" I asked, giggling when I realized I had done it again. As it turned out, this seemed pretty dang fun.
"No, my question was, what were you thinking so hard about back in the classroom?" Oh yeah, the note... oh well, this game was more fun.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied, again in a question.
As we passed all the different lines for the disgusting school food, I overheard a rather uninteresting conversation between Jessica and Lauren.
"So, David Henrie--" Lauren started, but Jessica interrupted. Boy was I glad she didn't talk to me like she used to.
"Omigosh, I love him!" Lauren glared at Jessica but then continued.
"Is turning seventeen this summer." Who's David Henrie? I wondered. Probably someone big and someone who everyone knew--except for clueless little lovestruck me.
"No way, seriously? I thought he was younger! Like, only fifteen!"
"No, he's not. But, I've got some family down in California and they know where the party's gonna be held, want to go?" Edward shook his head as we sat down at the table and away from the party.
"Lauren doesn't have family in California, does she?" I asked in a doubtful tone when we they were out of earshot. Edward looked at me and gave me his crooked smile.
"No. Apparently neither of her parents had siblings." I nodded, almost feeling sorry for Jessica.
"There's always someone who feels like they have to lie to fit in, tell me you're not like that, are you?" He asked. I shoved him playfully.
"No, of course not! You should know that." I stated in complete truth.
"Just messing with you, Love." He said, leaning over to kiss my forehead. I couldn't help but enjoy the slight electric shock that coursed its way through my body whenever we touched.
"I love you, Bella." Edward whispered.
"Right back at you." I said as I tilted my head up to his lips for a kiss.
Not long after that, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, and Jasper joined us and sat down at the table I had seen them in on my first day at Forks High School.
"Hey, Bella, want to go shopping with me after school? There's this new store in the Port Angeles Mall, will you go with me?" She looked at me with her puppy eyes, but, luckily I had been warned and knew what I would say. I closed my eyes and proceeded.
"Alice, I hate shopping and you know that. Besides, I'll probably have homework--" Before I could go on to the next word Alice interrupted me.
"No, you won't! I would have seen it if you did, surprisingly none of your teachers are giving you homework, the assignments you're being given today are easy that you could finish in five minutes." I opened my eyes and, amazingly, I knew what I would say next.
"So what if I purposely don't finish my work in class, then?" Alice let out a huffed breath as I stood up from the bench.
We sat there in silence for a few minutes. Edward reached for my hand and began rubbing circles in my palm with his thumb.
"So..." Emmett led on, causing me to look up from Edward's hand and mine. Emmett had his eyes locked on me. I guess he wants to hear something from his 'little human sister'. I sighed, looking for something that Emmett wouldn't have anything to say about.
"David Henrie turns seventeen on July 11, want to go to his birthday party?" Emmett cocked his head to the side and I almost laughed aloud.
"Who's David Henrie?" He asked. Wow, vampire/body builder didn't know who he was either. I shrugged my shoulders.
"Ew," Rosalie stated, clearly disgusted."Isn't he that Disney man whore?" We all stared at Rosalie for a second, and then burst out laughing.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:46 am
Chapter Three
The bell rang for the last class of the day to start as Edward and I took our seats in English. I have to say that lately this had been my favorite class. The teacher, Mr. Sambora, was one of the most laid back teachers in the school, making it so much easier for me to talk to Edward.
"Alright, guys, your assignment is on the board, you can do this on your own or pair up in groups of two or three to write an Italian sonnet on one of the two events on the board. Your poems are due next week when we'll share them. Any questions?" Mr. Sambora asked from his desk in the back of the room.
A girl, whose name I'm pretty sure was Erin, raised her hand. "What's an Italian sonnet?" She asked.
"Ah, yes. What is an Italian sonnet?" Mr. Sambora echoed. "Well, Ms. Page, and all you others who have not paid attention you may look in your books to find just what an Italian sonnet truly is. Now, the rest of you may get started on this project." Mr. Sambora said as he stood up to walk around the class to help.
"So, Bella, which would you rather like to write on. Would you choose to write the Italian sonnet inspired by Martin Luther King Junior receiving the Medal of Freedom on July 11, 1977, or the one inspired by the event of the US normalizing relations with Vietnam on..." Edward paused for a brief moment and I looked at him in question. "July 11, 1995?" The tone of his voice was distant and odd. What was going on?
"Well, I don't know much about either." I admitted, sheepishly. "But he said it only had to be inspired by them, so it doesn't necessarily have to be about the event... so, I guess we could do the event with Vietnam." I suggested. Edward nodded.
"Y-yeah, that works I guess." Edward stuttered--wait, stuttered? Why would Edward stutter?
"You're scaring me Edward, what's going on?" I asked, rather bluntly, and, after what had happened last year, who could blame me? The only vampire who I no longer had to fear was James, but Victoria...
"Oh, um, nothing. Just thinking about what those days were like. You know, I wondered if I hadn't ever fallen ill if I would have been part of the Vietnam War." I nodded, it made sense.
"Alright then, what do you know about war?"
We had spent two minutes on the sonnet until it was finished and then spent the remaining of the class period discussing war.
"This is all so intriguing!" I exclaimed as Edward opened the silver Volvo door for me. "I want to know so much more!" Edward had already told me several things that I never would have believed if anyone else had told me.
The conditions that soldiers had to undergo, the numbers of casualties every day, the backgrounds behind several memorial grounds--all of it left me wanting more. Almost like a teen angst/love story. (Ha-ha, sorry, had to put that there.)
"Sorry, Bella, but that's all I know about the war." Edward said as he climbed into his side of the Volvo and fished his keys from his pocket. "Breathe, Bella, you're turning purple." I let out the breath that I had unknowingly been holding.
"So that's it?" I asked, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice, but I failed--miserably. War was so much more interesting than I had ever thought, it was amazing how much depth there was to it. Before I had always thought that it was silly and that countries should solve problems with negotiations... but the things this planet had seen... wow, it was simply amazing.
"Well," Edward sighed as he stuck the keys into the engine. "Jasper knows more about war than I do, would you like him to tell you more about it?" I grinned like a five-year-old on Christmas morning and excitedly bobbed my head up and down.
"Yes!" I exclaimed right as he finished his sentence. Edward smiled towards me his crooked smile. "Holy crow, keep your eyes on the road, Edward!" I shouted when we began to gain speed on the soaked road and Edward not taking his gorgeous topaz eyes of me.
I loved him, but his driving scared me silly sometimes--well, most of the time.
His face snapped back to look forward. "Sorry, Bella, I just can't help but want to stare at the most wonderful creature that this planet has to offer." I smiled--Edward could always make me smile.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:54 am
Chapter Four
We pulled into the driveway just behind Charlie's cruiser. "I'll see you later, okay?" I said as I opened the door and stepped out of the Volvo.
Edward nodded. "I'll see you at five." In turn, I nodded. I crawled back into the car and leaned over to kiss Edward on the lips. After a moment, he pulled away.
