This is quite possibly the longest chapter I have ever written for any of my stories so I hope you like it (:
Thank you very much to my beta TheTinyDancer – she does a great job and I am grateful for her to bounce ideas off of, she is very patient and I loved her suggestion for part of the story!
I own nothing Twilight!
Chapter Twenty
Night Walker
I walked through the clean sterile smelling corridor feeling prepared to see Charlie. Edward had warned me that he had gauze across his throat, and he still had a few IVs in, but he was breathing and speaking normally, which was all that mattered.
I had been in hospital quite a few times, I had seen sick people, and of course I had watched my mother deteriorate with cancer, but when I stood in front of the window of Charlie's room, gazing in at my father lying asleep on the bed in the middle of the room, I froze.
He was lying peacefully in his bed, with the blankets drawn midway up his chest, his hands limp by his sides and IVs poking out of his arms, which didn't startle me since Edward had forewarned me. It wasn't even the sight of the gauze stuck to his throat, covering the wound Carlisle had made to save his life.
It was the colour of his complexion that scared me. Charlie never got sick a day in his life as far as I knew. I always saw him as this big, strong, tough man who would scare away the imaginary monsters in my room when I was little. He was the one person I could count on to always be there for reassurance when I needed it. He was my dad, but as I stood by the window, he looked so vulnerable. He was grey in the face and he looked older than his years, and it brought back so many memories back from my mom that it frightened the hell out of me to see him like that.
I took a slow breath, then turned and walked away in the direction of the elevator. I was shaking so hard by the time I reached it. By my side in an instant was Edward. He stood behind me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders, nestling his cheek against the side of my head.
"I'm so sorry," he said gently. "I should have realised it would remind you of your mom. Are you okay?" He turned me around as I nodded but when I met his eyes I burst into tears. Edward pulled me close and rubbed my back in a soothing rhythm. He hummed a soft lullaby to me while I tried to compose myself and calm down.
It took me a few minutes to get a grip on myself, but I managed to pull away from Edward's hold and tried to smile. "I'm such a baby," I murmured. "I cry at everything."
"You're not a baby," Edward said with a small frown. He clasped his hands gently to my face and wiped away my tears with his thumb gently. "You're a normal human being who is still grieving for her mother, and seeing your father like that scared you. I should have waited a while until he was a little more alert, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault, don't apologise," I said. "But you're right, seeing him did frighten me. I thought I had prepared myself to see him, but I was shocked at how...worn out he looks. Exactly how my mom looked a day or so after chemo."
I had tried to prepare myself to see her get sick while the poison tried to make her better in the long run, but it was distressing to see how sick she actually got so quickly.
Edward tucked some fallen hair behind my ears and kissed my forehead. "He'll be okay," he reassured me. "Do you want to go for a walk then we can go back and try again?"
"No," I said shaking my head. "I can't hide from him, I'll see him now."
It was odd how badly I had reacted. I had seen actual corpses and I had seen my mother's peaceful body once she had left it in spirit, but Charlie looking like he did really got to me. It made me appreciate everything I had because at any moment it could all become what I had lost.
I didn't hesitate as I entered the room and to my relief, once inside, it wasn't so bad. It took me a few minutes to actually look at Charlie on the bed, but Edward sat next to me and took my hand for reassurance. I took a breath and looked up.
Charlie was still pretty grey, but he didn't look as bad now that I was closer. The machines beside us were silent and I was grateful that it was only needles that were attached to him. I didn't think I would be able to cope if he was hooked up to a breathing machine, or heart monitor like mom had six weeks after being diagnosed. We thought she was going to die there and then; she caught an infection which her poisoned body had made her prone to every sort of bug going.
This is different, I reminded myself. Mom was sick; Dad is injured and will get better.
"Did anyone else survive?" I whispered to Edward. I knew I would eventually find out but I wanted to prepare myself before I saw their spirits.
"Yes," Edward told me. "A young officer was very badly hurt, a few other officers were hurt but not mortally, and a couple of firemen weren't close enough to be killed by the blast."
I appreciated his honesty. He knew, of course, that I was no stranger to the dead.
"I guess I will find out soon," I said sadly. "How many were actually killed?"
It didn't escape my notice that the young police officer, who could only be Little Mattie Jay, was in my vision but unharmed. Now he was here and injured.
That was going to hurt Charlie more than anything.
"Ten in total," Edward said gravely. "Everyone that was in the initial car crash was killed, apart from Emily, which makes six, then two firemen, the biker and one officer..."
My heart sank and tears slid down my face. "Deputy Mark," I whispered and Edward nodded in confirmation. "How the heck did this happen?"
