Chapter 17

Brady

"I found her," Harry gasped. "She's hurt."

WHAT?

"What?" Edward translated. Or he was surprised himself.

We were all grouped together, trying to figure out where Kris could've disappeared to. She wasn't thinking about anything random anymore. She was too focused. And I was too nervous to phase back, so Edward stood by me to translate.

"She has fabric off of her jeans tied around her stomach. Her side is bleeding. I don't know what happened."

"Mai, concentrate on her pain," Marigold snapped, too jumpy to sleep and tired, too.

"On it," Mai jumped, closing her eyes. "She's closer, now, but still too far. It would take even Edward, who is the fastest vampire here, at least seven or eight minutes to reach her."

"Lord knows where she'll wander off during that time," Seth muttered. "I know Erin's power is fading on her, but who knows when it'll flicker."

Flicker?

"What do you mean, Seth?" Edward asked for me.

"After I stopped reading everyone's mind, occasionally I could still read them, and as suddenly as that happens, it stops. Erin's power flickers for a while and then fades."

We stared open-mouthed at Erin. Harry, Erin, and Seth were the only exceptions.

What. The. Freaking. Hell.

Edward nodded, agreeing with me.

YOU MEAN SHE COULD BE RUNNING AT WEREWOLF SPEED THIS INSTANT?

Edward translated. I waited half-patiently for Erin's response.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I forgot about the flickering and thought she'd just stop when she got lost! I wasn't thinking about the consequences!"

Yeah, right.

"Shut up, Brady," Erin snapped. My eyes went wide. I forgot that her stealing powers was permanent. Or something.

Seth was looking at Erin in complete shock. Erin screeched and stomped away, tapping Alice's shoulder for a second and climbing up a tree.

"She won't be coming down for a while," Edward whispered.

While Erin fumed in a large oak, I patiently waited for Mai's status report.


Kristen

I pulled myself over a huge tree trunk, wincing as it pulled at my side.

Then I smelled it. Smoke.

CIVILIZATION! HALLELUJAH!

I ran for it, heading for the campfire. I tripped and made an uff sound when I got close.

"Huh? Who's out there?" a male voice yelled out.

I held my breath and waited. Who knew if he had a gun?

"Don't be afraid, come on out. I bet you're hungry."

Well, it was getting dark, and I haven't eaten since... I don't remember. I only knew I was ravenous. I slowly stood up and made my way through the bushes.

There was a man in his late forties, sitting on a small log, facing me across a campfire. I looked around. No tent?

"Hello, lil' lady," he said, smiling at me warmly.

"Um, hi. Is there a way to Forks, Washington?"

"You're mighty far from Forks, girlie," he said. "Come sit by the fire and warm up. You're shakin' like Aunt Rachel's chihuahua."

"Thank you," I said honestly, sitting on a log that was conveniently across from him.

As soon as I got used to the campfire light, I saw that the man had graying black hair with warm brown eyes. He desperately needed a shave. And he had a rifle sitting on his lap.

Recognition was fierce in my brain, but I couldn't make out why. Every cell in my body was telling me to run. I wanted to run away badly. But why? I've never met this man before...

Every cell in my body shut up when the man got up and handed me his plate, which was filled with meat and greens. I hungrily wolfed it down.

"How long have you been out here, missie?" he asked. I paused and swallowed painfully.

"I don't know. I just woke up this morning not knowing where I was or how I got out here."

"Well, stay with me, in my treehouse," the man smiled and pointed up. I looked.

There was a huge structure up high in the tree. No branches were below it except for the ones holding it up. There was a rope and harness, though. It looked like this guy was pretty athletic.

"Um, that's very kind of you, but I can't stay. I'm looking for civilization," I said.

"Oh, but I insist," he said. "My name's Jeb."

"Um, Krystal," I lied.

"Krystal... Do you mind if I call you Krys?"

"Um, no?" My heart pounded when it sounded like he said my actual name.

"Good, then. Krys, why don't we get you harnessed up? You look athletic. Have you ever done something like this before?"

"I can do gynastics and climg my ceiling," I answered.

Jeb looked impressed.

"Sounds like the circus lost a skilled acrobat. Very few people can do that. You have to be strong and balanced."

"Yup, that's me," I laughed shakily.

"Have you ever been on a plastic rock climbing wall, like in fairs?" Jeb asked sincerely as he got the harness on me.

"Yeah, why?"

"This rope and harness will work like theirs. You'll have no worries about falling on your bum."

I laughed genuinely this time. Now that I was closer to the tree, I could see carved-in grooves on the side. Along with scars where the branches were taken off. I pulled myself up.

"Ow!" I yelled. My side burned.

"You all right?"

"No... My side..." I gasped.

Jeb took me down and gasped when he saw for the first time my makeshift bandages.

"You need real bandages. And ointment," he said. He put on the harness and climbed up. I watched with awe. Then, he quickly came back down with a red backpack.

"This'll hurt for a second," Jeb warned me quickly before he ripped the denim from my skin. I fought back a scream.

I actually did scream when he applied the ointment.

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, dabbing at the wound. "That denim was really dirty. Don't use your pants for bandages. Use undergarments. Clean ones. It doesn't matter if you'll be discovered half-naked, just as long as you're healthy."

"Okay, good to know," I hissed, squeezing the fabric he handed me.

"You're gonna have to stay with me for a few days. Then I'll find a way to get you to the city," Jeb said, tying a bandage tight around my torso. "I hope you're okay with that, Krys."

"I'm fine," I gasped. And I really was.

AN: Uh, oh! Another little complication! My cat is annoying the heck out of me.

"Mrowr... Mrowr..."

*Jingle, jingle*

"Mrowr..."

She and her collar will drive me insane in exactly three minutes.