"Charlie's wondering where you are." Let him wonder. I wanted to say, but instead I got back out of the car and shut the door. He rolled down his window. I waved.
"See you at five!" He called out.
"See you at five!" I echoed.
As I made my way up the porch stairs I couldn't help imagine myself in war. It would be scary, of course it would. I'd never know if I'd live to see the next day, wouldn't know immediately if something happened to my family... but I would be doing something great for my country.
I opened the front door only to let an enormous amount of smoke escape. I panicked.
"Charlie!" I called out, not bothering to call him dad. I heard windows opening inside the kitchen and I rushed inside, coughing on the smoke as I made my way.
"Hm... just when I thought I had it down." He mumbled as he opened the window above the sink. He turned around and jumped when he saw me. He started to laugh in a very awkward way.
"Oh, uh... sorry Bells. I tried to cook something and I sat down to watch something on TV and the next thing I knew--BAM!--the food was scorched." I walked over to the oven; where I noticed the smoke being emitted from.
I reached to my left and pulled an oven mitt and a rag out of the drawer. I reached in to pull out of the casserole dish, only to burn my arm on the interior of the oven. I cringed as I felt the first layer of skin burn away and pulled the dish out to set it none-so-gently on the oven top.
In less than a second I was at the sink and running freezing water over the burn. "Bells, are you okay?" Charlie asked from behind me. I nodded.
"Yeah, it's just a small burn, not too bad." I said, and it was true, it was just a minor burn, nothing to worry about, nothing too severe.
"Okay..." Charlie's retreating voice said as the volume on the TV went back up.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It took until four for all the smoke to evacuate the house. In which time I had ordered pizza for dinner, medicated and bandaged my burn, and taken a shower. Now all I had to do was tell Charlie I'd be going over to Edward's for the evening--the only problem; it was a school night.
I had rehearsed and rehearsed in my room until I knew exactly what to say, and, the lucky part, most of it was true.
"Uh... Ch--dad," I started. As I walked down the stairs, holding tight to the railing with one hand.
"Yeah?" He replied.
"Well, we're doing this project in English--it's about war in the twentieth century--and I was wondering if I could go over to the Cullen's house to work on it because Jasper knows so much about war because he's very fascinated by it, so I was wondering if I could go over to his house to work on the project." I gasped for breath, had I really managed to say all that without much air? Wow... looked like a first to me.
"Yeah, sure." Charlie said, not taking his eyes off of the television screen. The doorbell rang. "Bells, would you get that? There's only a few minutes left of the game and I don't want to miss any of it. I nodded, it was Edward, anyways.
I almost skipped to the door I was so happy. When I opened it, I remembered it wasn't yet five. It was only four twenty. Edward could be early... couldn't he?
No, Edward wasn't early. It was just the pizza delivery guy. "Is this the Swan residence?" He asked in a monotone. I nodded. "You're total is fifteen dollars and eighty cents." He said, pulling the two pizza's out of his shoulder bag--box thing. I handed him a twenty out of my pocket.
"Keep the change." I said as he handed me the pizza's. He nodded and then turned and made his way back to his car. I shut the door and walked over to the island counter just off of the kitchen and set down the pizza boxes.
"Pizza's here!" I called out to Charlie.
"Okay." I heard him say from the couch.
I counted the last forty minutes in seconds, and still, they passed by tediously. I sat at the counter, staring at the clock on the oven. I nearly jumped for joy when the doorbell rang. "I'll get it!" I shouted, though I didn't need to since Charlie was right behind me sitting on the couch watching a baseball game.
I swung the door open and smiled when I saw Edward's face. "I missed you." I whispered as I reached up on my toes to kiss him--was it bad that all I ever seemed to want to do was be close to him? Kiss him whenever I could? If it was, oh well.
Edward smiled his crooked smile at me, causing my heart to melt as it always did. Charlie suddenly turned up the volume on the TV.
"Ooh, that's going to hurt in the morning! Did you see that slide, folks? That's what I call a power slide! Kudos to Jeremy Garrison! Debra, would you give us Garrison's stats?" The sport commentators voice said--nearly shouted.
"Yessir, Greg. Garrison was born in Kentucky on July 11, 1984." I felt Edward tense and I looked up to his face. What was going on?
"Let's go." Edward said right as Debra started telling us Jeremy Garrison's life story.
"Hey dad, I'm gonna go to Edward's now, okay?" Charlie nodded and we left the house.
I didn't ask Edward what that was about back in the house until we pulled out of the driveway. "Edward," I started, he looked at me with his topaz eyes.
"What's going on today, you keep tensing up, what aren't you telling me?" Edward looked back to the road as he tensed up again. "Tell me, Edward, I want to know--no, I need to know, the way you've been acting today is driving me insane!." Edward pulled over to the side of the road and stopped the car.
"Haven't you noticed, Bella?" Edward asked. I looked at him.
"Yeah, I noticed that you've been tensing up for almost half of the day, what's going on?"
Edward sighed. "Bella... don't you think it's odd that July 11 is coming up so often today?" Okay... what did that have to do with anything? "You're confused." Edward stated. What, did he suddenly have Jasper's power, too?
"Bella... first in history Mrs. Harting asked us what happened on July 11, 1804, remember? That wasn't even the topic we were studying, we were focusing on world war one." I nodded. I knew Mrs. Harting didn't like me, I caused a disturbance in her class. Edward continued.
"Then at lunch Jessica and Lauren started talking about some birthday party in California this summer on July 11." I nodded, I guess it was kinda odd.
"Then in English, Bella, we weren't even focusing on Italian sonnets, we were supposed to be working on short stories. We were given two events to choose from, both events fell on July 11."
"Maybe it's some kind of coincidence." I offered. Edward shook his head.
"I don't think so, Bella. Something's going on and I want to know what it is. It could be dangerous." I nodded. it could be... but what could cause July 11 to suddenly come around so frequently?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:55 am
Chapter Five
As Edward opened the front door for me, I heard Emmett grumbling over on the couch. "How was I supposed to know that?" He said to the emptiness of the room.
"Hey Emmett." I said and waved as he turned around to see Edward and I. By now we were both inside and standing just behind the couch.
"Bella, do you know when FDR traveled through the Panama Canal for the first time?" Emmett asked me. I thought over the question.
"No, why would I?" I answered as Edward tensed beside me.
"July 11, 1934." Edward whispered, staring wide eyed at the floor. I gaped at Edward. Could it possibly be? This couldn't just be marked as coincidence--could it?
"Hey, that's cheating!" Emmett whined. Edward's head jerked up to make eye contact with Emmett. "Whoa, Edward, what's the matter? Be careful now, Bella's here." Emmett said through laughs.
"Why did you ask Bella that?" Edward barked. I jumped and felt myself shrinking and oddly enough found myself scooting away from Edward.
"Jesus, Edward, what's wrong with you?" Emmett said, now standing and facing Edward, but still on the opposite side of the couch.