It was a rhetorical question; we both already knew the answer.
The car crash, I saw in a vision, but I didn't see how the explosions happened, although I knew it was going to happen at some point. Feelings of guilt built in my mind again but I tried to shake them off; I had enough to worry about without blaming myself.
I vaguely remembered Ryan warning me that there was lighter fluid in the minivan but it had been too late. Seconds later, the van had exploded. Then minutes after that, there was a second explosion, which had been due to a gas leak from the old couples' Beetle.
It really was just one of those awful things. And the real reason it had all happened was because a deer had run out onto the road causing the accident.
"Ten dead all because of a stupid animal," I muttered. I had never felt such hatred for an animal until then. I loved all sorts of creatures, but somehow, I couldn't feel the love for them at that moment. Of course I then started to feel guilty when I remembered said creature had sadly lost its life too. "Has everyone's family been informed?"
"Yes, most of the people were local, so it was easy to find their next of kin, but those with relatives from out of town are arriving as we speak," Edward said. "Mrs. Errol is letting people stay at the bed and breakfast for free. The whole town is going out of their way to do what they can to help. Everyone is feeling the toll of grief."
"This is simply awful," I said as I wiped tears from my eyes. "I hate death in general, although I have come to accept it, but when something like this happens, when a whole group of people lose someone it really gets to me..." I went back to thinking I could have done something sooner. I had had a vision of what was going to happen, I'd known there was going to be an accident and I'd known there was going to be a fire of some kind – which should have taken Charlie's life – but I just wasn't able to stop it in time.
Julia had explained that I wasn't supposed to stop it, but I didn't see why not. I bit back my anger towards myself and tried to focus on what I could do now.
"I have never dealt with ten deaths at once for the same thing, what do you think I should do?" I asked Edward.
He was thoughtful for a while before he replied. "Ask them what you should do," he said softly. "If they all want to say goodbye then both you and Emily could help them do it. The sooner they go, the better it will be for everyone."
It was going to be harder than just going around to each family member and trying to convince them that their loved one was here and wanted to say goodbye before they went into The Light. I was sure that everyone that had died was still around, because the nature of their death would have meant that they were more than likely still earthbound until they got answers.
"Let's just play it by ear," I decided.
Charlie opened his eyes at that moment. Edward and I both turned and I waited for Charlie to take in his surroundings.
His head turned towards us and I smiled reassuringly.
"Déjà vu," he croaked.
I raised my eyebrow. "What?"
"Déjà vu," Charlie repeated. "Just a few days ago you were the one lying in the bed while I was at your side waiting for you to wake up."
"Then technically, that's not déjà vu, Dad," I said relieved. Thankfully he was his usual self. Charlie touched the gauze over his throat with a frown. "Are you okay?"
"What happened?" my dad asked.
Edward and I shared a look.
"You don't remember, Charlie?" Edward said.
Charlie closed his eyes for a moment while he thought. I wondered if he remembered being a spirit but I doubted it very much so I was never going to bring it up.
"Car accident," Charlie said his voice hoarse. "Then..."
"An explosion," Edward said, filling in Charlie's blank memory. "The minivan had lighter fluid in the car, and with the sparks off the Jaws of Life it caught fire and exploded..."
Charlie's face went hard and he tried to sit up. "How many died?"
Of course, like me, he was very practical; he didn't like things to be sugar coated.
"It doesn't matter Dad, just rest," I said quickly. The news wouldn't help him get better, and I was sure he would try to get out of bed to go and help with whatever he could.
"Tell me, Bella," he said in his Chief of Police tone. "Please," he added softly.
I looked away, tears swirling in my eyes.
"We don't know at this moment," Edward said smoothly. "They haven't released a body count to the public yet."
Edward was a scarily good liar, but I was grateful.
"Then I'd better get out of bed to start helping, they will need me," Charlie said as he attempted to get out of bed, but he winced, gritting his teeth in pain.
I stood up abruptly and placed my hands on his shoulders firmly. "You will do no such thing," I said firmly. "You are in no fit state to do anything. You stay there or I'll get the nurse to drug you to send you back to sleep!"
Charlie was the boss of other people; he wasn't used to being told what to do. He glared at me but didn't move. He knew I was being serious.
"Yes mother," he muttered, crossing his arms over his chest. "I will stay put, but you will go back to school!"
My jaw tightened and my eyes narrowed. "When my father is so ill in hospital?" I asked in a sweet voice. "Why, how can I possibly do such a thing?"
"Get going kiddo, or I will get Mark to march you there himself," Charlie said playfully.
My smile faltered and I froze. Charlie was instantly alert and as he stared into my eyes I could see that he knew exactly why I had reacted that way. His face fell and he stared at the blankets furiously.
