Something cold was tickling my feet. Like an ice cube pressing gently but firmly on my soles. I smiled at the sensation. I expected the soft pressure to stop any moment soon but it continued until awareness finally flickered in me. What was doing that?
I opened one lazy eye, then the other and searched for the source at the end of the bed. My covers had already moved to the side, leaving my body exposed to the coldness of the room. Notwithstanding, I felt like a happy caterpillar in its cocoon.
My eyes adjusted to the darkness and I finally saw the alabaster hands that were cuddling my feet. They were smooth and gleaming despite the lack of moonlight.
I was curious but didn't interrupt the trespasser. I waited patiently as the crown of his head slowly rose from the bed frame. His unruly bronze hair added to the shivers on my legs. His hands continued to stroke my feet.
"Edward?" I cried out. "What are you doing here?"
No answer.
With painstaking slowness, his forehead, his nose, his mouth, finally came into sight. I knotted my eyebrows with confusion. I had expected Edward's ochre eyes, his crooked grin, his boyish features, but those were quite the opposite of the strange person snarling at me.
Except it was no stranger, and he was definitely not a person. ..any more. His crimson eyes looked like they were on fire amidst the shadows. It was James.
I screamed and snatched my feet away from his iron hands but he was much too fast and he gripped them even tighter. He started pulling my feet and my flailing arms tried to catch something sturdy to hold on to. But it was no use. My body inched closer and closer to him. I couldn't stop screaming.
I finally woke up.
I felt my body hit the hard floor head first.
"Ouch!" I hissed in agony and rubbed the back of my head. I was perspiring with cold sweat and my mouth felt very dry. It was a nightmare. I touched my feet and shin to stupidly check if they were still there. I licked my lips. It had all seemed so real.
While still sitting on the floor, I turned to look at my window – it was firmly closed.
It was already daytime and as I checked the clock, it was exactly six in the morning. I heard a car door shut and I hurried to see if it was Charlie in the cruiser. It was. I opened my mouth to call him but changed my mind. I silently watched his car drive away until I couldn't see it any more.
I'd better get ready for work.
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It had been a busy day at Newton's what with the flurry of fishermen who were having last minute preparations for the fishing competition in La Push. Time moved so quickly that I hadn't noticed that it was already 7 pm - my shift had already come to an end.
"Thanks, sir," Mike was talking to a middle-aged customer who just bought a pack of Bulletbobber. "See us again soon!"
I removed my vest and was folding it when the phone on the counter beside me let out a sharp ring. I turned to see Mike returning some items to their display shelves and gave me a slight nod. I reached for the phone and answered.
"Newton's," I said with a rising inflection.
"Is Bella still there?" A deep, urgent voice inquired.
"Yeah, it's me. Who's on the other line?" I asked back.
"Bella, this is Jacob. I have something to tell you." His voice was too controlled. Like he was already bracing himself for my reaction.
I heard my heart pump louder and wilder. Everything around me paused like a movie and I was the only animated thing in the world.
"What happened to my dad?" Pandemonium just broke loose.
"Bella, we tried as hard as we could. Sam and the others already formed a search party and – "
"Just tell me what the hell happened?" I was getting too impatient. I removed the receiver from my ear and yelled the words at him on the mouthpiece.
"We think...we think he drowned," he replied. He himself sounded too dazed from what was going on.
"No." The voice didn't sound like it came from me. It was too low, like a growl coming from a monster. I felt Mike lay his hand on my shoulder but I pushed it away.
I didn't need to be touched.
"I'm sorry," Jacob whispered.
I didn't need an apology.
The phone in my shaking hand slid down from the side of my head to my neck and to my shoulder. Mike caught it before it fell off.
"Hi. This is Mike. What's going on?"
I couldn't stand to listen any more. I heard Mike calling me but I ignored him. I strode to the door and when I was out, I ran as fast as my weak knees could. The shower was drenching me but I paid no heed. In fact, I welcomed it. I ran and stumbled. I got up again and ran. I fell down and carried on. It was a routine. I wiped my wet hair away from my face. I wanted to get lost. I ran towards the forest. In this small town of Forks where everybody knew everybody, it was the safest place to go to be unnoticed.
But somebody knew how to find me.
He came out of nowhere. I would have missed him if I hadn't tripped over an elevated root.
I looked up at his intimidating figure. He was more than six feet tall and his blond hair looked dark from being wet. His zipped up black parka and matching twill pants looked so wrinkled, like they had seen better days.
I stared at him quizzically.
"Jasper?"