A low growl emitted from Edward's chest. "Why the hell did you ask her that god damned question?" Edward roared as he lunged at Emmett. I screamed. What was wrong with Edward? And then I made the connection.
July 11. I gulped. "Edward, get off of him." I ordered in a voice more authoritative that I thought I was capable of. Edward's eyes shifted to me, they were pitch as black and realization of what he had done flashed over them.
He pulled off of Emmett and was by me in less than a second. "I need to hunt real quick, I'll be back in an hour. I'm sorry Bella." He whispered as the door flew open, and then he was gone.
"What was that all about?" Alice asked from the base of the stairs with Jasper at her side.
"Nothing." I said, looking at the floor and shaking my head. "It was nothing." My head ached from all the emotions and thoughts coursing through my head.
"Emmett, get out of the way so I can get Alice on the couch." I looked up from the floor to see Alice limp in Jasper's arms. My breathing became erratic.
What was wrong with today? Could it get any worse? What was wrong with Alice? She looked like she was unconscious, like she was--she was having a vision.
"Is she okay?" I asked in a whisper, surprised that my very own voice had gone from such an authoritative tone to one so shy and timid.
Jasper turned to me with his dark topaz eyes. He nodded. "She'll be fine, she'll wake up in a minute or two." He said gravely. I nodded, since I had nothing else to do.
"What was wrong with Edward?" Emmett asked me, changing the subject.
I exchanged glances with Jasper, then Emmett, then Jasper, and then Emmett again. Alice still lay motionless on the couch, not moving, not breathing, nothing--it was terrifying.
"Nothing." I said, not wanting to get into it just yet. I couldn't without Edward with me.
Right on cue, the door nearly flew off of its hinges and in came Edward, shirtless with animal blood covering his chest. I gagged and tried to hold my breath, but the scent filled my nostrils before I could.
Suddenly my head felt heavier than it should have and the room began to spin. Everything turned fuzzy and began to lose its color. The room was suddenly silent which was odd seeing as it looked like all three of the Cullen boys mouths were moving.
My eyelids felt too heavy and I could feel the vomit rising in my throat. "I think I should lay down." I whispered, just before everything went black...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Is she okay?" I heard Jasper ask. I still felt dizzy and through my eyelids I could tell that everything was too bright.
"I don't know." Carlisle replied. "She's never been out this long, I think you should try to wake her now." I'm awake. I wanted to say, but my lips felt like they were glued together.
"I already tried that. While Edward was on the phone with you... it's like she's... dead." Jasper choked out the words. Where was Edward?
"Try again." Carlisle said as the light soon vanished and behind my eyelids everything was dark again.
"Bella... Bella, I know you're awake. Can you hear me?" I slowly opened my eyes to see Edward hovering over me. "I'm so sorry, Bella, I forgot in the rush of things... can you forgive me?" His eyes were the color of topaz again and he was no longer covered in blood.
Slowly, with Edward's help, I sat up and noticed that Jasper and Carlisle weren't hovering over me. I was on the floor and they were over by the couch, staring at it silently. Staring at Alice.
"What's wrong with Alice?" I asked in full panic mode. Edward's already sullen face grew darker. Panic engulfed me. I jumped to my feet and dashed to Alice.
"Wait, what'd she say?" Jasper's asked in terror. I made my way to stand next to Carlisle and stare at Alice. She hadn't moved in the least.
"Alice?" I whispered. All eyes turned to me as Alice's eyes shot open.
"No!" Alice shouted as she sat up at vampire speed. "No no no no no!" She screamed. She looked at me. "She's not safe! July 11... Bella has to leave! It's not safe here!" Alice shouted frantically.
She broke down into tearless sobs and started shaking back and forth. Jasper sat down beside her and cradled her in his arms.
"It was horrible." She sobbed. "I couldn't get out... and July 11... July 11... Bella has to leave. She's not safe here anymore." I stared wide eyed at Alice. I couldn't leave.
No, I would not leave.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2008 9:56 am
Chapter Six
"Shh, it'll be alright Alice. It'll be alright. Calm down, please love, please calm down." Jasper soothed as I felt a wave of calm crash upon me, it seemed to go through everyone else in the room, too.
"Can you tell us what happened in your vision, Alice?" Carlisle asked in a soothing tone. Alice nodded.
Edward and I were sitting on the love seat to the right of the couch where Alice and Jasper were and Carlisle stood just beside them. Emmett had gone off long ago to see if Rosalie needed any assistance with working on the cars.
"I was stuck... I couldn't get out of the vision, it was like someone had set up a trap and I had taken the bait." Alice shuddered. "It focused on July 11, all I know is that it's not going to be safe. After July 11 there'll be 173 days left of the year and if you add 1, 7, and 3 together you get 11, and that takes us back to July 11.
"I got a glimpse of the guy behind this." I gasped. One person was doing this? All on their own? How? It was impossible, it had to be.
"He works with numbers. It's his power I guess. He's a vampire, well, I think he is. I'm pretty sure of it, but I couldn't get a good enough look at him, he was wearing black that covered all but his face, but even then he had a hood up so I couldn't make out the details." Alice paused. "Bella, you need to breathe, your human and humans must breathe to survive."
I let out the breath I hadn't known I'd been holding. Alice looked down at her folded hands and continued to speak.
"Well, he held me in my vision. I don't know how, I don't know why, but he addressed me in it. He kept repeating July 11, but each time he would say a different event that happened in a different year. He said that he's excited for this game... he wants Bella." I stared agape at Alice.
Why was I so important? Why did I have to ruin the Cullen lifestyle? Why, why, why? First James, and now... now this? If there really was some god, why did he hate me--no, why did he loathe me?
"He... he told me that he was in Chicago when he learned about us and Bella... he learned about us from other vampires... and he killed them after, he said it was all part of the game!" Alice shrieked, I covered my ears so they wouldn't be damaged. Alice's hands began to shake and she started to sob tearlessly again.
"Jasper, he told me who they were." Alice sobbed, looking at Jasper and only Jasper. "He killed Charlotte and Peter!" She whispered frantically. I felt a wave of grief wash over me and suddenly I could just feel the mood in the room darken.
Jasper's eyes held nothing but sadness in them. "...Charlotte... and Peter?" He finally managed to choke out. Alice nodded. "They're dead?" Again, Alice nodded. Through the dark mood Jasper had set upon us all, I felt confused. Who were Peter and Charlotte?
"Bella," Edward finally spoke. "I think I should take you home now, it's well past eight and I think Charlie might be worrying about you." I nodded.
"I'll see you guys tomorrow?" I said, my voice as glum as I felt. Carlisle, Alice, and Jasper looked my way and nodded.
On the car ride home, I finally managed to ask the question I hadn't asked back at Edward's. "Who were Charlotte and Peter?" I questioned when I felt a little less glum. Edward stared straight ahead when he answered.
"They were friend's of Jasper. He and Alice usually visit them once a year; Jasper was family to them before he ever met us--before I was even born, really." He said, still not taking his eyes off of the road.