"No," he said hoarsely. "He can't be..."
"I'm so sorry Dad, I didn't mean for you to find out like this!" My lips trembled and I held on to the bars on the bed tightly for support.
"He's been one of my best friends since..." Charlie trailed off. "Bells, can you get the nurse for a wheelchair, I want to find Pam, she must be devastated...and the kids."
Edward left the room to get a nurse, but I wasn't sure if Mark's wife was even here.
"Have you...have you seen him?" my dad asked softly. He met my gaze and I shook my head. Charlie nodded. "Will you help him if you do?"
"Of course, I will help them all when I see them," I said as I squeezed his hand. He squeezed back with a lot of strength. "Is there anything you want me to do? I brought you some clothes and toiletries, but do you want me to call anyone? I think the guys will be visiting soon."
Edward told me the rest of the small police force were floating in and out of the hospital. Some of them stayed with Pam and the kids, while the others were trying to do their jobs, grieving at the same time. Things like this hit small communities the worst, as there were so few people to deal with incidents as big as this.
"No," Charlie said, "Seeing you is all I need." I kissed him softly on the cheek and wrapped my arm around him as gently as I could.
"I love you so much Dad," I whispered. "I'm glad you're okay."
I was anxious at how he was going to cope now that his friend and colleague was gone. Charlie was anything but an emotional man, but I could tell, as he hugged me tightly, that this was going to be hard on him.
"I love you too Bella," Charlie said softly. I knew he wasn't going to elaborate much more than that, but his words were comforting to hear and it was good just to hold him.
Edward interrupted and I pulled back, wiping my eyes while Charlie was distracted.
"Mrs. Butler is in the morgue, if you would like to go down with her," Edward said. "The nurse said it should be okay, she is getting you a wheelchair."
Charlie nodded at once and sat up in bed. I was anxious to have him moving but I knew I couldn't stop him. I fetched his bathrobe that I had brought and helped him get it on. The nurse arrived with a wheelchair and Edward and I helped Charlie off the bed.
"Do you want me to come with you?" I asked tentatively.
Charlie slumped on the chair looking exhausted. He contemplated for a few moments. "You reckon he'll be there?" Charlie asked me, trying to block out the confused nurse.
"I should think so," I replied. "If his wife is there."
The nurse was just staring at us. I wondered then what she was thinking, and I made a mental note to ask Edward later. The answer could be quite interesting.
"I don't think it would be the right time for you to talk to Mark," Charlie decided. "It will be a shock for him, but it will confuse Pam, which will upset her more."
"Then I will be around," I said. I glanced at the nurse and she hurried away, wheeling Charlie in front of her.
"He'll be okay," Edward told me. "He's a strong man, he can cope."
"I know, but I think the shock of it all will be the hardest on him," I said. "No one can prepare for death, but people find it hard to accept that during the same day, they had seen the person healthy and well, and then next thing, they are being told that they are gone for good. I have met people who took weeks, sometimes months, to accept that the person is actually gone. It's so sad when that happens."
"Yes, but I bet that as soon as you helped the person say goodbye, everything became a whole lot easier for them and they could move on much quicker, because they knew that the person was okay." Edward took my hand and we walked out through the brightly lit corridor. Forks General was pretty small compared to most of the hospitals in Phoenix, so it didn't have that many people wandering around.
"Well, I don't really call to check in with everyone I help, but I like to think that I do something good once I meet the people that the spirits have left behind," I said. "For all I know I could just be making things worse..." That wasn't a thought that I liked very much, so I stopped talking.
"Trust me, you would know if people didn't appreciate what you did for them," Edward said firmly. "Humans have a way of letting other people know if they aren't happy about something...and usually they go to the source that made them feel that way."
I wasn't sure if that was a comforting thought, or if I should start being paranoid every time I helped someone in case they thought I was doing them a wrong instead of a right.
Since I was thinking about my gift, my thoughts redirected to Emily. I wondered how she coped with her gift. I remembered how it was to feel...different at that age. To begin with, I thought seeing all those people was normal, that everyone else saw them too, but my mom and dad looked at me like I was crazy, and I stopped telling them about the people I saw altogether. I knew they were dead people though. The ones that knew they were dead told me, but at that age, there wasn't much I could do for them – which they knew.
But now I had the chance to help Emily, because now more than ever, she needed someone to understand what she was going through.
"Did Emily's aunt and uncle take Emily away, or was she allowed to stay with her other aunt, Mrs. Jackson?" I asked as we walked aimlessly thorough the corridor.
