Clang. Hot embers leaped from the armor as a hammer was brought strongly down upon it. A man of about forty stood back and admired his handiwork before dousing it swiftly with water. I sat hidden in the corner; staring with great interest at the man I had known all of my life. Charlie was completely different outside of his blacksmith shop. He wasn't a take charge man, one who seemed to shrink in the face of others. But here, he came alive.
"Bella, I know that you are there." I sighed and pulled myself out of the corner. He was the only person who could tell when I was near. To others, I was like a shadow, dark, and unnoticed.
"Hey Dad. I am back from meeting Jacob. I know that I promised to be here right after he left, but the darkness was too troubling to find my way home." He smiled as he put his forging hammer in its case. "He had tons of the stuff! I couldn't believe how much I got!" But this time, instead of a smile, my father shot me a warning glance. Involuntarily, my hand reached up to cover my mouth as my eyes searched the room for open windows or doors.
My gaze reached a window on the far side, which had been left open to bring cool breezes into the hot room. My dad motioned for me to be quiet as he crept up to the window. My heart beat erratically. Charlie quickly shut the window with a short snap, his breathing labored.
"Well that was a close one. Haven't I told you enough that what we are doing is dangerous? I know that you are only eighteen and that you have had to grow up quickly because of this war, but you can never be so careless again." He smiled grimly and shrugged his shoulders, motioning me to come forward. "You said something about a large amount of material? How did Jacob get it?"
"Here, look into the bag." My voice had grown toneless as I managed to keep from talking back. I chose not to tell him about the snack bars. Charlie wouldn't understand and would make me return them. Also, something warned me to keep my mouth shut. The less he knew the better. "I have no clue as to where he is getting it from."
Charlie's eyes widened as he opened the cloth bag. He quickly closed it and wheeled around. "Go out and explore. Come back in two days and the armor will be done." His business tone was surprisingly cold. I flinched, remembering the days when we lived as a loving family. That was back when Mom was alive...my eyes watered. No! I couldn't bring back those memories. It would destroy me and everything I had built up since then.
I ran blindly from the building, tripping and stumbling as I did so. My mind shut down as a safety precaution. This was normal, Charlie always made sure I was no where near him when he worked with the claws. It was just in case he was caught, but somehow I always had the gut feeling that he never trusted me enough to keep the secret of how to work the claws magical strength. I sighed and stopped. My mindless running had carried me farther than I had meant to go.
I was in the forest that surrounded our small village. My favorite tree was nearby, so I trudged through the muck and leaves, finding my familiar trail. I grimaced as my favorite pair of sneakers sank into the mud. As soon as I came into the clearing, my mind slowly began to work again, picking up the far away sound of a running stream. This circular meadow in the middle of the forest was beautiful in a haunting way. Legend has it that a great battle happened here. Another legend speaks of a great warrior rumored to win the war was killed here. As a child, I had loved to hear these stories, earning me the nickname, "wild child." I ran across and leaped up onto a branch. I climbed until I had a good view and settled down for the next day.
"Oh, Charlie. Why can't you see me as you used to? All I ever try to do is make you happy, but it's never is enough." I whispered wistfully, knowing full well that this always happened when I visited Charlie. I grew depressed and went to mope in my tree. More importantly, something in Charlie's face gave away his anxiousness and urgent need. Charlie knew something that he wasn't telling me. As I pondered this, I opened one of Jacob's snack bars and took a huge bite. I smiled, chocolate granola, my favorite.
The sky was beginning to darken, casting a shadow on the far side of the clearing. By the time the brilliant orb of the moon reached the treetops, I was already fast asleep.
