Extremely infuriated by this chapter. Any constructive criticism will be very much appreciated.
Edward's future was in turmoil. Utter turmoil. Mayhem. Not one scene would make sense; his every decision would last no longer than a second –
- leaping at Aro, attacking a guard member -
- before dissolving into something else –
- walking out into the sunlight, in front of –
- and something else –
- throwing a b –
- or something else –
- biting the neck of a –
- or something else…
…something else…
…something else…
After a few minutes of pure chaos, the dizzying blur of visions began to subside. Minutes into the future, the Volturi continued to explain the reasons for their answer to my brother; whilst he stood, still as a statue, and listened. His hectic thoughts on what cause of action to take next stopped; halted in their mad flow, as he took in what Aro was saying. Momentary distraction, I supposed.
It was only when he was led out of the main chamber by Alec and handed over to Demetri to be led back up and into the city…that it began again.
Silence. What felt like minutes, even seconds into the future, the room where Aro, Marcus, and Caius still sat on their throne was silent. Aro looked lost in thought. Caius was sour-faced as he watched his brother. Marcus looked…blank. Bored, even; his eyes glazed over. He looked a million miles away and several millenniums from the scene playing out around him. I wondered, not for the first time, why that was…
Decisions blurred as Aro seemed to contemplate something…
"Afton."
That was Caius speaking. A tall man, eyes almost as black as Edward's, stepped out from a corner of the room where he'd been conversing with red-haired woman in a low whisper.
"Follow him. Take Santiago and Corin…"
"…Sigurd…"
"…fetch Aelfric from the tower…"
"…any others who wish to come. Spread out. Watch him. You know what to do if he tries anything. Go."
"Yes, Master."
"Brother?" Caius had turned to Aro who still sat, chin leaning on a papery hand so frail-looking it was a wonder it didn't crumple away at the weight, lost in thought.
"Brother? Aro, come now. It is over. We have better things to worry about…"
"…he will be dealt with…"
"…all over…"
"…over…"
…But it wasn't over, I thought desperately, as I watched Edward scramble up and out of the hole with Demetri close behind him. Not yet, not quite yet…
Demetri nodding stiffly once to Edward, then ducking back down the hole…Edward standing stock still, inches from the Volturi entrance, his expression unreadable…
A flicker of possibilities…
Edward strolling out into the square, seconds into the future, grabbing the first car in sight and lifting it above his –
- Edward grabbing the nearest pillar holding up the clock tower, pulling it and making –
- Edward, hours into the future, waiting for the sun to rise so he could reveal himself –
- the guard tearing at my brother's body, piling pieces in a heap–
Edward beginning to walk, down the alleyway, out into the darkened square, the sun was only just beginning to rise, turning the sky a dark grey…
Guard members, strangers to me, Afton among them, climbing up and out of another entrance, streaming off into the darkness…Afton ordering them to watch…watch and wait…
Edward lifting a car –
- Edward waiting till dawn for the sun –
- Edward hunting…
…hunting…
…human hunting…
My stomach contracted with absolute horror as I felt Edward's decision waver over that final, terrible option…he wouldn't…he wouldn't…
Edward was walking, walking, across the square, across the street, down the road, a zombie with eyes black pits of nothing…
I shuddered very slightly in my seat; there was no decision, no chosen path, just flickers, flickers, flickers…
Afton and a guard member with cropped golden hair slipping in and out of sight and shadows as they and their comrades began following Edward at a safe distance, some staying behind to keep watch over their home entrance, some only an alleyway or so away from my brother…
Edward stopping, pausing, watching as a group of five or so men, chattering and laughing drunkenly, swaggered towards him whilst possibilities flickered, thinking, considering…
Blood streaming in scarlet rivulets down a gasping drunk's body as my brother fed from a wound in full view of a hoard of pubgoers…
My stomach flipped over. Several times.