"The custody of Emily isn't going to be simple," Edward told me. "Emily's mom's sister and her husband came from Seattle and will be staying here until further arrangements are made, but Mrs. Jackson, Emily's aunt from her father's side, lives here in Forks, where Emily has lived her whole life, and she is going to fight to keep her."
Just a few days before, Edward and I had visited Mrs. Jackson on the pretence that we wanted to interview her about the deaths of children under the age of eighteen. In truth, we wanted to find out if the spirit of a little boy was her son. Which he wasn't; he was Edward's brother.
"Not that my opinion matters, but I think Emily should stay in Forks with Mrs. Jackson," I said. "Forks is Emily's home, where her school and friends are, and I think having Emily around will actually be a turning point for Mrs. Jackson and she can start to move on from her son's death...or at least as much as a grieving mother can."
"I think most people are agreeing with that," Edward said with a frown. "But there is a counter argument that having Emily around would make her worse, that Emily would remind her too much of Jamie."
"What does Emily want?" No one ever listened to kids.
"I don't know, her mind is closed to me just likes yours. But ask her. She is more than likely to open up to you."
Edward led me past another ward and a bunch of offices then past a flight of stairs.
We walked down another empty hallway, which was decorated with brightly coloured pictures on each side, but the walls behind them were dull and flaking.
I almost stumbled over myself when I halted suddenly, but Edward carried walking with our hands still intertwined.
He was quick to pick me up before I completely fell and looked at me with some concern. I pulled on the sleeve of his shirt and nodded ahead of us.
"They are there," I said quietly looking straight ahead. Edward half turned but of course there was nothing there to his eyes.
"How many?" he asked, knowing what I meant anyway even if he couldn't see.
They were all staring at me. Deputy Mark was standing in the middle, looking at me with hurt in his eyes. Vicky looked confused, her husband right behind her with a faint, accepting smile, which was the opposite from when I first saw him.
The old couple that had died instantly in their Beetle looked almost oddly happy and the two firemen looked as if they had accepted their fate. I guessed that came with the job.
And lastly there was the biker who had been the first to die. The sight of him made me nauseous. His head was intact, but the gaping wound over his neck was... Well, you could imagine.
"Everyone apart from Emily's parents," I told Edward.
"So you can see us," Vicky said. "And we really are dead."
"I am so sorry," I told her. It was hard to look her in the eye. I had told her she was going to be just fine. At the time I had believed it. She didn't seem as injured as her husband who died almost instantly on impact. "I can help you all if you would like," I said addressing them all. "If you want to say goodbye, I can help you do that, or if you need something important done, then I can do it for you."
"Then what happens?" Deputy Mark asked.
"You will go into The Light," I said. "It's where everyone is supposed to go once they die."
"What if we don't want to go?" Vicky said with anger. "What if we want to stay here and be with our loved ones?"
A lot of spirits went through the five stages of grief that their loved ones were going though. She was currently in anger, mixed with bargaining. "Well, that's up to you, but you don't belong on earth anymore, you belong in The Light."
"What's beyond The Light?" the bike rider asked.
"I have no idea," I said delicately. "But I believe it's everything that the person wishes it to be."
"Like Heaven?" asked the old woman with a smile that resembled a kid on Christmas morning.
"Yes," I said. "It's a place which brings peace, which isn't something you will get if you stay on earth."
"And you can help us say goodbye?" Mark asked.
"I can help you and your loved ones be somewhat at peace," I said.
"What happens if we choose to stay?" the biker asked. "What if we don't go beyond this so called Light?"
I didn't really have an answer for that. I was always led to believe that it was best to help the spirits move on, so they could be at peace, but I'd never questioned why they had to go. I always told spirits what I believed in my heart, and that was that if they moved on from earth, not only would they discover peace, but they could be happy and start a new life beyond The Light. I always saw The Light as a new earth, but only for spirits; what happened there was out of my hands, but I knew it was a place where it was safe and happy.
"Nothing happens," I said honestly. "But you would be floating around invisible to everyone you love. You wouldn't be living and you wouldn't have a purpose like us humans do."
"Our daughter and son have arrived from Port Angeles, would you tell them that we are okay and not to worry?" said the old woman. Her husband was holding her hand. They were both wounded but they had died together and looked more than ready to move on together to start a new life.
I smiled at the couple. "Of course," I said. "I would be honoured to tell them. You both come and say goodbye when I tell them."
"We will be there," the man said and then they both disappeared.
"What are they saying?" Edward asked guardedly. It was always awkward when people knew what was there but couldn't see if for themselves.
"The couple that died in the Beetle are ready to move on and want me to say goodbye to their children," I told him. "The others are not sure yet."
