Whispering Woods

Chapter Thirty-Five

Edward stared at the figure standing at the edge of the woods, the dark, haunting tree line its backdrop. The woman's dress was the palest of blues, moving around her in a hypnotic fashion. Her hair appeared to be a lighter shade than Bella's mahogany color. Something about the scene alarmed him, sending shivers down his spine. He had to know why.

Bella reached for the door and jumped out of the car. "Mom!"

The whole thing felt off. If they'd been separated for years, why wasn't her mother running out to meet her? One would think nothing would stop her from reaching her long, lost daughter. Right?

"Mom!" Calling out for her mother, Bella ran with no thought of the uneven ground or the rocks beneath her feet.

Edward snapped out of his stupor when Bella fell in her desperation to get to her mother. Instinct drove him to exit the car, and he used his long stride to his advantage, reaching her before she could stand.

Tears streamed down Bella's cheeks as she mumbled incoherently, her eyes wide and dark, possibly dilated?

Edward cursed, pulling her into his arms, but she pushed him away, begging him to let her go.

"What are you doing? Let me go!"

"I can't, Bella." Whatever he said didn't seem to reach her. He looked over his shoulder. The figure remained where they'd first saw her, a perfectly serene image, yet a slice of fear cut through him. "It's not her."

Her gaze finally pulled away from the woods to look at his face. Confusion gave away to anger, her hands slapping his chest in her attempt to getaway. "What? Of course, it's her!"

He shook his head, gently forcing her to focus on him, cradling her face. A threat stood behind him, but his instincts told him it couldn't leave the Whispering Woods.

"Think about it, Bella!" Edward's voice grew louder and clearer, filtering through the fog in her head. "Whatever or whoever that thing is, it hasn't moved since we saw it. She hasn't called out for you. She hasn't tried to reach you. If that was your mother, she would be running to you and you'd already be in her arms. It's not her."

Bella's eyes moved away from Edward to look over her shoulder, her brow tightened. "She's calling for me now."

"Bella, Bella, where are you, Bella?"

"Probably because I stopped you." Edward allowed himself to listen and the woods screamed at him to run. "Listen to the woods; despite their creepiness, they have protected you for a long time." He wasn't sure how he knew that, but he did. "Listen to what they're saying, Bella, please."

Bella watched as the figure swayed in place, laughter on her beautiful face. She almost appeared like the perfect manifestation of one of her memories. Her mother had worn a similar dress. It was for the only Renaissance Fair she managed to drag her father to when Bella was a child. The image appeared imperfect, much like the memory, since it was one of her earliest. The woman twirled around, the dress moving along with her, it almost seemed to spark magic as she rose a few feet in the air, laughter on her lips.

It was a memory and that meant...

"Edward!" Bella grabbed his face and watched his eyes go hazy. "Wake up! We have to wake up right now!"

Then she slapped him, hoping the pain would snap them out of it.

.

.

.

Bella gasped awake, choking on the chilling air in the car. She could hear Edward do the same beside her. Not bothering to wait to explain or for something to ensnare them again, she pulled the car out onto the road behind them.

"What the fuck happened?" Edward's heart threatened to burst out of his chest and his cheek stung. He'd been outside of the car, at least a hundred yards from the tree line, holding Bella back. "How the fuck did we end up in the car again? Or this close to the woods?" They had been only a few yards from the tree line when they snapped out of it.

Bella shook her head. "Let's get farther away before I try to understand what just happened."

Within minutes, Bella had them well away from the haunting woods. "Whatever is in those woods, some are good, some are not, and it used my memory of my mother to lure me in. I knew..."

"You knew something was wrong." Edward's hand clamped down on her thigh, but his touch softened when he realized she was real.

"You realized that way before I did, Edward."

"You're glowing. That's how I knew something was wrong. If we all glow and we're all somehow related to people that came out of the woods, it stands to reason your mother would too, since your grandfather was one of the first."

"That wasn't the only reason you knew."

Edward shook his head. "She didn't say or do anything, but stay in one spot."

"Your instincts are much better than mine." It wasn't until they reached her house that they stopped.

She turned off the car and stared at him. "Thank you for saving us."

Edward snorted. "I was losing it too. I felt something had enclosed around me, telling me how life would be better if I joined them."

Bella rubbed her face hard, tugging on her hair. "Once I recognized the memory, I realized we were asleep and we were sharing whatever they wanted us to see. I had no idea the woods had that kind of power. Maybe that first day in the woods together, we never really fell?"

"Maybe, but it doesn't explain how your car got there. It wasn't parked anywhere near the forest when I got to the trail entrance."

"Still haven't figured out that part."

"I can understand the woods having the power to make us believe something enough when we're inside of them, but we parked well away from it. How did it lure us from so far away?"

"I think whatever is in the woods, its power is growing."

AN: Thanks to MC for your quick turn around, I appreciate it! Yay, I have the next chapter ready and will post in a few hours. Real-life has been awful, why is dental stuff so expensive?! But I can't continue with this pain. Thanks so much for your continued support and reading and reviewing. You've been amazing! If you'd like to buy me a coffee or send me $ for more cafe time to write, you can find me on Venmo under Erica Marroquin, ericastwilight on Ko-Fi and , also Starbucks e-gifts can be sent to ericastwilight dot . I can also be found on Twitter and Facebook under the same information. Thanks!