I felt sick at the sight. I didn't want to see it, didn't want to focus, didn't want to even consider the possibility that my brother might resort to that…that…to end his life the quickest way possible…
I realised I was rocking backwards and forward in agitation, my head still buried in my knees – and stopped quickly…
…another group, a safe distance behind the drunkards, three young girls…
Edward dithering…head flitting from group to group as the drunkards passed him, then turned down a side-street, but the three girls kept moving, all heading towards the main square, towards the row of little shops down the right hand side…
Edward choosing his prey; turning and beginning to pad very softly behind the girls, Volturi members watching from behind brown walls and statues…down the street… stopping at the little shop…
One girl reaching into the pocket of her expensive looking white coat, bringing out a set of keys, and as the sun began to heat the sky with just a few pinkish rays of dawn, they prepared to open their delicatessen for the day…
Edward's decision was split-second – and the vision that came with it irrepressible.
The girl in the white coat barely had time to hold the door open for her two friends – before my brother pounced.
Blood splashing onto the stone pavement as two girl's screams mingled with their poor friends –
- Edward reaching swiftly towards the girl, his hands fastening on her shoulders and spinning her round to face him –
- Aelfric's eyes widening as he took in the scene –
- both of the girl's friends crying out words of surprise as they –
- Edward's hands pinning the girl against the wall, his face wild as he gazed at her –
- but he didn't bite –
- didn't bite –
- Italian words I couldn't catch –
- Afton and his fellow guard members crouched –
- didn't bite –
- fists clenched, ready to spring –
- didn't snarl, or even hiss, just stared at his prey –
- and though thirst burned deep in my brother's pitch black eyes –
- more Italian -
- didn't bite –
- didn't bite…
…didn't bite…
And then…
…and then…
- blood trickling from a wound –
- her two friends tugging at Edward's arms –
- more Italian –
- Edward's eyes gazing with desperate, longing thirst, into the girl's –
- Corin holding one hand up to her comrades –
- more confused, slightly angry words from the girl's two friends, and then…
And then…
And then…
Then my brother, as slowly and gently as if the creature he was holding was made of spun glass, let his arms fall to his sides…and let the shocked-faced girl fall freely back against the wall of her shop.
His face was agonized as he stepped back, allowing her friends, still garbling in Italian, to reach their friend.
Edward spoke then; in quiet, fluent Italian I couldn't understand. Edward's voice trembled at the edges – but his face was determined now. Two of the three girls snapped out sharp, angry replies – one just gazed with fear clear in her eyes at my black-eyed brother.
I caught odd words – "madman", "mistaken," "someone else," and "sorry" among them…but the rest of the conversation remained a mystery. I'd learnt Italian briefly at as school a few decades back – but we hadn't stayed there long. Jasper had had a slip…
It was only when all three girls looked at each other, then to Edward…and nodded once at some question he had asked, that each members of the watching Volturi looked suddenly, almost automatically towards Corin and Afton, as though awaiting an order…
…and received a small, sharp shake of the head in return, as the three girls turned, walked into their shop, and slammed the door behind them.
"No crime, no punishment," Corin murmured, very softly, as my brother closed his eyes, and sank to the ancient floor of the town square, burying his face in his hands.
And Afton nodded.
Neither I nor Edward moved for a very long time. My hands wouldn't stop trembling.
I knew it was stupid, knew it was over, knew Edward now, most definitely would not attempt that fate again…but I couldn't make them stop. I could hear, half in the future, half out, the sound of shades being shut one by one on the brightening windows of the plane, smell the dark, hot scent of coffee being brewed for on-flight breakfasts, knew that our flight would be landing soon now, soon, so very soon…
When Edward finally did move from his crumpled position on the cool stone ground of Volterra, the future he had chosen played out as clear and bright as the day dawning all around me.
