Chapter 25: Day 5

ALICE POV

After two more hours of fierce digging, I found a small block of Ziriat. I covered it back up and then swept it in, along with some ice shavings.

After a minute, I was suddenly up on land, the cooler landing a couple feet away. Jasper was on the other side of a huge fissure in the glacier.

"I guess I didn't keep it cold enough." I called. He frowned and jumped over. The cooler was undamaged.

"Let me try this time." He said, and jumped down into the fissure. I threw down the cooler and checked my watch.

EMMETT POV

Rosalie and I pulled up to the tree, spraying sand everywhere. I took out my printout and scanned the plants under the tree.

"Is that one there?" I asked, and pointed to a small, fragile sprout. Rosalie took off her sunglasses and bent for a closer look.

"Maybe. But it won't survive the swim back to America. There is no way we could smuggle it on a plane either. Or a boat." I cussed.

"Let's find another tree. Or maybe a pile of rocks." Rosalie said, and scanned the horizon to the west. I looked to the east. Squinting, I saw a small mound of rocks.

"Bingo. Random pile of rocks to the east." I announced.

Rosalie was already running past me. I checked my watch as we ran. We were running out of time.

KELSEY POV

As the clock chimed midnight, I felt like I had stayed up for the past two nights as a human without food. I had lost weight doing nothing, and Esme was looking bad.

Carlisle had started to hack, so poor Edward had is hands full. At this point, I was almost impatient for dawn. Sooner I can just end this pain the better.

ALICE POV

I paced impatiently as Jasper packed the cooler with ice similar to the ice surrounding a block of Ziriat he had found. I know he was trying to get it right, but we had to freaking go. We had a long way to run yet. Not to mention the swim.

Flushed with his success, Jasper closed the lid and surrounded the cooler with ice, and put in the duffel bag, and climbed out of the fissure. He had ice crystals in his hair.

"Got it, the little bugger." He said, and swung the bag over his shoulder.

ROSALIE POV

I watched Emmett crawl around under the rocks, looking for this stupid Sisyphus plant. The thing was almost extinct, and we were on a schedule.

With a shout of success, Emmett crawled out. In his hand were two larger sprouts of Sisyphus. I shielded them from the sun, and he packed a Ziploc full of dirt, then we added the plants.

I Duct taped the bag with back tape, leaving small shafts of light only. Then I put it in my backpack.

"Let's get out of here." I said, and we ran towards the coast, sand spraying up where we ran.

JASPER POV

Alice and I swam side by side through the icy Arctic Ocean, heading through the islands of Canada. The Ziriat was staying cold, even though the sun was beating down upon the water.

The clearer, the colder here in far Northern Canada. Even though we where soaking wet, we were swimming at about 65 miles and hour.

But it wasn't fast enough. Alice kept checking her watch and having visions. After a particular one, she swam faster than ever before.

I didn't ask, and she didn't tell.

KELSEY POV

I was dimly aware of Carlisle calling Edward, but I didn't care. There was nothing he could do anyway.

Then I felt his bizarrely cold hand compared to my skin on my forehead. I barely registered he was talking to me.

"Kelsey? Kelsey! Stay awake…" his voice deepened and slowed like Esme's had. I heard him run and close the curtains, but it didn't matter.

You can't stop time. But just for him, I tried. I hadn't realized eyes had closed until I tried to open them. I thought about energy, and alertness.

I wrenched open my eyes with a hoarse gasp, trying to fight the fatigue. The last thing I saw was Edward's panicked face, and my skin change to a deep gray.

"Fight it Kelsey!" I heard Carlisle rasp. Esme hacked in agreement.

My eyes closed, but fluttered as I tried to open them again.

"Kelsey!!??!" Edward yelled by my ear. Then, like a switch had been flicked, I sank into unconsciousness.

Day 6 has arrived. Now, three more days of sleep. Then death unless the rest of the Cullens can make it in time…and you better freaking review, cause this chapter was the hardest to write in this whole story! JK, but seriously…

Ωstephmeyerfan14