I am overwhelmed with the kind response the last chapter received. Thanks a ton, guys!
Special thanks to my beta, Frannie (Fran S. Flower), and pre-reader, Angela (AngelaAbbot) for working on this story. You both rock!
Chapter 36
'Do not go gentle into the night.
RAGE, RAGE.
Against the dying of the light.'
-Dylan Thomas
Once upon a time, there lived a mighty elephant too sure of his greatness.
He wreaked havoc and caused chaos, reveling in the power he had over others.
And his favorite targets were the ants.
Daily he would follow them, trampling and crushing their homes, stealing many lives, and maiming others.
Ants lived in fear of him. Broken and battered, they had given up on life.
But one day, one of them dared.
She had lost all hope, knew death would come, and grew tired of being afraid.
So, she set out on a quest.
Few came with her, the rest called it madness, but she wasn't deterred.
Tracking the elephant, she waited for an opportunity and entered his trunk when he fell asleep.
Then she bit him.
Holding tenaciously, she and the others kept biting the elephant even when he woke up in pain and started thrashing about.
She held on until she knew she had taught him a valuable lesson, and he had understood her.
Then she left, and the elephant never dared to go near another ant again.
And as he sat in the Court, hearing her recount her harrowing tale, Edward couldn't help but draw parallels between the ant of the story he had heard so long ago and Isabella.
The analogy was strange, yet the similarity was stark.
They both had endured a hellish life of hopelessness and terror at the mercy of the sadistic urges of others.
They had been made to feel weak, worthless, small, and undeserving of kindness or peace.
They had known death, courted it even, to get deliverance from their pain and sufferings.
Yet, they rose to face their monsters.
Theirs was not the fierce march of a warrior, with head held high and a gleaming sword to battle to the death. Rather, theirs was a leaden gait, weighed down by the hardships of life, with fledgling spirits and shattered hearts.
Still, they made a difference.
… Emerged as victors.
… Because they chose to.
For courage is not always intensity and confidence or bravery and boldness.
Sometimes it's silent tears and slumped shoulders.
It's the ability to still go on despite every lost hope and gut-wrenching fear.
This is one of my favorite chapter of Wreckage, mostly due to the story of 'The Ant and the Elephant.' Growing up, I adored that tale … Still do, for the lesson it imparts- the true definition of courage. Please let me know what you think.
I know some of you thought that Edward would be furious on hearing Bella recount her abuse, but here he handled it rather calmly. Since chapter 28, Edward has actually realized that Bella depends on him quite a bit, which is why he promised her that he wouldn't leave her to face things alone unless she sends him away. And every subsequent chapter has been a part of his growth curve. Besides, he also knows that Bella worries about him getting angry during the trial of her abusers, from their conversation in Chapter 35. So all in all, he has endeavored to not fly off the handle for her sake. I hope this makes sense.
The next chapter will be up on Tuesday in which we will deal with Bella's epiphany after the Court hearing.
Until next time!
Love,
Ansha