"I am sure," Deputy Mark said quickly. "I just need time...It happened so fast!" He bowed his head then left the corridor too.
I looked around at the rest of them. The biker looked angry, Vicky was stony faced – she hadn't accepted her death – her husband looked torn and the firemen hadn't changed their expression since I had first spoken.
"Well I don't have much family, but could you do me a favour and see that my dog goes to a good home?" said the tallest fireman.
"I will do my best," I said. I glanced at his colleague but he shrugged.
"I saw The Light thing you were on about when I first...Well you know. Is it bad that I don't feel the need to say goodbye?" he asked.
"I can't put a percentage on it, but a lot of people go straight into The Light," I said. "My guess is the only reason you stayed is because you died suddenly and it was a shock for you...it was a shock for all of you. But if you feel ready, then you don't need to say goodbye to anyone. But if you think of something then don't feel like you will burden me with anything, it's what I am here for."
"Fair enough," said the second fireman. "I will hang around and wait for the rest though." And with that he left also.
"Seems like a good idea to me," said the tall fireman and followed his colleague.
"Well I sure as hell am not joining them," Vicky said bluntly. "I have barely done anything in life; there is no way I am leaving now."
"And what do you propose to do, Vicky?" John asked her with a firm tone. "We are dead, end of. We can't do anything, like she said, we are invisible!"
Vicky's eyes flared and she turned to her husband with fury. "Why have you already accepted it? How can you want to leave when we had so much planned?" Her anger was causing the lights to flicker which startled her husband and put Edward on edge.
"It's normal," I whispered. "She can't control her anger."
"Who?" Edward asked quickly.
"Vicky," I explained. "The girl we...helped." Guilt washed through me. I really had thought she was going to live.
"I can understand your anger, Vicky, but it doesn't make a difference," John said. "We have to accept our fate and move on. The Light doesn't sound so bad...we could see Lucy again."
The lights went back to normal and Vicky sagged, her body quivering.
"Lucy," she whispered and then disappeared.
John turned to me with a sad smile. "Our daughter," he told me faintly. "She died when she was only two."
My head tiled to the side. "I am sorry," I said. "But you're right; you will get to see her again." Or at least I hoped so.
"We were supposed to adopt," John said. "That's why she is angry. We had so many plans, but now..."
"She'll come around," I said sympathetically. "Just find me when you are ready to go."
John nodded and left the corridor, leaving only the biker left.
"It's all my fault," he said with a hollow voice. "I don't deserve peace, I don't deserve to go into The Light...I deserve to be miserable."
Ah, the spirits who blame themselves for other people's misfortune and loss.
"What's your name?" I asked.
"Graeme," he said. "I have been riding that motorcycle since I was sixteen and I have never had an accident."
"That bend is the worst bend I have ever driven past," I said. "And it wasn't your fault that the deer ran out in front of you at that moment. You tried to brake but..." I let out a breath. "Trust me; it's not your fault. I think you need to come to terms with that before you decide what you want to do. Do you have family that you want to speak to?"
"What would I say? Sorry I was such a disappointment...Sorry I'm dead...?"
"You could tell them that you love them and..." I stopped; he was gone.
I let out a long sigh. "Well, that went well," I said sarcastically.
"They have all gone?"
"Only Vicky and the biker, Graeme, are reluctant," I said. "Hopefully they will come round soon."
"I have every confidence that you will persuade them into The Light." Edward lifted my chin so I would meet his eyes. "You don't still feel guilty do you?" He searched the depths of my eyes for a long moment. "You are good at hiding your feelings...I hate it!"
I smirked and he dropped my chin. "No, I don't exactly feel guilty," I said quietly. "But I always feel...useless. I just don't know why..."
"Because you can't tell them anything other than The Light is better for them than staying here," Edward said simply. "You have to accept that you can only do so much for them and the rest is their own decision."
"I just wish I knew the answer to what every spirit asks me; what is beyond The Light," I said. An odd feeling crept through me so I turned around.
Ryan was standing by a pay phone and vending machine watching us.
"How long have you been there?" I asked.
"Ryan?" Edward had cottoned on pretty quickly. I nodded.
Ryan shrugged his shoulders lightly. "You don't have to help them you know," he said. "Nothing bad happens to a spirit if they stay earthbound for the rest of their years."
"Like you, you mean?"
"What if I told you I stayed because there was a purpose for me being here?" Ryan came closer to us.
My eyes narrowed. "A purpose such as...?"
I briefly understood that Julia had stayed behind for a purpose but I wasn't entirely sure what that was. If I had to guess, she was like me...only dead. She would be able to connect to recently deceased people and could reassure them better than I could.