"Oh." I said lamely, but I couldn't think of anything else to say.
I felt terrible. I had hurt Edward's family--again. Could I do nothing right? I was nothing more than a burden to this family and I was a danger to my own parents.
Finally, Edward turned his head to look at me. "Bella, from what I saw of Alice's vision... you're not safe here. This... this monster wants you more than James did. I could feel his thirst in her vision,"
I looked down at my palm with the crescent-shaped scar, running my other thumb over it. It was cold and a reminder for always that I'd put the Cullen's in danger.
"Bella," Edward ran a hand through my hair and I couldn't help but love him. I did my best to ignore his tone of urgency and the underlay of fear… but it was still there--and I couldn't.
"He's heard about you, Bella, you're not safe in Forks anymore."
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:23 am
Chapter Seven
--July first--
The weeks had flown by like feathers on the wind, slowly at first, but as time went by it quickened. It was July first, and the eleventh was only ten days away. All conversation between the Cullen's and I had been tense since Alice's vision, not to mention I'd hardly even seen Alice and Jasper.
Edward and I were sitting on my bed just after one in the morning. He cradled me in his arms for I had just woken from a nightmare, a very... disturbing nightmare.
In the nightmare I had been running as fast as I could. I had wanted to stop, but at the same time I knew I couldn't. Suddenly my clumsiness took over and I tripped and a blur of blackness had got up with me.
A newspaper lay on the ground next to me, I picked it up, and found the publish date not too long after. It was July 11. The newspaper disappeared and I found myself staring at the blur.
"Running will never do you any good." The blur had hissed as he reached for my hand. I tried to pull away, but it did no good. The blur became more of a figure, but I still couldn't see his face.
"Say goodbye, Isabella Swan." He spat at me as he lowered his head down to my palm. Pain flowed throughout my body and then I woke up, crying.
"Shh, shh, Bella. What happened are you okay?" Edward asked, rocking me back and forth. I hadn't realized that I had started crying again.
"Yeah." I whispered because I knew otherwise my voice would betray me. "Just thinking about the dream..." I trailed off. I didn't want to say 'nightmare' it seemed like it would only make it worse.
"Do you want to tell me about it?" Edward soothed, I shook my head. "It might help Bella, you never know." He looked at me with his gorgeous, dazzling eyes.
"You're a cheater." I mumbled as I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. The words seemed to flow out of my mouth as if they had been created for that soul purpose,
"In the dream I was running as fast as I could and I tripped. Something black caught up with me but I couldn't make out the details, and then a newspaper flew by and..." I couldn't continue, if I said it, it would only become more real.
"And what Bella?" Edward asked brushing through my hair with his hand. I pulled away from him and sat up. Nothing, I wanted to say. Nothing else happened, I just woke up. But as hard as I tried, I couldn't say it.
"The date on the newspaper was July 11." I whispered as I found the strength to finish off telling him about my dream. "The blur did what James did to me... he... he bit my hand and I felt the pain all over again." My voice shook and Edward took my scarred hand in his.
He was sitting upright with perfect posture--not that Edward wasn't perfect, but usually he slumped so he could be on my level. He was stiff and I knew what he was thinking about. July 11.
"Bella, you need to leave. You have to leave Forks or you won't be safe." Edward finally said as realization crashed down on us.
I felt like all the air in the room had been taken away as I started to gently rock back-and-forth with my arms held tight around my knees.
"But we might never see each other again if I do." I whispered, not taking my eyes off of the bottom corner of my closet. I could feel the lump rising in my throat and the tears welling in my eyes.
"It's a risk I'm willing to take." He said, his head facing the floor.
I stood up from the bed and looked down at him.
"Well I'm not willing to take it."
(I was going to leave it there... but, more needs to happen in this chapter seeing as the dream was only added in at last minute. You may know continue reading.)
I expected for him to argue. Arguing was all we ever seemed to do since the day of Alice's vision. They were few and far between at first, always about Edward saying I should leave so I could be safe, but I couldn't find it in me to leave.
But what would I tell Charlie? How could I manage being away from Edward? What if, just like in my dream, the July 11 guy still came after me? I sat back down on the bed.
I was surprised at what Edward said next.
"Is that your final decision, Bella?" He asked. I nodded. "Then there are some... precautions we must take. I'm not supposed to tell you this, but I must. I have to.
"They wanted to tell you themselves, well, Sam did at least, Paul and Jared didn't... they wanted to tell you when it was time, closer to the eleventh, but we don't have the luxury of time anymore.
"Bella, I need you to promise you won't tell anyone, I know you won't, but you still have to promise." I eyed him oddly.
"Okay, I promise I won't tell anyone. Not a single soul." I knew it was the wrong thing to say just as soon as I'd said it. Mentioning souls around Edward, but he didn't deliberate on it, he only continued.
"Bella, the Indians down on the La Push reservation... the reason I couldn't ever go down there with you is because they're werewolves." I stared at him, taken aback, but let him continue.
"At the moment, only Sam, Jared, and Paul are, do you know any of them?" I shook my head. "Well, if all else fails, my love, you'll be with them on the eleventh." I couldn't help but notice the small tone of disgust hidden well in his perfect voice, making me wonder what he thought of the idea.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:26 am
Chapter Eight
--July Ninth--
Edward and I were on our way down to his house when I realized something. "Edward!" I nearly screeched. He immediately pulled up on the gas pedal, bringing the car down to a speed of sixty miles per hour.
"Sorry, love." He said lightly, eyes on the road.
"No, that's not it." I said, the panic forming in my voice. I shook my head trying to get rid of it--it didn't work. "What about Charlie? He won't be safe, what if the vampire goes off after him... and... and--" Edward cut me off.
"He'll be fine. It's already been arranged for your father to go on a fishing trip with one of his friends. He's set to tell you tonight and he'll be gone for four days starting tomorrow." Could Edward ever do anything wrong?
I looked out the window and caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror.
Dark circles had began to form beneath my eyes in the past few weeks and I could swear my skin was becoming paler. My eyebrows seemed to be cemented in a slant that made me look worried or sad. And my hair...
It was so much different from when I'd lived in Phoenix--when I was out in the warm sun every day. It had darkened from the lack of sunlight, or was it simply lapse of memory?
"Bella?" Edward's voice interrupted my silly examination.
"Yeah?" I replied weak voice to go along with my weak attempt at a smile.
"Is there any way I could ever convince you to leave today or tomorrow?" I looked at him wide eyed, but avoided eye contact by staring right at the bridge of his nose--which was flawless as well as the rest of him. I shook my head rapidly, immediately causing a headache.
"Running is no use." I stated defiantly. "He'd only find me. James found me and got me back ten times worse then he would have if I hadn't ran." Were the statistics correct? I would never know. Edward seemed to understand and nodded.
It was only July 9, there was still time. Still two days. The realization struck me like a bulldozer or a cannonball--take your pick.
Only... two days. Two days wasn't time. Two days wasn't enough to last eternity. It wasn't enough to make a difference.
