If Alice Never Came Back (Jacob's Escape)
Jacob Black.
Fifty feet. They were fifty feet away. I saw them walking towards us before I registered that there was no apology in their eyes. But when I did finally figure it out, there was really no way to miss it. They were going to kill us. Bella knew this, too. And so did Edward, and Carlisle and all the others. I watched them all as they took defensive positions. I felt a little alone, standing there, the lone wolf, ironically enough, among the crowd of vampires. The guys had taken ranks in the fringe of the trees, but I wanted to be nearer to Bella. Okay, so closer to Bella was wrong. I wanted to be closer to Nessie, closer to the one thing that mattered at this point. Bella suddenly turned to me, urgency screaming from every point of her.
"Jacob," she whispered, so quietly. "Take Renesmee...take her far away and don't stop until you and her are both safe. She has all you need." Quickly and silently she slid Nessie off her back, and she climbed up onto mine.
Forty feet.
I stared at her like she was crazy. Take Nessie? Leave and not try to help? I could feel my eyes were wide, but I was too confused and shocked to conceal it.
I shook my head.
She sighed quietly, and her breath hitched. "Please, Jacob." The whisper was pained.
The pain I'd been holding in overflowed, and I felt the tears sting my eyes. But now wasn't the time. I swallowed and stared her down. She stared back, her face all pleading and apologetic. I jerked my head again in a stiff shake, but it wasn't out of disagreement this time; it was out of denial. She nodded back sadly. I closed my eyes for a brief moment and finally nodded back. A small smile touched her lips.
Thirty feet.
I knew it was goodbye. I knew she was a goner. She, and all the other dedicated vampires here were going to die. These...good people-and they were good people, I couldn't deny it anymore- were all going to die to for Nessie. And Bella's last wish would be for Nessie to live. I was the only one who could see to that. Bella knew that. She knew that as long as I was alive, no harm would ever come to that beautiful girl that was her daughter.
Twenty feet. They were all but charging us now.
I took a deep breath, and turned to Bella for help. Should I leave now? Or wait? I raised my eyebrows, and shifted my eyes to the forest; a signal.
She shook her head again, a tiny little shake. I figured she was right. If I left now, they would follow me; they would hunt us down and kill us. Kill Nessie. I shuddered and nodded back slightly to her.
Edward finally looked over his shoulder now, and stared at Bella with the same wide eyes that mine had been. He looked at Nessie and me, and back at Bella, and for the fraction of a second I saw it. The burning man was back, it was clear in his eyes and every part of his face. But he got a hold on himself. Wouldn't want to scare Bella, I guessed. He turned back to me and scrutinized me for a long moment.
I got this, Edward. I'll do everything I can. I thought as fiercely as I could.
He knew it. He couldn't deny that I was the best thing for Nessie at this point. He nodded a small nod in agreement. I ducked my head, and he turned back to the onslaught, grabbing Bella's hand and holding it tightly in his.
Twenty feet.
I heard Nessie whimper quietly from behind me. She was terrified, I could tell. But then I really saw how terrified she was.
Her thoughts screamed horror, the images she flashed back from the scene before us were altered slightly, distorted as they took on her point of view. The Volturi looked a lot more menacing in her mind than they might have to the rest of us. And then her feelings became that of despair when she saw Bella and Edward turn away. Were we leaving them? Are we not going to stay with them? Not Mommy and Daddy...will they be okay? The questions weighed a thousand pounds in her mind and mine, and it hurt me to realize that I had no answer. Not the right one, anyway.
Ten feet.
I was sort of paying more attention to the crowd, but when I looked towards the snowy ground, it was clear that something bigger was coming. A ripple of something, like a mirage, was slowly creeping its way to us. I watched it inch closer and closer nervously. Was this the work of the one who could incapacitate us? I kept my eyes on the ripple, watching as it came closer, closer and then, when it was about to touch Carlisle in the front, it rose, circling over us rather than toward us. Was that supposed to happen? But then I saw Bella smile and I knew then that it was her, her and her shield, protecting us all.
That was when the first one lunged. It was male, big and strong looking. Felix? I couldn't be sure; I didn't know them well enough. He aimed for no one particular as far as I could see, but I knew now that was the time. Battle cries broke out, urgent instructions and calls of help were all around me, and I knew I had to leave. But I couldn't make my feet move. As more and more attacks broke out, Bella looked me straight in the eyes, and her face was so pained that I could feel it in me, feel her hurt inside myself. I shook my head, feeling more tears.
"Go, Jacob," she pled, her voice louder now that there was no secrecy to hide. I shook my head again.
"Now, Jacob! Please!" she was yelling at me, and I knew I had to, I had to, I had to. Quickly, I ducked my head into her shoulder again.
"Love you, Jake," was the last thing I heard before I took off running into the forest. My brothers stared at me in alarm. I ignored their angry, questioning thoughts and didn't look back. The last thing I registered was Bella's scream of defiance and the loud metallic screeching that I remembered from last spring.