"I don't know yet," Ryan admitted. "But I know it has something to do with meeting you."
I held up my hands in my defence. "Wow, hang fire!" I said seriously. "Whatever you think your purpose is, I doubt it has anything to do with me!" I didn't like the idea of a spirit being attached to me, since I did my best to help spirits leave earth.
Ryan smirked. "Actually I think it does," he said. "But Emily also. You know you were supposed to see her fate, right? That she was going to die..."
I frowned to myself. It seemed this was common knowledge to everyone but me before yesterday. "So it seems," I said. Then a thought occurred to me. "Did you know that before or after the accident?"
"After," Ryan replied a little too quickly. My eyes narrowed at him in accusation. "Fine, I...I knew there was someone that needed to be saved and I was to warn you...But your bloodsucker friend there beat me to it and saved her before she was caught up in the explosion."
My face fell. Emily was supposed to be caught up in the explosion? How awful. I had imagined, when I'd heard she died in my vision that she would die of injuries from the initial car accident.
"What's wrong?" Edward asked, rubbing my arm to get my attention.
I shook my head once to tell him not now. My brain was trying to work fast to try and process all this.
"Tell me what you know, Ryan," I said after a minute or two. "Julia is the one that told you what was going to happen, right?" Ryan nodded. "Then...why didn't she tell you to tell me that other people were going to die before it all happened?"
"You already know why."
I closed my eyes and Julia's voice echoed in my head...
Your vision wasn't meant to save everyone because as selfish as it sounds, people die every day and accidents like that do cost lives. You cannot feel guilty for seeing the outcome of a terrible fate, because no matter what, even if you could turn back time and do things differently, the outcome will always be the same – people will die and there is nothing you can do about it. The best outcome has already happened and it wouldn't have without you.
"A sick twist of fate," I muttered faintly. "She couldn't have done anything about it...It would have happened even if you warned me. It was just lucky I could save Charlie and Emily first."
Ryan nodded. He looked hesitant, as if there was more. We looked at each for a few seconds and I realised what he wanted to say.
"Charlie lived but Deputy Mark died," I whispered. My whole body felt like it had been hit by a ton of bricks. I walked over to the wall and sank down to the ground. "Someone had to take Charlie's place," I went on just to say it out loud. "Mark was alive in the vision but Charlie was dead..." I looked up to meet Ryan's eyes. "Who took Emily's place?"
Ryan looked at the floor, not saying a word. He briefly glanced at Edward who was stood in the middle of the hall watching me cautiously. When I met his eyes he glanced away.
"Who took Emily's place?" I asked loudly, firmly. Both Ryan and Edward knew, I could tell from their eyes that they knew.
"Emily was the last to die in your vision?" Ryan asked. He met my eyes and I nodded. "He survived the night...but his burns were just too much for his body..."
My heart sank. "When?" I looked at Edward this time. He would have heard with his own gift what was going on around the hospital.
"Officer Matthew James died several minutes ago," Edward said softly. "His burns were extensive and his body gave up. I'm sorry."
I pulled my arms around my body and lay my head on my knees. I had hoped that Mattie Jay would pull through, but truthfully, I hadn't given him much thought which made it all worse. He was so young, just starting out in his career. Charlie had said he had promise, that he would one day make it in the big cities. Now that had all been taken from him.
"Charlie is going to be devastated," I said. "Two officers, two friends..." I got to my feet and pushed back my emotions. "What do I do now?" I glanced at Ryan as if he had all the answers.
"Whatever you want to do," he said. "Bella, you can't dwell on things like this. You know better than anyone that death is part of life. You have seen people of all ages and all kinds of causes of death, and you can't let it ruin your life." He stood in front of me before I could blink. A trick that Edward liked to do. "Move on with your life. Of course still help the victims of the crash, but do whatever it was you were going to do before all this happened. Treat this like any other day."
"I thought you said I didn't have to help them," I said dryly. I wanted to take his advice, I wanted just to move on but it was hard.
"You couldn't not help one of us if you tried," Ryan said. "You are too kind for your own good!" He winked then started to walk away down the deserted corridor.
"Where are you going?"
"To find Emily," Ryan called back before he disappeared of out sight.
"Is this a dream, or a vision of some sort? I will wake up any second now and none of this would have happened?" I turned to Edward hopefully.
Edward appeared in front of me and clasped both my hands into his. "If only," he said. "What was Ryan saying?"
"To keep going on just as if it hadn't happened, not to dwell on the accident." We walked through the corridor slowly. My eyes were alert for more ghosts.
"Come on; let's go downstairs, Carlisle is speaking to social services about Emily."
