Chapter 4 : Visions BELLA

Esme looked horrible. Her perfect features were twisted in pain and all of the light had gone from her eyes. I was mortified to see her like this. She was always the perfect picture of grace; always so full of energy and charisma. The stark contrast as she lay on Carmen's bed was colossal. Her darkened features looked haunted, and the only hint of life was her intermittent murmuring. Kate stroked Esme's hair and wondered out loud about Tanya, Carmen and Eleazar. Jasper sat silently on the small sofa with Alice in his arms, and Garrett stared out the window, deep in thought. We all felt tremendously helpless. I turned to sob, and a quick movement caught my eye from beyond the window.
It looked like – "Jake!" I screamed as he burst into the Denali residence. I ran over to him and he read the dismay on my face in an instant. "Where's Nessie, Bella?"

I answered him with another question, "Jake how did you know where to find us?"

He scanned the room and panic filled his deep brown eyes when he noticed Alice and Esme's tormented states. He focused his attention on me and I answered his question, "Renesmee is missing Jake. They all are."

Jakes body shook violently as he fought to control his transformation, "I knew something was wrong. I could feel it. When I arrived at Charlie's they told me about Alice. I went to the house and when you weren't home, well," he lowered his eyes for a moment before he continued, "I knew where Edward was and I just assumed…" He paused and looked at me tentatively, "I also called 6 different airlines."

"Oh Jake," I clung to his warm embrace, "I'm so relieved that you are here."

My cheek pushed against Jake's arm. He always seemed to be there to comfort me when I needed it; first in my human life and even now, as a vampire. I felt calmer that Jake was by my side. His love for my daughter was rivaled only by my own and I knew that he would fight for her safe return. From the safety net of his comforting hug I caught the glimpse of a familiar piece of fuchsia fabric. The colors were right, the size was right… I moved quickly to the small jacket that hung on the doorknob of Carmen's room.
"Nessie's jacket," Jake exhaled a worry.
I picked it up and smelled her honey lavender scent. She had been here; she made it safely to the Denali's, and that knowledge made me feel like I could press on and find my daughter.

I wondered why her jacket was left inside and I quickly searched the pockets for any other clues to her whereabouts. I pulled out a scribbled note and scanned it quickly. It looked like it could be Edward's writing, but it was blotchy and muddled. The normally perfect cursive looked forced and rushed, almost as if he was writing the note without looking at the paper.

Nes
Korfinna coven
borealis tower below

I passed the unintelligible note to Jacob and I continued to look through the pockets for more clues.
I found the pen that Edward had used to scribble his cryptic message and something cold. I pulled out a small stone pendant that was hanging from an intricately woven necklace. It reminded me of something from the Quileute's tribe, only it was only black and white instead of the bright red and terracotta that favored in LaPush.

"It's Inuit," Jacob explained as he ran his hands over the stone pendant, "but I have no idea what these symbols are."

The grey stone was carved with an interwoven spiral pattern that had an 8 pointed star overlaid on top of it.

Jacob plucked the necklace out of my hand and threw his jacket on as he hollered from the hallway, "Only one way to find out!"

"Oh no you're not Jacob Black," I called after him, "I am coming with you."

The chorus of voices behind me confirmed that no one was comfortable waiting around for our family members to waltz back home. We all felt the need to act. Jasper held Alice in his arms, and Garrett carried Esme; we quickly filed out of the house and towards the centre of town. Jake had asked for directions to the nearest Inuit village before we caught up to him and the second that we were on the outskirts of town, and away from the scrutiny of the villagers, he phased. Garrett stared incredulously at the large shape shifter. I had the feeling it was a time of many firsts for the quiet wanderer. He didn't say much, but it was apparent that he was deeply connected to Kate. Their displays of affection were the one pleasant thing about this day, so I focused on them to calm my nerves. They did seem to match well together. Kate was stunning with her strawberry blonde hair and light amber eyes, and Garrett, the mysterious rogue, was striking with his dirty blonde hair and piercing eyes. I was surprised that they hadn't found their mates long ago. I guess I didn't really understand how pairing worked in the world of vampires. I had never experienced it from their side of things, and no quicker had I thought about Kate's long singledom did I remember my Edward's as well.

Edward. I pressed on faster than before. We raced after Jacob with a velocity that would have made us look like a blur to the naked mortal eye. The earth grew colder and the freezing ground became a snow filled tundra as we pressed northwards. The ice and snow did not slow us down; we were tireless in our run. The sun began to set in the sky and twilight slowly settled in. My thoughts were flooded with images of Edward and Renesmee, and I felt an anxious, burning hope that this village would somehow lead me to them both.

On the horizon we saw rows of igloos lining the purple horizon. We slowed our pace as we approached the small icy community.

When we arrived a small boy called out and alerted the others of our presence. His language was short and choppy, and almost monotone. I hadn't thought about how we were planning to communicate with the Inuit people until just now.