"It's only two days away." I whispered, focussing on something but not exactly sure of what. "I've only got two days left... until... until..." A tear raced it's way down my cheek, leading the way for the rest to follow.
Edward pulled over to the side of the road and leaned over to take me in his arms.
"Shush, Bella," He soothed, combing his fingers through my dark hair. "It's not the end. This is only the beginning--our beginning." I broke my gaze off of whatever it was and gazed into his eyes for reassurance... but it wasn't there.
His eyes held fear and reluctance, like he didn't want me to be here anymore. Like the love I thought we had was nothing. Like this upcoming event would relieve him of his burden.
"Edward, do you really love me?" I asked, fearing he would answer with a simple 'no' and tell me to stay wherever I wanted, run into that vampire even.
Edward cupped my chin in his hand. "You know I do, Bella, why would you have to ask? Have I said something to offend you? If I have let me apologize sincerely, name your price and I'll pay my debt to you. Anything for you, Bella. Anything."
Every word he said sounded like he meant it, and he looked as if he meant it, too. But the fact that he though he had offended me in any way, I shook my head.
"No, Edward, it's not that it's... we only have two days left--no, not even two days! It's almost three! That means we've got the rest of today and then tomorrow... and who knows what will happen from then? Has Alice had anymore visions?"
Edward suddenly pulled away as if I had offended him. He stayed silent as he revved up the engine and sped down the dirt road surrounded by all sorts of foliage to his home.
"Edward..." I repeated. "Has Alice had another vision about... about the eleventh?" The dreaded silence hung in the air and I just wanted to yank at his perfectly disarrayed bronze hair, tear at his flawless skin, and beg for him to tell me what Alice had seen, but I couldn't.
I couldn't do any such thing to my Greek God.
"Alice," Edward said as he stalled the engine as it slowly died. "Has ordered me not to tell you until we are inside. It isn't a very..." Edward looked around the car s if searching for the right word. "Pleasant thing she's seen and she has hopes that we can change it."
I felt my chest tighten and my headache worsened. My eyelids began to feel heavy as lead and all I wanted to do was curl up into a little ball and fall asleep. I frantically reminded myself to keep breathing. In, out. In, out. In, out.
I reached for the seat buckle and pressed the button-thing--whatever you want to call it--so it would release. Not only did my eyelids feel like lead, I soon found out, but my entire body. Gravity seemed to be working harder than ever sucking everything on it down with a powerful force.
I gently began to sway back and forth and soon found myself in Edward's arms on his porch.
In, out. In, out. In, out. I reminded myself.
July 11 was only a little over a day away... and the knowledge of that seemed to be unbearable.
As I looked at the Cullen's house, suddenly it seemed much farther away than it ever had before. I felt as if I was only six inches tall and now I had to make the longest trek of my life--and this one could be my last.
"Edward," I said, stopping and reaching for his hand. "I love you." I whispered as I reached up on my toes to kiss him. For what seemed like the first time he kissed me back. There was far more passion in the kiss than there had ever been in any of the others.
He locked his arms around my waste as I locked mine around his neck. Our lips wrestled in pure joy as I let out a moan.
Someone cleared their throat over on the porch, causing Edward and I to come to an abrupt stop. "I love you, too." Edward said, letting go of my waste to pry my hands away from his neck.
I looked over at the deck to find Emmett standing there. "Everyone's waiting inside. They say that the sooner Bella gets home the better, she may want to see Charlie before he leaves." I nodded, but it felt like Emmett was telling me that either Charlie or I would die.
Hand in hand, Edward and I made our way up the stairs to the porch and into the living room. My grip on his hand tightened as I took in the scene.
All of the Cullen's were in the room with dead serious expressions on their faces. Alice and Jasper sat on the couch facing the TV, Esme and Carlisle were sitting on the love seat, and Rosalie was sitting on Emmett's lap in the recliner. Edward and I sat down in front of the TV.
"Bella," Alice started as all the eyes in the room focussed on me. "I had a vision about an hour ago." She paused for a minute. "The guy is breaking into your house on the morning of July 11. Edward's going to be staying with you because all the other scenes that I've seen since then... are most unpleasant." She said, dryly.
I nodded numbly, not even wanting to know what was going on in Alice's visions.
"Is that it, then?" I asked. My voice was cold and dead, distant, even. Alice nodded.
"I believe it would be best if you left now to say goodbye to Charlie, he's leaving on his fishing trip in the morning and won't be back until the fourteenth. His trip will give us long enough to fight through this event and clean everything up for his return. We'll see you soon." Carlisle said as Edward and I stood up.
I said goodbye to everyone and suddenly I was in the Volvo. I didn't really remember walking out to it, but that didn't matter. A day and a half was all I had left of safety.
A day and a stinking half.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Fri Jul 11, 2008 7:31 am
Chapter Nine
--July 11--
Edward and I sat alone on the First Beach of La Push. Edward whispered something in my ear, making me laugh wholeheartedly. I leaned in to kiss Edward, but suddenly he pulled away and started shaking me.
"Bella," He said, urgently. "Bella, you need to wake up. Right now." I looked at him confused. But I was awake. I hadn't just fallen asleep all of the sudden.
"I am awake." I laughed and reached to kiss him again. A rain drop suddenly fell on my cheek and I looked up to the sky. Lightning flashed nearby and I counted the seconds for the thunder. One Mississippi. Two Mississippi. Three Mississ--BOOM!
I sat upright immediately, gasping for breath, only to have it sucked away as realization hit me. Edward wasn't with me anymore, and when I looked around at my surroundings, I was in my bed, not on the beach... and it was July 11.
"Edward?" I whispered as I rubbed my eyes. A loud crash went off down on the first floor of the house. At first I thought it was Charlie, trying to cook or do the dishes... but Charlie had left yesterday morning.
My mind suddenly flashed to the day before yesterday, Alice had said the vampire would... would break into my house. In the morning.
I threw the blankets off of me and ran to the door, ignoring the fact that I was dressed in sweats and a tank-top and my hair was pulled back. When I got into the hallway, I looked down the stairs to find it a complete mess--and that was only what I could see.
The TV was turned on its side with the screen smashed in and Charlie's recliner was torn to shreds. I take another step forward and see something flash to the base of the stairs in a blur--a black blur. I can't make anything out of his face; it's covered in a hoodie.
I race to my room, locking the door behind me, hoping it will stall him some. I hear pounding outside the room as I fumble with the window. There's growling outside in the hall and suddenly my wall is kicked in. Sobs escape directly from my chest and tears fall in rivers from my face.
A cold, granite hand was laid upon my shoulder. "No!" I screamed, trying to jerk away while trying at the same time to open my stubborn window. The arms held me in a tight embrace and I continued my struggle.
"Let. Go. Of. Me!" I shouted through sobs and gritted teeth. I clawed at the cold, immortal hands despite of my fear. I couldn't let this vampire kill me. I had to live, I couldn't die. I was too young to die, surely Edward would save me… wouldn't he?