I took Ryan's advice and tried to just get on with things. I tried to feel normal, too, but the horrible guilty feeling wouldn't go away, although this time, the guilt wasn't because I still blamed myself, it was because I was just glad Charlie was alive. The thought made my stomach turn every time I thought about it. Was I a horrid person for thinking such things? No, I didn't think so, but I couldn't but help feel that even though the accident wasn't my fault, the deaths of Deputy Mark and Little Mattie Jay were. I had saved Charlie and Emily because of my vision, but instead, the two officers had died.
It was the balance of the universe. Something I tried not to believe in.
The ER was a lot noisier than the halls throughout the hospital. It was still relatively quiet compared to the hospitals in bigger cities, but today it was filled with the townsfolk coming to pay their respects to the dead. Edward ushered me through a door with "DR CULLEN" written on a gold plaque on the front, and shut the door behind us.
Carlisle gave us a nod and we sat down on the two chairs in front of the dark oak desk just as he put the phone down.
"Emily's relatives still are arguing over her custody but I have put in a good word on behalf of Mrs. Jackson," Carlisle told us both. He looked at me with a warm smile. "How are you feeling, Bella?"
Normally my automatic response to that question was always, "Fine," but I wasn't really sure I was fine. "I'm coping," I replied honestly. "It's a lot to take in."
I thought coming to Forks would be peaceful in comparison to Phoenix. It seemed that it was quite the opposite.
"I hear that your gift is expanding," Carlisle said.
I glanced at Edward sideways. "Yes, much to my dismay," I said.
"You don't feel having foresight in relation to spirits is useful?" Carlisle looked intrigued.
"And projection don't forget," I said. I had explained to Edward in detail what Julia had said to me about my gift before I had slept. He was as fascinated as his father.
"Of course, that too." Carlisle nodded. "I suppose that one can't be as...pleasant."
I snorted. "So far it's led me to be quite ill and have my wrists slashed." Not quite as pleasant was the understatement of the century.
Edward was rigid. He shared my views on that side of the gift. "Julia said it shouldn't be dangerous," he said stiffly. "But she isn't the one that has to experience these things."
"Like all gifts, you can learn to control it perhaps," Carlisle said thoughtfully. "You could try and find a way to minimise what happens to you when these spirits project things onto you."
I stared at him doubtfully but chose not to comment. "What is going to happen now?" I asked him. "Now that Mattie has died."
"Father Weber is going to hold a memorial service on Sunday dedicated to all those who died," Carlisle said. "The families will of course get to bury their loved ones separately, but I think the general consensus is that there should be a formal service for them all, and maybe something to honour their memory."
"Deputy Mark and Officer James will be given a large send off, the norm for law enforcement," Edward said. "They will be the first to be buried, then the two firemen, Mr and Mrs. Walker, Emily's parents next, then the biker."
"What about the old couple?"
"Their family have made arrangements for them to be laid to rest in Port Angeles, where they are originally from." Edward retold this information like he was being spoken to on the phone or reciting from a script. I guessed he was listening in to a conversation somewhere where they were speaking of funeral arrangements.
"And then they can all hopefully move on and go into The Light together."
Maybe even before then. It was always weird to see the deceased at their own funeral. I hoped that they would all go together too, so it wasn't too daunting for them all, but it was up to them. That is, if they wanted to go in the first place.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward stiffen in his chair. Carlisle and I both looked at him at the same time.
"The press are outside," Edward said slowly.
Carlisle nodded. "Yes, they are reporting to the rest of Washington State about what happened."
Edward got up abruptly. "One of them is awfully keen to speak to Bella." He glanced at me. "She knows you are more than likely here at the hospital...?"
I almost banged my head on the desk and I prayed again that this was a dream.
"Maria Wells?" I said the name with distaste.
"The reporter for Seattle Times?" Carlisle wondered.
Edward and I nodded. "How does she about your gift? How does she even know you are here?"
I bit my lip. "I don't know how she found out I was in Forks, but it's a long story how I know her..." One that almost got me arrested. "I don't be here if she gets inside the hospital," I said quickly. "I don't want to talk to her again..."
I stood up just as Alice glided into the office, shutting the door behind her.
"Let's go out for a while," she said quickly. "You still need to let that woman in the nursing home know that her husband is okay, why don't I come with you?"
Just the out I needed and it would kill two birds with one stone. "Perfect," I said. I had invited Alice the other day to do this for a reason and that reason still stood. I needed Edward out of the way for a while so I said, "Can you stay and find out everything you can about Ms. Wells. She is a very determined lady, and if she wants to speak to me, she won't leave until she sees me in person. But first, find out what she actually needs me for. She will have a reason for being here other than the tragic accident." I swallowed bitterly but tried to smile.
