Chapter 2: Chapter 2
Many apologies for the glaring mistake in the first posting of this chapter. SAmuels mother was already dead as you all pointed out to me. I apologise and hope you continue to read and review. Not a good start so early in a new story and again many apologies. Jules x
Chapter Two
Samuel Swan
The older I got the more difficult I found it to retain good relationships with my old Quileute friends. No one talked about what happened in the forest, at least not to me and with my father dead there was just no one I could talk to about it, no one who would believe me anyway. I hated newcomers, always suspicious of their humanity, any could be Cold Ones and as the Quileutes came into town so infrequently I couldn't even catch an idea from them. My Aunt Clara who had taken me in after my fathers death started to decline after his death withdrawing into her shell so really I'd lost everyone that night and it wasn't fair.
Those wolves should have arrived sooner and saved my father and his friends but they hadn't and I had a suspicion that they weren't really interested in looking after anyone outside the tribe. When I reached sixteen I decided to confront Jeremiah Blacks father as the most likely to agree to speak to me. The Clearwaters and Atearas were just too distant for me to feel I had any chance of getting them to talk. I drove to the res, borrowing Clara's car, she didn't use it much now anyway, preferring to stay in the house and let her friends come to her and parked up outside the Blacks house to see Jeremiah and his father sitting on the porch talking.
They both looked up but neither seemed very happy to see me, this wasn't going to be easy. I walked up and greeted Mr Black,
"Could I talk to you sir?"
He looked at me with those piercing dark eyes as if reading my innermost thoughts then nodded slowly.
"Jeremiah could you run over to Quails place and tell him I'm going to be late."
Jer didn't look happy at being sent on this errand but he went and Mr Black gestured for me to take his sons vacated seat.
"So what did you want to talk about Samuel?"
"I think you know sir"
"Then ask your questions but don't be surprised if the answers you receive are less than helpful."
"The wolf pack, the Spirit warriors, why didn't they save my dad and the others?"
"They were too far away."
"Did they know the Cold Ones were in the area? That it was dangerous for my dad to be in the forest?"
He smiled a little grimly,
"You already know the answer to that Samuel, I know you were eavesdropping on the meeting we had with your father."
"How?"
"Because he and I did the same with his father. You don't honestly think you are the first to discover that grill do you?"
"I heard you warn dad but you knew it wouldn't stop him. Why didn't you send some of the wolves with him?"
"Because they weren't close enough to the reservation to be a threat to us. Once they were, as we told your father, we would deal with the problem."
"Not close enough? Can the wolves only venture so far?"
"The wolves were created or at least came into being to protect our people from danger, human or supernatural, not the rest of the world. They fight our battles not those of others."
"Then why were they there that night?"
"They went to protect Jeremiah, Amos, and Quil. That was their task."
"So if we hadn't followed my fathers party the wolves would have left them to their fate?"
"I'm sorry Samuel, that's just the way it is. We had hoped your father would marry into the tribe so we could extend our protection to him but alas it wasn't to be."
"And me?"
"The same applies but you are in grave danger already son."
"Why? What have I done?"
"You know and knowledge of the Cold Ones is extremely dangerous. Its against their laws and if they learn of your knowledge they will kill you so I suggest you forget all about it and never, ever speak of it to anyone."
"So if I speak to anyone I could die and you wont do a thing to help me? You know I'm following my father into the police force?"
"Yes Jeremiah told me and I in turn told him to stay away from you. I don't want my son anywhere near you because if the Cold Ones do come he may be killed too."
Well that left me in no doubt where I stood! I got up and walked slowly back to my car before turning to look at him once more,
"I used to think the Quileutes were men of honour but no such man would stand by and watch a friend die if they could prevent it. Thank you for your honesty sir but please tell Jeremiah and the others to stay away, I never want to see any of them again."
"It's not their fault you know, its ours, we as the elders tell them what to do, we guide them."
"I know and I see they will turn into men just like you."
I got in my car and drove out of the Quileute village for the very last time. I never went back and I never saw Amos or Quil again.
Jeremiah turned up two days later having disobeyed his fathers orders stopping him from speaking to me. My mother had no idea what was wrong except I had fallen out with my friends and she didn't bother to ask why so I went outside with my former best friend and walked slowly down the yard to the shack at the end where my dad had followed his hobby of carving wooden animals. Everything lay just as he had left it the day he was killed and I stood looking around until Jeremiah joined me,
"Why are you here? Didn't you get my message?"
"Sam, I'm sorry but there is nothing I can do. The tribe have certain rules and I have to live by them. I know its hard to understand but our spirit warriors will only protect their own."
"Yeah well it doesn't matter any more does it. My dad's dead and your people are safe. Go home Jer."
"Please Sam, don't end it this way, we're friends, we've always been friends"
I rounded on him,
"Friends don't keep secrets from one another and friends defend each other. I don't see you changing so we are no longer friends. I just hope the next time the Cold Ones kill someone from the town you feel guilty in standing by and watching it happen."
I pushed past him and went back up to the house feeling his eyes on me and that was the last time I saw him.
I became a Police Officer and rose through the ranks until I sat in my dads office but I spent a lot of time watching for any signs that the Cold Ones were back and for years everything was quiet. I married a local girl and we had a son named after his grandfather, Charles Swan, although everyone called him Charlie and as he grew up I could see how like my father he was. I knew he would one day occupy my seat here in Forks but I couldn't tell him my secret, it was too dangerous and there was no way I would put my son in peril. I would carry what I'd seen and heard to my grave. Forks was peaceful and safe, no Cold Ones had attacked in years so maybe it was a one of, or at least I fervently hoped so.
