Disclaimer - Edward Cullen owns my soul...but I don't own him sob
Chapter Four
BPOV
I heard a girl squeal in the darkness, but considering I hadn't opened my mouth, the sound had definitely not come from me. A cool breeze blew past my right side, as a cold arm wrapped around my waist. At the same time, I felt a warm draft by my left side as a hot hand rested on my left shoulder.
"You guys, I'm fine," I said, slightly annoyed. I rolled my eyes pointlessly. No one could see me in the dark.
"Alright kids," Charlie's nervous voice rang out in the darkness, "stay right where you are. I'm going to get a flashlight and some candles. Nobody move." He spoke slowly as if we were all three year olds.
I heard Charlie's cautious footsteps move away from us, and then seconds later, a crash and a thud as Charlie tripped, taking a chair down with him.
"Dad?" I called out in the direction of the crash.
"I'm fine, Bella," He grunted.
My eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness and I saw Charlie's blurry outline attempting to stand up again. All the while, Edward and Jacob breathed down my neck. Cold air on one side, hot on the other.
"Dad, don't be a hero!" I pleaded with him. "You're going to hurt yourself!"
"I'm fine, Bella," he repeated.
I sighed. It wasn't hard to figure out where I got my clumsiness from.
"Edward..." I began, but he left my side in the blink of an eye.
Jacob took this opportunity to wrap his arm around my waist. However, it took Edward all of ten seconds to return, glowering at Jacob I presumed, with four candles, a flashlight, and a box of matches. I didn't even bother to wonder how he had known where to look. He turned the flashlight on and set it on the kitchen table.
"Is everyone OK?" Charlie asked.
"We're fine, dad," I answered.
Edward walked quickly towards me and casually yanked me out of Jacob's grasp.
"I can take it from here," Edward said sweetly. However, I could hear the malice in his voice. Jacob glared at him, but didn't try to pull me back.
"I had a feeling this was going to happen," Charlie mumbled half to himself as he attempted to light a candle. He struck the match multiple times and grunted in annoyance each time the match failed to light.
"Charlie," Jacob laughed, finally leaving my side, "let me handle this."
Charlie handed the matches to Jacob grumbling something along the lines of, "Darn things won't light."
Jacob swiftly struck the match and it caught fire on his first attempt. He lit one candle and then proceed to ignite the other three Edward had found.
Jacob smiled smugly, but his smile was quickly wiped off his face as Edward remarked, "You lit a match...what an accomplishment."
"Be quiet, Edward," I defended Jake. "Not all of us have amazing vampire sight." the last part I whispered quietly in his ear because Charlie was still in the room.
"Why don't we go sit in the living room," Charlie suggested.
We each grabbed a candle in response and followed Charlie out of the kitchen. Edward in the candlelight was an absolutely breathtaking sight. The dull shone against his unnaturally pale skin making it sparkle slightly, and accentuated his perfect features. I didn't think it was possible, but he looked even more gorgeous than usual. Charlie quickly sat down in the only single chair leaving Edward, Jacob, and I to sit on the large couch. I sat in the middle and Edward and Jacob sat on either side of me. I tried to slyly scoot closer to Edward. Jacob caught on, however, and inched closer to me.
"Why don't we watch some TV?" Charlie asked after a while.
"The power's out, Dad," I said to him with an obvious tone of voice.
"Oh...right," he replied.
We sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes before Jacob said loudly, "So...anyone know any ghost stories?"
"Are you serious, Jake?" I asked. I looked at him like he was insane.
"Why not?" he questioned me. "You guys are so boring! I'm losing my mind just sitting here!"
"I understand that Jake...but ghost stories?"
"I could go for a ghost story," Charlie grinned. "What's wrong Bella? Are you scared?"
"No, Dad!" I said, getting annoyed. "I just think it's a stupid idea!"