Just a few, much too short hours into the future. A clock was chiming, the sound ringing round and round my head; once, twice, three times, four, five…
Edward standing motionless as a statue, just a few feet from the mouth of a dimly lit alleyway. His eyes were closed, the rings underneath them deep purple, his arms relaxed by his sides, palms turned forward. His expression was different now, more different than I could have imagined; peaceful, calm like the surface of the sea after a storm. Serene. Maybe even tinged with a little hope. Like he was dreaming pleasant things. Pleasant maybes. Possibilities of happiness; far, far away, just out of his reach. His chest was bare – there was a small pile of fabric at his feet…I felt a very small twinge of worry for the white material; it would get all dirty and ruined lying down there on the street, and it was a nice shirt…
The clock chimed – chimed from the tower, the clock tower, just to his right, in front of which crowds upon crowds of red-dressed people were standing, chatting, laughing, completely unaware of the vampire standing feet from them, just out of sight, out of reach, out of…
…out of the sun…
Seven, chimed the clock. Eight. Nine. Ten. Eleven.
Twelve.
Edward smiled. The sun beat down blinding rays of light from above the tower, so close but still just out of reach.
Edward took a step. Then two. Then three…out into the beams of gold that caught the diamond of his skin within seconds, glinting, sparkling, glistening, gleaming…
And then…
But then…
I blinked hard, struggling to make out what was next; the scene was suddenly blurred, fuzzing with static in front of my eyes, and as I watched…
- Bella, running like her life depended on it, which it probably did, shoving her way through the crowds, throwing herself at Edward –
- Corin and Afton stepping smoothly out from the shadows of another alley, several others helping them to throw Corin's own cloak over Edward's sparkling bare skin, my brother pulled all too willingly back into the shadows in a movement so fast I barely caught it –
- fire burning and crackling as Edward's head was torn and ripped by Volturi teeth from his body…
…but…
…but…
…Bella slamming into Edward, gasping his name between pants, pushing him back into the shadows, the shadows he hadn't quite left…
…Edward ripped to shreds…
…driving fast as the car I drove would go with Bella by my side…
…would have to get a fast ca…
…Edward's skin sparkling brighter than the sun…
…certain I could find something good in one of the airport car parks…
…Bella with her arms round her love's neck…
…fire burning marble limbs…
…me appearing at the end of the alleyway Edward had just left, all of us together, alive and together, together…
…but…
...but…
It was still possible, I realised slowly, my brain taking an age to comprehend the knowledge. Still possible that we could…that we would…
That if we could only get there fast enough…
The clock chimed from the tower, the clock tower, just to his right…musical, booming notes; they reminded me vaguely of Emmett laughing…eleven…twelve…
Twelve…
Midday. We had till midday.
Too short, every part of me screamed. Not long enough. You'll be too late, and just get into trouble. Bella will be in so much danger. You'll…be in so much danger.
Jasper…
But I pushed the thoughts away. I piled them into a box and shut the lid tight; tight as tight could be. Then I watched Edward stand and walk slowly, calmly over the cobbled stones of the plaza, towards the alleyway, where he once more slumped to the ground, and leant back against a sandy wall.
Waiting.
Minutes passing…hours passing…Afton sighing, Corin murmuring grumpily to Seeta, other members drifting off to wait and watch alone at different points around the square…
The hours passing, passing…
… passing…yes…
…yes…
Just a hint of a smile reached my lips, despite all I'd seen, despite what Edward had so very nearly done, as the vision solidified itself as a thoroughly made decision. Hope bubbled up like a fountain inside me.
We had a chance. We really, truly…for the moment at least…had a chance.
Yes, the ending is cheesy. And YES, Edward does almost hunt a human in the book. Refer to page 438 of New Moon for more info.
On a completely random note; who has finished The Second Short Life of Bree Tanner? Got my copy this morning, spent the day reading it, and LOVED it! Anyone else feel the same?
Reviews are like muffins…or cake…or cookies…or lemon tart…or hazelnut ice cream…or almond and cherry pie…or any other kind of yummy food…look, how about you just review :D