"It's Inupiatun," Kate explained.

Maybe she could talk to the villagers. I raised my eyebrows to ask, and she shook her head at me. Okay, so Kate doesn't speak this indigenous language. One look at the blank stares from everyone in my group led me to the conclusion that no one understood the indigenous tongue.

I looked at the little boy and I asked him quietly, "English?"

He giggled and nodded his head. I wasn't certain that he understood what I said, but he reached up his little arm and took my hand in his. He tugged me forwards and began to lead us towards the largest igloo in the centre of the little commune.

He pointed to the low archway in the front of the igloo and I ducked my head to enter the icy home. The air inside was warm and damp, and there was a small fire in the middle of the floor. The fire was burning thick incense, and I recognized the scent as sandalwood. The ice gleamed as the reflection of the flames danced on the smooth walls. There was a stillness in the air that I couldn't quite understand and I sat gingerly on one of the many bearskin rugs that were laid around the fire. The others followed me inside and we remained silent in anticipation as the small boy held his hands out as if to say 'wait here'.

"Who needs English?" Jacob chuckled. He was always so amiable, and his presence calmed me as we waited in the humid warmth. I took a deep breath and I could smell the ocean from a short distance away. The blend of ocean and incense was uniquely enigmatic, and I was sure that this was a very special place, this igloo.

A shadow came over the entrance and a small village elder entered the igloo. His face crinkled inwards each time he smiled, and he made a point of smiling at every one of us in turn. His beaming eyes lit up the room, and he moved with a stillness that made him graceful in his old age. He was confident and humble at the same time, and the air about him made me think that he must be the chief. He stopped briefly to look at Alice who was in Jasper's arms and he furled his eyebrows momentarily.

He smiled at me, and then nodded calmly, as the small boy helped him to sit down on the other side of the fire. Wearing many layers of skins and furs, he didn't seem to feel the cold air outside. To finish off his outfit, he had a brightly embroidered orange wool sweater pulled tightly over his layers and barely fitting over his curled frame.

Jake cocked his head as he watched the chief's mannerisms, and a half smile crept onto his lips that he was obviously trying to conceal. Jake was clearly amused by the Inuit man's appearance. His eyes paused for a moment on Jake, and the old man shook his head and began to laugh with his whole body. His laughter was silent at first and then it escaped, uncontained, and it filled the small igloo with a cheerful ambience.

"You think too orange," the old man managed slowly with his broken English and huge grin.
His warmth emanated through the igloo and we all laughed together for the first time since my arrival in Alaska. The old man was undeniably pleased with our laughter, and he nodded silently to himself as if he was extremely pleased with his ability to tell a good joke. He murmured a few words and slowly pulled a small metal cup from the fire. He used his bare hands, and I watched in amazement when he didn't seem to feel the burning flames.

He pointed to himself and said, "English."

We laughed again, and then he pushed the cup into my hands, "You drink," he instructed.

I paused to smell the warm broth in the cup. This was the reason for the musky sandalwood scent that filled my senses. There had been no incense at all. The strong aroma was coming from this small metal cup, and when I breathed in the spicy blend I wondered how I would get out of this one. The sandalwood aroma tickled my nose and my face felt warm when I breathed it in. I nodded politely and passed the cup to Jake, not wanting to offend our eccentric host, but also not convinced that my vampire body could stomach the strange brew that he offered me.

His orange arm waved at me as I passed the cup over, "No. You drink."
I looked at him unsure what to say. He smiled warmly at me and he winked, "Bella. You drink."

I was shocked that this Inuit man knew my name, but for some reason I was not afraid. I felt that I could trust this person, and my instincts had never proven me wrong before. I quickly took a small sip and I closed my eyes. There was no disgust, and no feelings of nausea; there was only a peaceful sense of relief. The smooth tingling liquid melted into my mouth and down my throat, and it seemed to flow seamlessly into every corner of my body. I noticed the warm mint and lemon aroma as it coursed through my limbs, and when it stopped moving it radiated a wave of peacefulness through every cell of my being. I relaxed in the rapture of well-being, and I felt a smile move across my lips. The orange sweatered man had to clear his throat three times just to bring me back to the reality of the igloo.
Slightly ashamed, my eyes flashed to the ground, and I quickly passed the cup over to Jake.

The chiefs eyes narrowed and he shook his head at Jake, "No."
He pointed his nose over to Jasper and motioned for him to accept the cup. "You drink."
Jasper accepted the cup and the ceremony went on until Jasper, Kate and Garrett had all also had a taste from the cup. We sat in awe and the old chief rose slowly from his bearskin mat; his tired body was weary from many years of life. He took some of remaining liquid and he poured it down Alice's throat. She coughed instantly and then her eyes began to flutter. Her eyes opened, and we watched in disbelief as the grey began to withdraw from her eyes. The cloudy cover disappeared, and Alice strained to focus her blurred vision as if she were waking up from a very deep sleep. She opened her mouth to try to speak but the chief's finger pressed softly to her lips. Her panicked look subsided when Jasper pulled her in to him. She hummed quietly and relaxed into his arms.

