Disclaimer: Not mine.
Chapter Nine
The Carnivorous Carnival
"One of the most troublesome things in life is that what you do or do not want has very little to do with what does or does not happen."
Isabella knew nothing good would come from ignoring her mother, so with an internal sigh Isabella opened her eyes.
"Oh look, you're going to cooperate. Pity," Renee said, her voice dripping with disdain.
Isabella sucked in a sharp breath, the act causing her to wince.
"Look at all the trouble you've caused," Renee tsked with disapproval. "You brought this all on yourself you know."
Isabella stared at her blankly, having no response for such a ludicrous statement.
Renee chuckled, her voice low and dark as she spoke. "Of course you don't understand. 'Many shall purify themselves and make themselves white and be refined, but the wicked shall act wickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but those who are wise shall understand.' I think we both know which category you fall into."
I tear slipped down Isabella's cheek as she lowered her eyes. Her parents were so messed up. There was no point in trying to reason with them, they twisted the words of the bible to suit their own perverse needs and each and every outcome always resulted in pain for Isabella.
"But you have a chance to redeem yourself," Renee smiled, her face sinister and terrifying.
Isabella's brows pinched as she tried to figure out what exactly Renee was proposing. But she knew whatever it was, Isabella would pay dearly.
Renee sighed in aggravation, she was hoping for a little more begging for forgiveness, a little more willingness to cooperate, but it seemed Isabella didn't want to redeem herself, she was every bit as wicked as they'd always believed.
"Well since you don't seem to be able to speak, then I will do all of the talking. Phil is coming over here later to take your statement, and you are going to tell him that boy you've been sneaking off with is the one who did this to you."
"What?" Bella gasped, her chest aching from her sharp intake of air.
"You heard me." Renee spat, her voice cold, hard.
"No," Isabella breathed, her eyes wide with panic. So that was the plan then. They wanted her to lie so that Edward would be arrested for what, battery? Attempted murder? How far were they willing to take this to punish her?
Renee stood from her chair and towered over Isabella, her face a stoney mask up undiluted rage. "What did you say to me?"
Isabella swallowed thickly, her heart hammering in her chest as she did something she'd never done before. She stood up against her mother. "No. I won't do it. There's no punishment you could give me that would be worse than sacrificing Edward for you."
Renee laughed loudly, her head tipping back as her shoulders shook with mirth at the naiveness of her daughter. Poor, stupid girl was sadly mistaken if she thought she would ever have the upper hand.
Renee cut her laughter off abruptly, her eyes snapping to Isabella, all traces of humor gone. "You'll do it, or Charlie will kill him."
"He wouldn't," she whispered, but after what he'd done to her, she was no longer sure she believed that.
"Oh he would. People have accidents all the time. Or maybe he gets a phone call to come to the house and we let him know if he doesn't you'll suffer the consequences. But once there he attacks your father, no one would blame Charlie for defending himself from the same monster that attacked his baby girl."
Isabella wanted to vomit. Listening to Renee casually speak of ending Edward's life under the pretense of a distraught father was the most disgusting thing her mother had ever said.
"You, you wouldn't get away with it. I...I would tell someone." She tried to sound strong, she tried to sound sure, but doubt and fear had crept up her spine, causing her words to come out small and weak, defeated.
"You defy me, and you won't have the chance. Maybe this will work better in the long run," Renee pondered, her finger tapping her chin, "a two-for-one of sorts. I can see the headline now: young girl killed after attack by abusive boyfriend, assailant shot by girl's father. We'd be rid of the both of you."
A sob stuck in Isabella's throat as tears streaked down her face. "Why do you hate me so much?"
"Because you were born."
Isabella's heart―which she thought had hardened against her mother's venomous words―cracked wide open as she truly realized just how much her own mother hated her.
"Then why won't you let me go? Be rid of me?" Isabella begged, not understanding why her mother was so hell bent on keeping someone around who she hated so much.
Renee leaned over the bed until her mouth was right next to Isabella's ear, her mouth stiff, as she spoke in a harsh whisper, "because you don't deserve to be happier than me!"
Isabella closed her eyes and tried to fight against the weight of sadness pressing into her chest.
"You'll do as I say, or you'll both pay." And with that Renee turned and left the room as Isabella cried for her impossible situation.
It was hours later before Isabella was able to pull herself together enough to pick up the phone and call Edward. She didn't know where her mother was or if she planned to come back, but there was nothing she could do to her that would hurt more than what she'd already threatened.
Edward jerked upright in bed when the phone clutched in his hand started ringing. With a quick glance at the clock he realized that it was after eleven. He connected to call on the second ring.
"Hello?"
"Edward," Isabella said, her voice stuffy and thick.
"Bella? What's wrong? What happened?" Edward asked in a rush, already off the bed and looking for his jeans.