And I had Charlie and Renee to live for--I was their only child. I had all my friends to live for, and the Cullen's. That had to count for something, right? In a sane world where there are no mythical creatures--possibly. But not in this one. In this world, today was my day to die.
My fingers continued to prod at the window, only to realize the latch was locked, I struggled to get my arms free, to unlatch the lock, but the grip he had on me was too much. I squeezed my eyes shut, wishing that he would just kill me and get it over with. But, knowing that Alice had said he was worse than James and what James had planned on doing to me before my death…
I shivered at the thought of it.
I'll beg him for death if he goes to kill me… no, that would just seem weak. I have to try and escape. Yes, that's what I have to do.
"Bella," I froze and immediately stopped fighting with my captor and the window. Slowly I turned my neck, surprised to see what I saw.
Edward.
Then… then what had happened to the black blur? The vampire who had been at the base of the stairs? Had Edward killed him? Were we free of July 11--for good? Did I no longer have to worry about today being my last?
I jerked around, faster than ever and threw my arms around him, sobbing. "I-I'm sorry!" I apologized, pressing the side of my face against his chest. "I thought... I thought you were... and he... then you--" Edward held me tight to him as he pulled out the band keeping my hair tied back.
"Shh, Bella," He soothed, rocking the both of us back and forth. "It'll be okay. But you can't stay here." I froze.
"I'm not leaving." I stated wanting to have some power and force behind the words, but my sobs only made it sound weak and pathetic.
"I know." Edward said gravely. "That's why I'm taking you down to La Push, it will be safer there." My breath trembled as tears began to slow their pace and suddenly come to an end.
"Okay..." I whispered, knowing that even that would sound better than talking louder with a shaky voice. I looked up to make eye contact with Edward. His beautiful topaz eyes held fear and hurt and anger. "You... you can't go to La Push, though." I thought aloud.
Edward shook his head. It's only for the time being, Bella. You'll be safer there, he won't dare go there." Edward whispered, almost as if he was fighting tears, too. But I knew he wasn't. Vampires could never cry. Not even if they had a perfectly legible reason to.
I nodded. "I'll... I'll see you after, though, right?" I whispered, wanting him to promise me I'd see him soon.
"I... I don't know, Bella. I really don't know." I felt my heart shatter at that moment and the pain in my chest was simply unbearable, because if Edward wouldn't make it through this--neither would I.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:38 am
Chapter Ten
"Where are we going?" I shouted through the rain. Edward had been running with me on his back for at least three minutes now. In the open. For everyone to see. I didn't bother him with this piece of information again, though. He had already told me that no one would believe their eyes so they'd look again and see nothing.
My teeth chattered and my shoulders were soaked. "I'd offer you my shirt," He had said just a moment before. "But it's soaked through and I think it would be harder to carry you without it." I nodded, trying to find something to laugh about but found I could not.
"We're going to try to reach La Push, but he's on our tail. I'm not quite sure if we'll make it all the way there." Not once did Edward stop or stumble over his words, no matter how much I wished he had. His voice was a monotone and distant and I could only wonder what would happen next.
I've read the line 'She saw her life flash before her very eyes.' many times--and almost always I believed it to be an exaggeration. But as the thought of the vampire catching of us became more real, things I'd never done made their way into my mind.
I realized that if the vampire caught up to us, I would never see Renee and Charlie again. I'd never get to talk with Angela and I'd never become a Cullen. There were so many things in life I hadn't done, so many things I hadn't read, so many places I hadn't been, and now... now I was going to die. Edward and I would end up dying together. Unless...
"Edward," I whispered as we came to a clearing in the forest on the way to La Push. Edward slowed to a jog, and then to a walk, and then... he stopped. What were we doing? Was he giving up? That easily?
No. I threw those thoughts out of my mind. I have to stay focused. I have to get Edward to understand. "Edward?" I whispered again. He gently slipped me off his shoulders and placed both his hands on mine once we face each other. His face was emotionless and his eyes were a dark shade of topaz--he needed to go hunting.
"Edward do you love me?" A knot caught in my throat and a tear rolled down my cheek--luckily though, it was disguised through the rain. Edward's emotionless face changed to one of confusion.
"Of course Bella, my sweet angel. I love you to the day no vampires roam the Earth. I will never hurt you, I promise. I love you, Bella, and I'll do everything to protect you." I tried my hardest to tell him to leave, to save himself, but I couldn't. I couldn't do it.
"Why have we stopped?" I asked loudly, fear rattling my voice. Edward pulled me close and hugged me tight.
"We didn't make it to La Push, I'm sorry Bella." I looked at him, confused. Were we already dead? He had stated it in past tense... that or the vampire in pursuit was among these trees and about to kill us both.
Edward's lips crushed down on mine with passion and fury. I kissed him back, throwing away all of our boundaries.
"How adorable." A foreign voice interrupted, I stopped, but Edward did not. In fear, I pushed away from Edward to see just who the voice belonged to.
No more than twenty feet from us stood a pale man, covered in black from head to toe. All I could see of him were his hands and his chin.
"You must be Isabella." He said, drawing out the 'ella'. "You smell rather enticing, has anyone ever told you that?" He pulled away his hood and I stepped closer to Edward who shoved me behind him.
His face was covered in scars, his nose was hardly there and his mouth tore down at one side. His eyes were far darker than I had ever seen any of the Cullen's, or James', Victoria's, or Laurent's. Edward growled.
"Stay away." He snapped murderously. The vampire feigned fear.
"Oh my!" He shrieked. "Whatever shall I do? This young little boy thinks he shall toy with a man far greater than him?" He spoke as if his words were poetry and I almost fell into a trance. "Well, young Edward, you may think that you are young Miss. Isabella's worst nightmare, but, I am yours. I could make the beat return to your heart if I wanted." Edward tensed.
"Stay away." He repeated in a vicious tone through barred teeth. A growl emitted from his chest as he lowered into a crouch.
"Oh, now now, Edward, you wouldn't dare lunge for me. You must protect Bella, and you can't do that if you're not by her, now can you?" Fear filled me, Edward couldn't take this vampire on his own, we needed at least one other person so Edward could keep his focus.
We were doomed.
"You've seen how much power I possess, I'm making your own little toy weak in the knees right now, just look at her!" His words brought the blood rushing to my face and I wished wholeheartedly that it would just disappear, that I had no blood for this vampire to lust for.
His lips curled away from his teeth and I took another step back, realizing I hadn't put on any shoes when the mud oozed between my toes. When I looked up again, Edward and the other vampire were both in crouching positions.
"Isabella and Edward, I am your worst nightmare. I am Damien Stone. Prepare to die." He lunged forward. Edward would protect me, I knew that--but at what cost? I snapped my eyes closed and rapped my arms around my trying to regain my warmth.
We didn't have the numbers on our side, it was July 11 and we didn't have the--numbers! His power was numbers! This vampire could make us fear certain numbers.
