I am floored with the response the last chapter received, especially the story of 'The Ant and the Elephant.' Thank you so much! And for those who are interested, that fable is a part of a bunch of stories called, 'Panchatantra.'

Huge thanks to my beta, Frannie (Fran S. Flower), and my pre-reader, Angela (AngelaAbbot) for being their awesome selves and driving this story forward. I couldn't have written 'Wreckage' without them.


Chapter 37

'The best thing you could do

is MASTER the chaos in you.

You are not thrown into the fire,

YOU ARE THE FIRE.

-Mama Indigo

For as long as she remembered, they had always been invincible.

Cupboards, attic, garage, toolshed, there was nowhere she hadn't hidden from them.

Just as there was nowhere, they hadn't found her.

Dragged and beaten, the lesson was stamped into her.

There was no escape, no reprieve- her cage, impenetrable and unforgiving.

Insidious murmurs of her wretchedness, the curse of her very existence, had trapped her like a deadly ophidian.

The serpent had sunk its fangs and spewed venom, its hisses the noxious claims of her abusers, until she had lost all her defenses.

… Until her own mind started dripping poison of their making.

Yet, as she heard their punishment, the verdict, there was no quieting that tiny voice of questions and doubts.

"Bella?"

Concerned ochre delved into glazed brown, chasing shadows, ripping her dark. Fingers danced across her skin, pulling her from the toxins of her past.

A wracking shudder went through her as her teary gaze met the man who changed it all.

… The man who was still trembling with revulsion and fury in the aftermath of hearing her recount her past.

'Not on me, but for me,' Her conscious assured, still in awe of this newer, kinder reality.

"Bella, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

His worry pierced through the deafening tattoo of the words, 'lifetime imprisonment,' beating in her ears.

They gave her enough strength to voice her incredulity, to share her epiphany.

"Edward, they are not so strong anymore."


So, what do you think of Bella's epiphany? Please leave me your thoughts.

This is the last we hear of Renee and Phil. The next chapter is all about healing and maturing, both for Bella and the Cullens as a family, and will be posted this Friday. I can't believe we are just three chapters away from finishing Wreckage! I'll miss you guys so much!

Until next time!

Love,

Ansha