Chapter Ten

Bella

Everything had changed, now I knew I didn't belong here I didn't feel comfortable. Despite knowing it hurt Magda I couldn't help my change in attitude, she had lied to me, whatever the reason and I had a father out there somewhere who hadn't seen me since I was babe in arms. The tribal chief had also made it quite apparent that I was no longer welcome either although he would still help me. I had no idea why I was so unpopular, I wasn't a monster myself so why did everyone want me gone? And what did he mean by my own particular brand of protection?

I felt I needed to see my mother first but then I had to find my real father, try to find a way to become a part of his life if he would let me. After all these years perhaps he had forgotten me, the daughter he lost so long ago. I had no idea who he was or where he lived and Magda either didn't know or was unwilling to tell me anything more. I knew my mother had seen the monsters, the vampires and after one marked me out she had brought me here for my safety but no one had come looking for me. I'd asked the elders and they were forced to admit no vampires had come anywhere close, as if searching for me. Perhaps it had all been in my mothers imagination. I wanted to know the truth and there was only one person who could give me that, my mother.

I didn't wait to finish my year in school and no one tried to persuade me otherwise, they seemed relieved I was going, and then Magda agreed to take me to see my mother. She'd tracked Renee down to a hospital in Los Angeles, she wasn't physicallly sick but mentally very fragile.

"She may not remember you Bella or anything that happened so be prepared to be disappointed. The staff said that sometimes she doesn't speak for days at a time."

The building that housed the hospital was a grim looking concrete block with rows of windows mainly covered with blinds. The staff were cheerful enough and inside it was surprisingly pleasant. I took a bunch of flowers for my mother and the nurse took them from me as she pointed to a door with a number 66 on it in black lettering.

"I'll put these in water for you dear. I told Renee she had friends coming to visit. I don't think she gets many visitors and I haven't seen you before."

"We only found out recently that Renee was ill. We're old friends who lost contact."

The nurse nodded and went off as Magda knocked on the door and opened it when we heard a quiet "Come in".

The room was a soft pink with an easy chair as well as a bed and closet and the woman who sat in the chair had prematurely greying hair and a faraway look. Her eyes passed over us without seeming to recognise either of us.

"Renee? Don't you recognise me? Its Magda."

My mother started, her eyes skating over Magda to stop on my face and I saw her brow crease,

"Magda? Is this...Bella?"

I nodded and walked over slowly kneeling by the chair and taking her thin hand in my own

"Hello Mum."

Her other hand came up to touch my cheek and she smiled wearily,

"Bella? You've grown so much. I knew Magda would look after you. Its been so long, it's not safe for you here though."

"I am safe now I know the truth and I've found you."

"The truth?"

Suddenly the smile had gone, Renee looked scared,

"You told her Magda?"

"I had to Renee, she has a right to know now she's old enough to understand."

"Understand? How can she be expected to understand when everyone thinks I'm crazy. when I tell them what I know? I've seen them Magda, I know the ancient evil exists, I've seen it walking among us. Bella you stay away from them, you have to go back with Magda its the only place you are safe from them."

"Mum I can't go back, I want to find my father and I need your help."

"NO"

It was almost a shout, then she pulled me close so our faces were almost touching and hissed at me angrily,

"No Bella. That's where I saw them. I ran to keep you safe. You stay away from there. Promise me"

I shook my head but she was surprisingly strong and I couldn't pull free,

"I want to find my dad"

"Stay...away...from...Forks"

At the last word she dropped her hands and closed her eyes turning away from me.

"Mum?"

She didn't answer me.

"Renee? Please don't shut us out"

Renee started to shake her head slowly, biting her lip as she did so. That was one thing I got from her, when I was upset I bit my lip too. We stayed another hour but she didn't open her eyes or speak again. When Magda spoke to the nurse she said that wasn't unusual.

"Poor Renee is terrified of what she calls Ancient Evil with capital letters. I think she's referring to monsters of some kind although she won't discuss them even, with her therapist."

"Does her husband ever visit?"

"Chief Swan? He's been a couple of times but he rings to check on her. You know the history?"

"Yes, I know she ran away with her baby daughter and when she was found the baby had disappeared."

"Yes its a very sad story. I think her husband rings hoping one day she will tell him or one of us what happened to the baby but she won't discuss that either."

We left the hospital unable to get any contact details from the nurse, hospital privacy rules, but I had a name, Forks and I would soon find out where it was. I went on line in our hotel and found 3 towns called Fork, in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Maryland. Then there was a Forks in New York and one in Washington discounting the other towns with Fork as just part of the name. Now I needed to find one of these which had a Chief Swan, he could be a Police Chief, a Fire Chief or what? Magda watched me unhappily, refusing to tell me anything else although I thought she knew. Well, I'd start with these and see how I got on.

It was actually easier than I had imagined when I hit on the idea of putting Chief Swan and missing baby together. Every year Chief of Police Charlie Swan of Forks Washington put out an advertisement asking for information on his daughter who went missing as a seven month old baby. So he still thought about me and wanted to find me!

"I have to go and see him Magda. He's my father and he's still looking, he hasn't forgotten me."

"Are you sure? Renee was so scared when she came to me with you in her arms and she's still convinced you will be in danger if you go back."

"I'm older now and I know what to look for. Besides there is a guardian tribe in Forks I can always go to them for help. Do you think your chief would contact them for me?"

She nodded a little sadly,

"I'm sure he will, he did offer to help, but do you really have to leave? I'm going to miss you my love."

"I have to find him but I'll never forget you and all you did for me."

"You're going straight away? What will you do? How will you get there? Please come home and plan this properly Maria"

I shook my head, I knew I had to go now before I lost courage and I had saved some money from babysitting and a job I had at the store at weekends. Enough to get a bus to Seattle and then another on to Port Angeles and from there I'd find a way to Forks, a local bus must run to the town. I tapped in bus routes and found that Clallum Transit ran a bus from Port Angeles to Forks so now I could get all the way and I was sure the Police Department wouldn't be difficult to find once I got there. I had all my clothes in my bag I guess I'd thought I might not be going back with Magda. I didn't have much, we weren't well off but it was enough. I may not have been welcome on the reservation or accepted but it was still with many tears we parted as I boarded the Greyhound to Seattle and closer to my father.