I prepared for Edward to fall back or something as the other vampire crashed into him, but it did not. Instead, a chorus of growls suddenly filled the clearing; I opened my eyes, relieved at what I saw.
We had the numbers.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:40 am
Chapter Eleven
"Bella, are you okay?" Esme asked as she and Carlisle suddenly appeared right next to me. I nodded. "Oh dear, you're blue! You're going to get hypothermia!" She exclaimed as she slid off her jacket and managed to get it on me in less than a second.
Immediately I felt warmer, but I was still cold. I looked around the clearing to find Edward, Emmett, Jasper, Rosalie, and Alice surrounding the vampire. The clearing was filled with growls and snarls from each and every one of them.
"You don't really think you can beat me, do you? I've killed numerous other vampires, you're all weak. I can surely kill you. All of you!" The vampire shouted. Something in Alice snapped as she jumped at him.
"Alice, no!" Jasper shouted as Alice was suddenly flying through the air, limbs flailing just before she crashed into a tree, causing it to fall in the direction she had hit it in.
"ALICE!" I screamed as I began to run towards her. Esme and Carlisle fastened themselves to my arms, forcing me to stay put.
"She's okay, dearie." Esme soothed. Our arms were nearly touching from how close we were. Tears continued their race down my face as Alice stood up. She smiled weakly at us, and then jumped back into the fight.
The clearing sounded much like a nightmare with all the growling and snarling and it looked like one, too. There was an... I gulped. There was an arm not too far away from the fight--but whose was it?
I felt vomit rising in my throat and I knew my face had to be a dark shade of green.
"I can still defeat you!" The vampire shouted. "You don't have the numbers! You will never have the numbers on your side!" His shrill shriek pierced the air through the rain.
Edward turned back to look at Carlisle, Esme, and I. His topaz eyes were full of rage and... sorrow? His eyebrows creased at an angle I had only seen once before--and that one time had been at a ballet studio in Phoenix, Arizona. They slanted dramatically downwards away from his nose while they usually just sat there atop his eyes.
He nodded once, then twice, and then a blood stained face appeared just over his shoulder.
"No!" I screamed in vain as the vampire's teeth clamped down on Edward's shoulder. My Edward, my angel, howled in pain. I jerked my arms this way and that, trying to get away from Esme's and Carlisle's grasp on me. "Let go of me!" I cried, trying ferociously to get to Edward. "Let me go!" But they held tight to me.
"He'll be alright Bella, he'll be--" Edward's shrieks of pain became more profound as the vampire behind him jerked his head down, tearing away skin with it.
"No!" I sobbed, I could feel the pain in my shoulder that I knew Edward must have felt. "Please," I tried again, weakly pushing and pulling away from them. "Let me go. Let me go to Edward." Carlisle looked at me gravely.
"Bella, that's what he wants, not Edward, but... the other vampire. Come, Bella, we're going home, the others will meet us there." Carlisle stated with a doctors confidence. Again, I resisted--but Esme and Carlisle were vampires and proved to be stronger than me.
Carlisle dropped my hand as Esme began running at a safe human speed--for my clumsiness, I figured. But still, I tried to resist. I ended up tripping over a root jutting out of the ground, scraping my elbows and knees as I skidded to a stop on the gritty mud.
Carlisle was still in the clearing, helping the others. They looked small from the distance we had achieved. They looked like toys. But they suddenly grew larger. And larger. And larger. One of them stood out from the rest.
A black blur that appeared to have only one arm.
He was approaching us at a vast speed, faster than I had ever seen Edward--or any of the Cullen’s for that matter--run. In fact, it almost looked like he was flying.
I screamed like Bloody Mary when he was hardly ten feet away from me. This was it. This was the end, I would die right in front of the people I had grown to love. I would be murdered right before their very eyes.
I began to wonder what it would be like--death. Would I go on to live another life? Or would I just become nothing but a decaying corpse that lays six feet under the ground soon to become crawling with maggots and worms? I cringed at the thought of it.
But Edward... I would never see him again. If I died, I'd die alone. I had to die alone, could I possibly convince Edward to leave Forks? No. He wouldn't leave, if I died, he'd kill this pathetic excuse for a man and... and then what? What would Edward do after that?
The vampire was right before me now, lowering his head down to my neck. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The rain continued to pour in buckets, but it slowed, like gravity had decreased its pull on it or something. I had been counting my heart beat, only to find that it was slowing, too. One, two, three, four. One, two three... four. One... two... three... four. One. Two. Three. Four.
"Game over, kid." The vampire hissed in my ear. His breath was cold on my neck and made me shiver. "I win, Isabella Swan, I always win, running never does any good. Now how about I take a taste of your blood, it smells very enticing." I squeezed my eyes shut tight, hoping for a quick death.
Goodbye Edward, goodbye Charlie, and Renee and Phil, goodbye Forks and all of my friends. I'll miss you.
Fight, Bella! My mind screamed at me, but it was no use. Running didn't do any good, so neither would fighting. I was weak, I was pathetic. What could I possibly do to save my life? It was probably better that I'd soon be out of the picture, anyways. The Cullen’s would be much safer without me, Charlie and all of Forks would be safer.
Goodbye.
I listened to the rain, as I felt a droplet fall on my eyelid and roll down to the corner of my lips. I was soaked by the rain through and through and if this vampire didn't kill me, hypothermia would.
I waited for my death to come, but I felt nothing other than the rain above me and the mud beneath me. I opened my eyes to find Edward racing towards me. The other vampire was... gone.
In an instant Edward was kneeling next to me, just where the other vampire had been. He lifted me up from the mud and into his lap where he cradled me. "It's over, Bella. The other vampire's gone. You don't have to worry anymore." He leaned down to kiss my mud-caked hair.
"Are you okay?" I couldn't take my eyes off of his shoulder, but through the rain I could see no damage. Edward looked down at his shoulder and nodded grimly.
"I'm okay, it's a scar, already." I nodded and through my arms around his neck, not wanting to ever let go.
"I love you, Edward Cullen." I stated quietly as he stood up, not setting me down.
"And I love you, Isabella Marie Swan, my angel." I smiled, he beat me, again. I craned my neck so my lips would meet his and we kissed. Edward ran his fingers through my hair as we kissed. After what seemed to be the perfect forever, Edward pulled away.
"What do you say we go over to my place and get you warmed up? And then we'll go fix your place." Edward added. I cringed as I remember. Charlie's house had been completely trashed, he would freak if he saw it in its current state.
I nodded and muttered one more time, "I love you." And then drifted into unconscious.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Tue Jul 15, 2008 7:43 am
Epilogue
"Thanks." I said to Esme as she handed me a cup of hot cocoa. I was sitting at the barstool in their kitchen that rarely was used. It was clean and organized--but yet inviting, just like the rest of the house.
"I'll go get you a change of clothes. I think Alice keeps a special wardrobe for you somewhere in her closet..." Esme said as she left the room. I held the blanket Edward had brought me tight to my body as I gulped down the cocoa. It burned all the way down, but it felt nice to be warm again.
