Breaking Point-Chapter 8
Bella POV.
A/N: I LOVE this chapter.
Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight, Bella, or Edward. If anything, they own me.
I walked through the woods. I'm not sure how far, really. Hours and hours far. As far as I could take me.
The dense treetops blocked out most of the rain, but there was still a thick, misty layer of fog choking the forest. It was tiring to walk through this. Like walking through water. Heavy. But I kept going. Slowly and stiffly. No thoughts.
After a while, I came up on a road. I pushed through the fringing trees, and the sun danced into my view. There was suddenly so much space, like the Earth was sprawled out—nothing but air and light and wind and sound. Stretching on and on for miles on my left, and on my right, and right front of me. And up, too. I felt like my breath was trying to swirl around, to fill up all the space. But it was just too big.
I didn't recognize the road, but then again it's pretty hard to identify highways when you're out in the middle of nowhere. I sat down beside it, not really knowing what to do next.
No cars passed. Was this a ghost-road then? Did they even have those?
Then a police car began to approach me. It popped out of the horizon, the same way the sun does in the morning. Just not as pretty. Or quiet.
It sped up, pulling over to park illegally in front of me. The tires rolled past my toes like they were old news. It's flashers waved at the air and the trees and the emptiness, and the sirens wailed, like somebody cared.
A tall, lean man got out of the cruiser and skipped around the car to me. He had a smile like a birthday, a four-year-old's smile, and I could see all his perfect, straight teeth. I tried to understand why this inconsequential police office would be so happy to see me.
"Isabella Swan?" He grinned wider. Blindingly white teeth.
I looked up at him, and the sun scorched my eyes like it had been waiting all day to do it. "Hmm?"
"Miss, are you Isabella Swan?"
I turned my head back towards the gravel, wondering.
And then I remembered. Renee, Phoenix, dance lessons, fifth grade, high school, Charlie, Forks…Edward…
"Yes," I said numbly.
The strange man grasped my upper arm and pulled me to my feet unsteadily.
"Your father has been worried sick about you, honey. Come with me." He opened up the backseat of the cruiser and led me through, locking my wrists in his hands like he through I was going to try to make a run for it.
Who was it again that told me never to talk to strangers? Did that apply to me anymore? Or was there some age limit—eighteen and no one will want to abduct you?
After a moment the car began to move.
The officer studied me through his rear-view mirror.
He must have picked up on the blank look in my eye. "Isabella, how do you feel?"
I hesitated. No words came.
He picked up a radio receiver and tuned in. I watched him click the buttons with his littlest finger. "Sir, yes, I think we do need to involve the Paramedics…yes, this girl isn't coherent…I'm not sure, she's practically mute…yes, alright, over."
Once he'd placed the receiver down he swiveled around to look at me. Somehow I knew that I was too used to people not watching the road to make a fuss about this.
I looked up at him. Ginger eyes. How strange.
"Isabella, do you know where you are?"
This must have been the stupidest question I'd ever heard.
"I'm in a car," I answered.
The officer took on a panicked look and lunged for his walkie-talkie again.
"Yes, yes—Micheal? Yes, absolutely—immediate support…"
I looked out the window and watched the leaves and the wind wave good-bye to me.