Ch.5 The Accident

Needless to say I did not sleep well that night. My mind was filled with worry for Jacob. I couldn't sleep. I once again found myself compelled to get up and walk in the forest before sunrise.

Standing on top of my tree, feeling the wind blow my hair, I was hit by thoughts. It felt as if all my thoughts were flying in the air around me, hitting me gently. I was contemplating a million and three things at once. Most of all was one thing stuck in my head. Fear for Jake.

I was being haunted by the wolf in my dream. Fearful that Jake would become that wolf. I fingered my drawing in my pocket. I felt almost as if the dream was a warning. Then I heard Charlie calling and I hastened to leave the comfort of my tree.

When I saw the look on Charlie's face I knew it. Something had happened to Jake. For one, he was waiting at the bottom of the tree, bizarre for him. He had a sad look on his face.

"Bella… it's Jake." As soon as the words were out of his mouth I was in my truck, booting the engine. I could hear Charlie calling, but I didn't answer. I wasn't going to listen to reason. I was going to see Jake, now.

I started the truck angrily, taking all my anger out on the steering wheel and pedals. Positive that I was going way above the speed limit, I sped in the general direction of La Push. Inside my head was screaming things. 'What if he's dying? How serious is it? Does Billy know what happened? Is Jake in a coma?' The longer I debated things, the crazier they got. Finally I pulled up in the Black's drive and ran through the door, ignoring all civility.

Jake was lying on the couch in wolf form, perfectly still. I almost cried when I saw the damage. It looked like he had been shot eight times at the least; it was hard to know because he healed so fast. Billy was sitting with him.

"Poor Jake. He saved many life's last night, you know." I looked at Billy weird.

"Some hunters were attacking them, and Jake couldn't let anyone be shot. He took almost every shot they fired. He wouldn't let one hit any of the other wolves, not even Leah." I shook my head. How could he do this?

"I'll go call Charlie, tell him you arrived." I nodded stiffly. "Thank you Bella." I turned my head to look at Billy. "He keeps talking about how he has to live. When I asked him, he said his only will to live was you. You are keeping him alive." I couldn't find the words to answer that, and when I did, Billy had left.

I spent the whole night there, with Jacob, watching as he stitched himself together. The tears stopped at about one, and I fell asleep for a few hours. The rest of the time I hummed to him, or reminded him of his promise. I didn't leave until four the next day. When I did, it was to visit my tree.

I sat at the top limb of my tree, feeling the wonderful high I always get. I was happy, until I remembered my life. More than that, I remembered Jake.

"Don't let him die," I murmured. "Please." I heard the wind whistle, daring me to try harder.

"DON'T LET HIM DIE!" I yelled. "I NEED HIM! PLEASE, SPARE HIM!" The wind grew silent, and the entire earth seemed at a standstill. The sun was just peaking.

"Please," I said, even with my voice lowered it carried for miles through the soundless forest. "He's my sun. The sun never dies. Don't let him die either." The sun set on the final note of my words, and I sat down on the limb, haunted by the bitter visions of the scarred wolf that had so soon become an even worse reality.