"Looks like you won't have a problem with hypothermia after all." I jumped as Edward placed his hand on my shoulder. "Oh... right, sorry. I bet you're still freezing." He whispered as he drew his hand away. I shook my head and turned around.
"It's not that... it's just," I paused, trying to find the right way to word it, but then found something else that confused me. "What happened back there? With... with the vampire? One minute he was there and the next... well, he was gone. Please tell me I wasn't just imagining it." But, then again, I wished it had only been my imagination. If it had been, then not one single person of Edward's family would be in danger.
Edward sat down at the barstool next to me, hunching over to meet my gaze. "Back in the clearing when Esme was trying to get you away you tripped." I nodded, I knew that much. "We should have killed the b*****d sooner." Edward whispered harshly, scolding himself. Edward's hand was on the counter and I covered his with mine for comfort.
"It's okay, Edward. Everyone's still alive and in one piece." Edward nodded. "So," I lead on. "What happened after I tripped?" Edward looked down at our hands like they were the only things that remained on the planet.
"He heard you. He heard you fall and immediately we all could smell your blood." I looked down at my knee. It was bandaged now, Esme had seen to that the moment we arrived back at her house. I had caused more trouble for them because I was clumsy. Great.
"Jasper nearly went berserk, Carlisle had to restrain him as Alice, Emmett, Rosalie, and I continued to hold him off so you and Esme could escape. But..." He stopped and started tapping his fingers beneath the palm of my hand.
"It didn't work." I finished his sentence in a monotone. It was Edward's turn to shake his head.
"No, it didn't. And because of the paranoia he caused he could have killed you." I flinched, he could have killed me, and I would no longer have Edward, no Renee, no Charlie. No one. "Are you afraid of me yet, Bella? You've seen what I can do, you've seen what my kind can do." I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes.
How could I ever be afraid of Edward? He had saved my life countless times now, he had denied his instincts of killing me. Edward Cullen was no monster. "I'm not afraid of you, Edward; I love you." I said sincerely. His eyes, still concentrated on our hands, looked as if they were preparing an argument. "Can you tell me the rest of what happened?" I asked, not wanting Edward to try to make me to fear him. He nodded.
"After Carlisle pulled Jasper aside from the fight, paranoia set in. It was the vampire's power all along. Alice kept seeing the date of Jasper's death in her mind, she couldn't get rid of it. He attacked her." I gasped.
"Is she alright?" I asked fearfully. It all came out in one word, but I knew Edward would understand.
"She'll survive." I could tell Edward was leaving out the gruesome details. "She's still in one piece, though, if that's what you're asking." I let out a sigh of relief. "After that, the same thing happened to Rosalie and Emmett, they saw each other's death dates. The vampire threw Rosalie into the trees quite a ways and Emmett chased her on instinct to make sure she was okay. The vamp--"
"Is she?" I interrupted.
"Yes. Everyone's fine, alive, and in one piece. They'll all be home shortly, they just went on a hunt." He paused, and then continued on telling me the details of what had happened.
"The vampire somehow knew about my power. My mind reading." He sneered the words as if they could bring about the plague. "Aside from seeing that... that today was the date of your death, he started thinking in detail how he would," He paused, clearly searching for the right words. "Kill you." He finished bluntly.
"Esme was the one who saved your life." Edward admitted, finally looking up from our hands to meet my gaze with sorrow showing deep in his topaz eyes. "His paranoia filled me and it was like I was sick and crippled again. I couldn't move from where I was standing to save your life and I saw you nearly die from Esme's perspective.
"He was just about to... kill you when Esme knocked him out of the way. He hesitated then, I guess, and the paranoia somewhat subsided and I ran to your aide. Rosalie, Alice, and Emmett then... finished him off as Esme met me to get you here." Edward finished.
"And that brings us full circle." I added, quietly. Edward nodded. We clung tightly to the comfortable silence that followed for a few moments until I quickly stood up from my seat and threw my arms around Edward's neck and placed a kiss on his lips.
He kissed me back passionately and put his hands on my waste--but the barriers he had set before had come back into play. Oh well. I didn't care, I was kissing Edward, my boyfriend, the most perfect guy to ever exist.
"Ahem," Came Esme's voice. Embarrassed, I pulled away from Edward. I looked to Esme, an outfit strewn over her arm as she leaned against the archway to the kitchen.
"Guess I better go change..." I whispered, letting my arms fall away from Edward's neck as he pulled his hands away from my waste. I walked over to Esme to take the clothes as gracefully and quickly as I could.
"Sorry, Esme." I muttered. I knew for sure my face had to be beat red.
"It's alright, dearie." She said as she handed me the clothes. "I've seen worse--I just thought you might want to put on some dry clothes soon." I nodded as heat continued to fill my face.
"Thanks." I whispered as I made my way out of the kitchen and to the bathroom upstairs.
July 12
I woke up in Edward's arms on the couch. "Good morning, love." He said and kissed my forehead.
I groaned and stretched. "Good morning." I yawned as Edward helped me up from the couch. I rolled my shoulders and rubbed my eyes. How early was it? "What time is it?" I asked.
"Nearly two in the afternoon. You've been out for a while. Esme and Alice have already left." I cocked my head to the side.
"It's two!" I stated in shock. I had been asleep for well over twelve hours then! "Where'd they go?" I asked as I yawned again.
"Shopping. We're meeting them at the mall." Edward said, handing me a pair of shoes Alice had had for me in my "extra wardrobe".
"I hate shopping..." I groaned and rubbed my eyes again.
"Don't worry. It's not for clothes; it's for your house." I met his eyes in confusion.
"What do you mean?" What was he getting at? Were they redoing my house or something?
"Yesterday morning... the fight with the other vampire... remember?" His voice was gentle, but I still tensed as memories came flooding back.
"Oh, what are we going to tell Charlie?" The tone I used made me sound stupid and illiterate. Well, that's what you get when you jump into conversation after barely waking up. Edward grinned. Uh-oh.
"We're going to tell him that I came over and Emmett came to supervise since Charlie wasn't home and Emmett through a football while watching TV and it crashed through the screen. After that we'll tell him that Emmett meant to replace the TV but didn't have the funds, so he asked Esme and Esme got excited about redoing a room--after all, she was pretty excited."
I rolled my eyes and laughed. Boy was Charlie in for it when he came home.
Okay, that's it--what'd you think of Eleven?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 5:11 pm
OH MY CULLEN!!!!!! THAT WAS PROBABLY THE GREATEST FANFIC IVE EVER READ!!!! (and ive read a LOT) if i had to rate it it would be 100000 out of 10.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Wed Oct 29, 2008 8:08 pm
This story scared me so you know it is powerful. I also had no idea as to the vampires power until the very end so great work with the tension building throughout! Very climatic! Keep up the good work please! biggrin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2009 8:06 am
omg that story wuz really AWESHOMELY AWESHOME, lolz.
anyhoo it wuz really good. thnx 4 the reading! smile
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
