Chapter 8: Reality Unravels

All belongs to Stephenie Meyer, and the Chinook Observer.

Tuesday, August 11th

Angela's pov

As I shuffled down the beach, I saw Bella ride a wave into shore, dismount from the board gracefully and turn to watch Edward glide in with Nessie. Ness was balancing carefully on the front of his board, and he hovered behind her, ready to grab on should she need his assistance.

As they hit the sand, Nessie tottered a bit and stepped off. Edward steadied her and jumped down to pick up the board. The three of them looked like something out of a movie, stunning in their black surfing gear. I noticed it was winter gear, with long sleeves and pants. I guess none of them liked to be cold.

Edward noticed me and waved, and pointed me out to Bella. She waited for me on shore while Edward paddled back out with Nessie. Bella and I pulled up a rock. She was smiling contentedly, enjoying the day.

"I never knew you could surf," I stated. "Do you come here often?"

"Only when it's warm. Edward and I did a lot of snorkelling on our honeymoon, and we've been surfing in tropical climates a couple of times, but we really don't get in the water much here. You have to be so careful of the rocks."

Edward and Nessie reached the shore again. He said hello and asked after me, and then Nessie dragged him back in again, laughing.

"Bella, I came to ask if you'd be my Matron of Honour."

"I'd be thrilled. Thanks for asking me." Bella smiled and put her arm around me and gave me a squeeze.

"I've asked Alice to do the wedding."

"Oh, Heaven help us," Bella rolled her eyes. "I hope you know what you're in for. You know how she gets carried away."

"Well, I figured you could help me keep her on a leash."

"Yeah, she will probably be easier to manage than last time. She got her yah-yahs out on mine." We shared a conspiratory chuckle.

Far out in the water, Edward hoisted Nessie up to sit on the board, and started to lever himself onto it. Even from that distance, we could see him stiffen in shock. Then he gave a yell and disappeared under the water. Bella and I stood up, craning our necks, searching. The surfboard began moving toward shore. Nessie was now kneeling on it, and she was crying for her daddy as she peered into the water.

Bella turned to me urgently, "Get Nessie in and hold onto her. Don't either of you follow me in. Protect my daughter!" Bella turned and pelted into the water. There was no sign of Edward.

As the board approached the shoreline, I flew into the water and grabbed Renesmee and carried her in. She was very heavy. I set her down on the beach and kneeled down to look in her eyes.

"What happened?" I demanded.

"Shark." Nessie scanned the water for her parents. Neither one was visible. Oh, God help us. What would I do if they both died in front of their little girl? I took off my shoes and got ready to hurl myself in. Something stopped me. Nessie was clinging to my hips, and I could not break free. It was like being held back by a concrete wall.

"Momma said not to go in. She told you to stay here. She will get Daddy, don't worry." Despite her brave words, the child's lower lip was quivering.

Suddenly, something pelted past me into the water. Alice. She stopped dead about 10 feet from shore. Two heads had broken the surface several yards out. Bella was pulling Edward in.

Alice went further out in the water and helped Bella to tow Edward to shore. They half-carried him out of the water and laid him down on the sand. He was conscious, and he was making a small panting noise like he was in pain. He looked up at me and his daughter. His face was bone white and his eyes were black with shock.

"I'm okay," he rasped, "Great White. It dragged me down. Guess it thought I was a seal. Guess it didn't like the taste of me. Bella punched it on the snout and it let me go." He reached down to touch his right thigh and I gasped. There was an enormous crescent-shaped tear through the wetsuit. My first aid training kicked in and I pulled back the fabric to examine the flesh. He was lucky, nothing had been bitten off, but the wound had to be bone deep. The jagged tear looked strange. It was oozing silvery liquid and I couldn't see any blood. The flesh was all white. It was alien. I attempted to touch it. Alice slapped my hand away. Her eyes flashed, black. I leaned back to sit on my feet.

"I have to get him home to Carlisle, and I can't do it at human speed," Bella stated. "Angela? You are going to have to trust us. We won't hurt you. Alice? Bring her back to the house." With that, Bella heaved Edward over her shoulder in a fireman's carry, as though he weighed nothing at all. Then she and Nessie started to run. Within seconds, they had vanished.

I stared after them, not comprehending anything I was seeing. There was a strange wheezing noise coming from somewhere. I realized that it was me, hyperventilating. Alice gripped my arms and looked in my eyes. "Stay with me, Angela. It's going to be okay. I am going to carry you back to the house. It's faster than using your car." With that, tiny Alice slung me up on her back and we took off like a jet from a runway. I closed my eyes and hid my face, terrified. What was this? I must be hallucinating.

In what seemed like no time at all, Alice stopped. I dared to peek out at our surroundings. We were in the Cullens' driveway. Alice put me down and I backed up warily, preparing to run. Suddenly, Jasper and Esme were there, holding onto my arms.

"It's alright Angela, we will not harm you," Esme said reassuringly. Jasper swung me up into his arms and carried me into the house. He set me down on one of the couches and went to stand in front of the door with his arms folded.

"I didn't See what was going to happen until it was too late to prevent it," Alice berated herself.

"Carlisle says everything will be fine. It's only a fleshwound. Luckily, the shark didn't bite a chunk out of him. I can just see Bella chasing after a Great White and turning it inside out." Esme smiled a little.

"Well, could you blame her? I wouldn't let Emmett go through eternity with missing pieces. I don't somehow think a shark would find Edward very digestible." Rosalie said as she paced.

I was in a madhouse, surely. Edward should be getting to the Emergency for urgent help, and here they were, all sitting around spouting nonsense.

Suddenly, Emmett bellowed from the front walk for somebody to open the door. Jasper complied. Emmett flew into the house. He had a large buck draped over his shoulders, and it was bleating and struggling. Emmett barreled up the stairs with the deer.

Without thinking, I hurtled up the stairs after him. Suddenly, Jasper had me by the arm. I looked at him in terror, cringing away. He regarded me pityingly.

"Jasper," said Alice softly, "it's too late. She knows we're not human. Let her go."

I stared at Alice, shocked. Jasper let me go, and I stumbled up to Edward's room.

Author's note: The following newspaper article is real, so please don't tell me there couldn't be sharks. Warm weather brings them closer to shore in search of sea lions and seals. Leopard sharks and Great Whites were seen all up and down the north east coast that month, including a school of 12-15 foot Great Whites at Own Shores Beach Resort on the Washington coast, and a 14 foot Great White at Depot Bay, Oregon.

The Chinook Observer

8/11/2009 Article ID 29968

"Sightings Lead to Shark Warnings"

wwwdotchinookobserverdotcom