Chapter 2: Wishing for Blindness - Alice POV
What a boring day. There was another five hours till Nessie back. The dresses I'd ordered for her had finally arrived and I couldn't wait for her to try them on. Outside a light drizzle of rain was falling out side. I was lying stretched out on the couch, leaning against Jasper, who had his arms wrapped around me, leafing through a fashion catalogue. As I went, I noticed a few nice dresses. Maybe I could convince Bella to wear them...I shook my head. That would happen the day that pigs flew. With a sigh, I leapt up and tossed it into the bin, before glancing around. Bella and Edward were curled up on a couch, talking quietly and Esme was out on the porch, reading some book. "I'm bored." I announced, pouting. Why was it that on the most boring days there was nothing to do? What was with this world? With a dramatic roll of my eyes, I began to head for the stair. I never got there for before I'd taken more than a few steps, it had hit me.
The wreck of a plane lay in a valley, tendrils of spoke rising into the light grey sky. Everything was silent. Then a figure emerged from the twisted frame of plane, dragging a dark shape. The figure was a girl of about seventeen or eighteen, with copper hair a ivory skin, wearing a crumbled silver dress. The shape was the body of a man with skin like dark chocolate and black hair. His body was soaked in blood, a piece of metal skewering him through the chest like a spear. He was clearly dead. It should be impossible that the girl was able to drag him, seeing as he must weigh several times more than she did. But she moved him with ease. Then, in a feat that was physically impossible, she slung him over her shoulders and began run at an inhuman speed. As the sun rose, it silhouetted the mountain range.
Then the vision ended. I began to shake, my eyes growing wide with horror. Behind me, I heard Edward jolt upright. We both knew who the girl was. Nessie. I turned to find my brother staring at me, shock painted on his face. Beside him, Bella looked at me with a look of confusion and fright. Her golden eyes were nervous. Even she could tell something was wrong. "Alice, what did you see?"
I stayed silent, unable to speak. So Edward filled in for me. "Honey, the plane that Nessie and Jake were on, it crashed and," He stoped, unable to finish, unable to break the news to her. So, taking a deep, unnecessary breath, I continued. "Jake was killed in the crash. I'm so sorry." Bella didn't seem to hear. She was rocking herself, shaking with tearless sobs. Edward had wrapped his arm around her. "It can't be true. It can't." She whispered to herself. But I knew she was just trying to comfort herself.
"What's going on?" I turned to face the owner of the voice. It was Jasper, with Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie and Emmet. Jasper obviously knew something was going on. You could see he was reading the emotions in the room and I saw his puzzlement change to confusion and shock. Behind him, the others wore bewildered expressions. And they were all staring at me for an explanation. I sighed then told them. If I'd been human, may voice would have cracked. The others expressions had all become ones of disbelief and horror. Even Rosalie, who had always disliked Jacob, looked aghast at this news. Secretly, I had always thought they had enjoyed arguing.
For a few seconds, they were all frozen. Then Carlisle snapped into action. "Where is she?" He asked me, golden eyes hard. Both Edward and I answered at the same time. "The Rocky Mountains." Carlisle nodded. "Then everybody get ready. We have to get there as soon as possible."
Nessie POV
No. As I cradled Jake's body in my arms, I just couldn't understand. This was Jake, my soul mate. There was no way that he could be dead. He was indestructible, invincible. This couldn't be real. It had to be a dream, some horrible nightmare and soon I was going to wakeup. But in my heart I knew it was a lie. It was over. He was dead and with his death my life had finished. I cried louder, tears mingling with the crimson blood as I lay me head against his chest. No. Then I heard a noise outside and a gazed blankly at the two figures that had entered. It was Aunt Alice and my father. Yet I didn't care. Nothing mattered now.
It didn't take that long. All of us had headed for the mountains, after getting ready in a matter of minutes. Now, we were staring what was left of the plane. It was obvious that there were no survivors and the stench of death hung thick in the air. Then Bella called out; she'd found the trail. It only took a few minutes to find her. She'd climbed up the mountain, finally stopping in an overhang hidden by boulders. Edward and I reached it first and with an anxious feeling, we entered together.
She was lying there, head resting on his blood drenched chest. The metal was gone, leaving a gaping hole. Nessie was sobbing quietly but looked up when we approached. Unlike full vampires, she could all too readily cry. They were tricking down her ivory check and her eyes were red and puffy, a sign she had been doing this for quiet some time. When she spoke, her voice was rough, raw from her weeping. "I couldn't save him. It isn't fair. Why should I survive while he died? I was the one who thought up this stupid trip. It's my fault." Pity filled my unbeating heart and in a single moved movement, I had wrapped my arms around my niece, pulling her close to my chest.
The moment I did so, she wrapped her arms around my neck so tightly that if I'd been human, I probably would have had trouble breathing. "It's not your fault. Don't blame ourself. It was an accident, nothing more." I whispered to her, trying to reassure her. It didn't seem like it was working. Edward, meanwhile, was staring at Jacob. Several emotions were waging war on his face. Though he had disliked Jake for loving Bella and then imprinting on his daughter, I had no doubt that over the last fifty years he'd grown to like the wolf even if he'd never admit it. By now the other had arrived. When Bella entered, she let out a muffled gasp, pain filling her face before running out, unable to face the body of her best friend. Through all this, I held Nessie.
Finally, Esme broke the silence, her tone hesitant. "I suppose we better get going. Alice, I'll take Nessie to Bella of you don't mind. Emmet, could you carry Jac….him?" I nodded and, with surprising ease, picked up my niece and passed her to my mother. Emmet, during this, had slung Jakes lifeless body over his shoulder and was now about to walk out of the other hang. I called out for him to stop. When he shot me a confused look, I explained. "We need to get Bella away before we bring him out." My brother nodded realizing what I meant and Esme left, carrying Nessie in her arms.
As the others walked away, I stared blankly into the distance, my face haunted. If only I wasn't shackled by my very nature! I should have seen this, should have realised something wrong. If I hadn't been so blind, Jacob would still be alive. "It's my fault." My voice was broken, barely more than a whisper. Behind me, I sensed someone coming towards me. Then a wave of tranquillity washed over me and I was enveloped in a tight embrace. "It is not your fault. You said it yourself, it was an accident." Jasper's voice was fierce as he spoke and with a sigh I leaned back against him, closing my eyes. Though my husband's words made sense, some part of me still blamed myself. How could I not when I had the gifted of vision yet had been unable to save Jake?