I definitely did not get scared easily. Running around with "mythical" horror movie creatures for over a year, and having several of those creatures attempt to kill me, had pretty much dulled my sense of fright and self-preservation.
"I think it sounds like a great idea," Edward disagreed, speaking up for the first time in a while. I glared at him, but he simply smiled back at me.
"Great!" Jake said excitedly. "'Cause I know this really great one the guys and I down at the rez used to tell when we were kids."
He moved himself into cross legged position on the couch and his gigantic knee jabbed me hard in the stomach, knocking all the wind out of me.
"Ouch, Jake!" I yelled, breathless.
"Oops, sorry," he snickered, and then he took a deep breath before beginning. "OK...this is one of our tribal legends called 'The Red Spirit'. Long ago when --"
"What was that?" Edward asked. He wasn't smiling anymore and was suddenly very alert.
"Ha ha, Edward. Very funny." I rolled my eyes thinking he was trying to scare me. "The story hasn't even started yet."
"Yeah!" Jacob agreed angrily. "Stop trying to steal my spotlight!"
"Can we get on with the --"
CRASH! Charlie, Jacob, and I all jumped a mile in our seats, while Edward quickly turned and looked towards the stairs.
"Edward," I whispered, terrified. So much for not being easily scared. "What was that?" If anyone was in the house, Edward would know. What with his mind reading abilities and heightened vampire senses.
"I don't know," he whispered back, unsure. What was that supposed to mean? That whatever was in the house wasn't human?
No, I told myself. I don't believe in ghosts.
"Well," Charlie said. He attempted to make the terror in his voice by speaking loudly. "Shouldn't someone go and check it out?"
"I'll go," Edward and Jacob said simultaneously.
Another loud thud echoed from upstairs and this time, Charlie grabbed the large cushion from the chair he was sitting on and pulled it over his face.
"Get a grip, Dad!" I said to him. "You can't tell me that Chief Swan is afraid of a little noise."
"Of course not," he answered gruffly. His face reddened as he quickly pulled the pillow off of him. "In fact...maybe we should all go together." His last comment sounded more like an unsure question rather than a statement.
"OK," Jacob said. "Let's go." He set his candle down on the table and grabbed the flashlight. He then headed slowly towards the stairs.
The rest of us got up, put our candles down, and followed cautiously behind him. When we reached the bottom of the staircase all of us looked up apprehensively at the darkness above. Jacob shone the flashlight upward, illuminating the stairs with its bright light. Then we started upward. Jacob took the lead, closely followed by Charlie who had quickly squeezed past me and Edward to be in the middle. Edward and I brought up the rear and I grasped his hand tightly as we walked up the stairs.
It took us much longer than it usually would have to reach the top because none of us was extremely eager to find out what waited in the darkness. In addition to that, another loud noise from upstairs had caused Charlie to jump backwards into me. Edward had somehow been able to hold us up, and prevented Charlie and I from toppling downward. We stepped into the hallway at the top o the staircase and looked around nervously.
Edward turned toward the door on the right and whispered, "It's coming from your room, Bella."
I felt the color drain from my face and I gulped loudly. Edward grasped the doorknob and turned it slowly. He pushed the door slightly so that it only opened a crack. The door creaked loudly as it moved sending a shiver down my spine.
Did my door always squeak? I wondered to myself.
I felt a chilly draft coming from the small opening. I knew from watching horror movies that the presence of spirits usually left an area feeling cold.
"Maybe I should go get my gun," Charlie said.
"Don't be silly, Dad," I scoffed. Did he seriously think that if there was a ghost in there he'd be able to shoot it?
Edward pushed the door open wider, but instead of a cool breeze, something else lunged at us through the darkness.
"AHH!" We all screamed in unison and jumped up in surprise and fright.
The mysterious being landed behind us, but the scene in front us of was much too shocking to turn away from.
Sorry...short chapter. I had severe writer's block all this week. I promise to make the next one really long. Comments? Questions? Suggestions? You know what to do.