In moments, Esme and Alice were conscious, and the strange liquid was working its magic on all of us.

I watched the Inuit elder in admiration, and suddenly I had a million questions to ask him.

"How did you know that we could drink that?" I asked quietly.

He turned his body slowly towards mine and he laughed, "No English."

I blinked at him slowly and he touched my forehead gently, "Bella."

He moved to the door and he motioned for Jake to stand. He turned Jake around in a circle as if he were sizing him for a tailor made suit. He looked Jake up and down and his eyes moved quickly as he searched for some invisible mark.
"Shape Shifter," he finally murmured with a nod, and motioned with his head towards the door.

Jake got up slowly without asking any questions and they both went outside. It was completely silent as we watched the shadows of their forms from the inside of the igloo. We saw the old man place his clothing in a heap in the snow and then his silhouette began to vibrate quickly. In the blink of an eye his shape morphed into a large arctic polar bear. He walked slowly over to Jake, and pushed Jake's broad chest with his muzzle. In another instant they had both phased and they were slowly circling the village. We only saw their shadows from the inside of the igloo, but I recognized Jake's laughing bark from a distance.

"They're talking," I mouthed to Jasper, and before I finished my sentence Jake ran into the igloo.
"I need the necklace, Bells," he motioned to Renesmee's jacket that I had been holding tightly in my hands.

Jake ran out with the strange stone pendant and we watched him phase again outside the door. He held the pendant in his mouth and the large polar bear walked over to it. He sniffed it, shook his head, and let out a low growl.

I remembered the Volturi's fear when they first eyed Jake and his pack, and I wondered now how they would react to a creature as goliath as the polar bear outside. The bear sat on his back haunches and threw his head into the air. His menacing silhouette growled into the night and his razor sharp teeth wailed in anger. I watched as Jacob put his large paw up, as if reaching to console the bear, and then, as if they had never been animals, they shook their heads and stood in front of us as men.
"Hey!" Jake protested as he saw us watching. They both turned their backs to us quickly and Jake yelped, "Some privacy please!"

We laughed again and waited in suspense for Jake to speak.

He calmly entered the igloo and took a deep breath. I could see Jake's breath in the frigid air as he came in from the cold evening. He motioned over to the Inuit man that followed him in, his orange sweater hastily thrown over his clothing.
"This," Jake began, "is Chief English."

The Inuit man smiled and he touched his hand to his chest, "English."

Kate giggled at his name and I looked into Jake's eyes searching for evidence that he had solved a small piece of our problem. "English thinks he knows where they have taken everyone."

I waited on the edge of Jake's every word, "English, it seems, has a special talent for knowing certain things. Like he knew that you were vampires, and he knew that you were - good ones."

"How?" I breathed in amazement.

"Well that's the awesome part," Jake grinned at me, "He read it all in Bella's mind before we arrived."

I pulled my shield up defensively and English let out a loud chorus of laughter.
Jake laughed and he translated the laughter, "He said you would not like that at all. The funny thing is, the only one's mind that he can read clearly is yours, Bella. His talent works best when a child is in danger; he's sort of everyone's grandpa or something like that. I mean, not literally, but he's looks after his people like that. And the other tribes kids, too."

Jake paused and then began again, slower this time. I knew he was worrying about my reaction as he painstakingly chose his words with caution, "There's some sort of hmmm…. entity here in Alaska. Or a group of entities. I'm not sure. It was hard to understand. They look like people but they aren't really people." He struggled to find the right words that clearly explain his vision. Chief English put his hand on Jake's shoulder and persuaded him to continue with a nod.

"They are like immortals, like you guys. But they are evil creatures," he shook his head as he spoke the word creatures, it was obviously not the right word to describe what he saw, "but it seems like they can die. So I guess immortal is not the right word."

He winced at me, and I could tell the next part was going to be the hardest, "They want to make Edward and Carlisle and the others forget about Nessie. That's the main image I got. They want everyone to forget. Hmmm… Forget everything really, like they are sucking their memories from them. That's what it looked like. When they have completely forgotten, those grey creatures plan to bring them to Aro in trade." He gulped and his eyes shimmered in both anger and anguish.

"In trade for what?" I asked in horror, and I felt like someone had thrown a bowling ball into the pit of my stomach.

"In trade for…. Nessie," Jake's eyes watered in fear.

Garrett interjected, "Why do they want Nessie?"

"I don't know," Jake collapsed to the ground, "I couldn't understand that part. It was all so foreign to me. I just saw images and pictures from his mind."

I still hadn't caught my breath, and I didn't know that vampires could be completely shocked into fear before now. "Nessie's with….." I couldn't finish the sentence.

Jake nodded and took the pain upon himself, "Nessie's with Aro."