"I know," she hiccupped, "I know what they want."
Edward exhaled and sat heavily on his bed as he tried to calm his racing heart. "What happened?"
Edward sat slack-jawed as he listened to her recant the conversation with her mother. He'd never been a violent person, never been in a fight, and stayed pretty even-tempered most of his life. But right now, for the first time in ever, he could say he truly hated someone bone-deep.
And she hadn't even told him the part of the plan that involved taking her out with him.
"She's bluffing."
"No," Isabella insisted. "I don't think she is."
"Bella she can't hurt me. Do you really think I would go to your house if one of your parents called me?"
Isabella shook her head and licked her lips, not wanting to think about what Renee had said. She didn't want to confess exactly how far her parents were willing to go to cover their crime, but if he was going to push the issue she really didn't have a choice.
"What if they told you my life depended on it?" she whispered.
Edward fell silent, the thought of Isabella dead made his entire body lock with emotions which mere words could not describe. Soul shattering didn't even come close.
"We can tell my parents."
"Who will, in turn, call the police. Who is Phil. And he'll pretend to investigate and say that I'm lying," Isabella retorted, her anger at the hopeless situation spilling into her words.
"Then we'll call Child Protective Services, the police have no jurisdiction there," Edward said just as hotly, his frustration rising.
"I'm a legal adult."
"Damnit, Bella. There has to be something!"
"I don't know what to do!" she cried, "I'm scared. I'm scared of what they will do to you. I can't let them hurt you because of me, I'd rather die. Because without you, I have nothing," she whimpered, her entire frame shaking from the pain of her sobs.
"Baby, calm down. We'll figure something out...just let me think for a second." Edward stood from the bed and paced the room, his mind racing in a million different directions as he tried to come up with a plan, an idea that would get them out of this real life nightmare. He just needed time to think. Time. Time to get Bella away.
He had an idea.
With a deep breath he spoke calmly, his words even and measured. "Do what they asked."
Isabella's mouth fell open, that was the last thing in the world she expected Edward to say. She didn't want to lie and tell the police the only person that had ever shown her kindness, the person she loved more than her own life was responsible for her injuries. At the same time she didn't want him hurt because she refused to do so. She was in a lose-lose situation, either way Edward would be hurt and it was driving her to maddening desperation.
"Why? Edward, why would you say that?"
"Because it will buy us some time." Ideas swirled around in Edward's head, ways for them to get away, because that was all that mattered. He could deal with the other stuff later, but his only concern at the moment was protecting Isabella.
"Time for what? What are you talking about? They'll arrest you!" Panic began to rise as Isabella tried to make sense of his words, to figure out what Edward was thinking.
Edward shook his head even though she couldn't see him. "I need to know you're okay, and placating them is the best assurance I have. I won't let them arrest me, I'll hide. I just need to set a few things up and then, Bella, we're leaving. We're getting out of here and going away. If we can beat them here, then we disappear."
"But what about your parents?" she asked, her panic slowly ebbing as the fierce determination in his voice washed over her.
"I'll take care of everything, just do as they say. Do you know when the police are coming to question you?"
"Tomorrow, I think. Edward, I don't want to do this," she begged, tears she thought should have long run out by now still streaming down her face.
"It's going to be okay, Bella. Nothing will happen to me. But I need you to call me as soon as they leave, okay?"
"Okay." Her voice was so small he barely heard her.
"I love you, Bella. Trust me."
"Of course I trust you. I don't know what you're up to, but please be careful. I love you too much to lose you."
"You won't lose me. Not ever. I'll talk you soon, okay? Get some rest."
Edward grabbed a notebook and pen from his bag and began to write. Everything would work out. It had to.
Isabella laid in bed staring at the ceiling, her thoughts a chaotic mess as she tried to prepare herself for tomorrow. She felt as if she were trapped in a room full of funhouse mirrors, all of the faces around her distorted from reality. A sick, twisted house of lies where the villains became the victims and no matter how many times an exit would appear―a glimmer of hope in the form of escape―it only lead to yet another dead end.
Isabella closed her eyes and tried to fight the heavy sense of foreboding she felt as she replayed Edward's last words. Because if she'd learned anything, it was that there were no guarantees.
A/N
Welp. Here we go. Hold on tight. I know this chapter was a little shorter, but what needed to happen in this chapter happened. Plus then next one is almost 6k, so I think I more than make up for it!
I have no idea how I'm spitting this story out so fast, I think I may be possessed. Just...putting that out there.
For anyone who wants to join the "ways to make these assholes pay" thread on FB the link to the group is on my profile, come chat it up!
Raggdoll of Twilight and DarknNerdy, I can't tell you guys what it feels like to not only have your stamp of approval, but to be able to make YOU guys gasp and cringe...well, lets just say my life is pretty much complete with that.
See y'all tomorrow!
~Liv