Edward watched me carefully but nodded. "I will see you both later." He glared at Alice with a stern look.
Thank God he can't read my mind, was all I could think before Alice and I departed the office.
-x-
Meadowbank Nursing Home was on the outskirts of Forks. It was a lovely building, just one storey high, but it had charm and a peaceful feel to it, somewhere I would be pleased to stay in for my last years.
The building was fairly new, the old one finally demolished after the townspeople protested that it was falling apart. This one had open bay windows for the residents to look out from, and the grounds were luscious green, with trees fencing the meadow in. Flowers of all kinds grew around the property and as soon as I stepped out of the car, I could hear that Meadowbank was home to many birds.
Alice parked the car in the small visitor's parking lot which was situated at the side of the building, out of the view of the windows. We walked around to the large entranceway; I pressed the intercom and we waited.
After a few moments the intercom made some noise and a woman answered.
"Hi there," she said cheerily.
"Hi, we are here to visit Mrs. Pierce." I didn't know the policy on visiting but I was sure it would be okay for us to come in.
"Sure, come right in." There was a buzz and the doors clicked.
Alice led the way and I followed her into the large entrance way. It didn't have the stereotypical smell that people sometimes expect when visiting a nursing home. It seemed fresh, like flowers and I couldn't help but smile.
A nursing assistant, a woman in her twenties, greeted us with a friendly smile.
"Welcome to Meadowbank," she said, nodding to us both. "Are you relatives of Mrs. Pierce?"
"Not really," Alice told her honestly. "But Gladis used to babysit Bella when she was younger, and we heard she wasn't doing so great so we thought we would..."
The woman nodded. "Yes, she isn't too well at the moment. It was so nice of you to come and...say goodbye. Follow me; she is in the day room."
I raised my eyebrows at Alice as we followed the woman through the building.
"You did know her," she whispered. "You'll see when you see her..."
The nursing assistant led us into a large room where a lot of the residents seemed to be. The room itself was pretty; it had been decorated with many pieces of art, there were flowers and plants placed around the room and the window at the back of the room gave the space natural light.
The people in the room, however, made me feel sad. They each sat on their own armchair of some sort, looking blankly ahead of them. The television was on but only the two more alert looking ladies seemed to be paying attention. The others wouldn't have noticed if they were in the middle of Disney World.
"Most of them don't know who they are," the woman whispered sadly. "But we like to keep them as happy as possible - do activities and the like, though they don't remember anything we do with them. Still..." She shrugged. "That's Gladis," she said pointing to a woman by the large widow, her chair facing almost with the back to the room. "I will leave you guys alone. Shout if you need anything." The NA disappeared out of the room and I turned my attention to Mrs. Pierce.
It took a few seconds but finally recognition dawned on me. I did know her. I used to spend after school with her every Tuesday and Thursday when my mom was working at Louisa May's clothes shop. We used to bake fudge brownies together, and take her dog Poppy for a walk. I was startled that I didn't remember her name when her husband told me, but I wasn't too surprised that I didn't recognise him, since he was always working on the road when I was around.
"I wonder if she remembers me," I said in a hushed voice. "She hasn't seen me since I was this high." I held my hand just below my waist.
"Go find out," Alice said nudging me forward. "I will...go make a new friend." She smiled as she looked around the room. Her eyes settled on a small man with thick gray hair and even thicker glasses.
"He's a bit old for you," I whispered jokingly.
"You never know, we might be the same age," Alice replied and floated towards him.
That gave me a lot of pause for thought. It was easy to forget that the Cullens were actually much older than their physical appearances.
I shook my head to get rid of that thought and walked across the room towards Gladis. She didn't see me as I approached, so I pulled up a smaller chair that was sitting against the wall and sat directly in front of her.
"Hello Mrs. Pierce," I said loudly, as if she was deaf. Which she could have been.
She didn't seem to hear me so I touched her hand that was limp on her lap. This time she turned her head and met my eyes. Her blue eyes were the only colour in her face but she half smiled when she saw me.
"Roseanne," she said slowly. "How good of you to come and see me. Where have you been, I missed you."
"No, I am not Roseanne, I'm Bella. Bella Swan, you remember? You used to look after me some days after school..."
"She won't remember you," said a soft voice behind me. I turned around to see her husband glancing down at the pair of us. Mr. Pierce stood between his wife and I and he placed his hand over her shoulder.
At this, Gladis turned a little in her chair and glanced straight at her husband and smiled.
"Where did you get to?" she asked her husband. "I have been waiting on you all day." She seemed much more alert and better in mind around the presence of her husband's spirit.
"How long has she been able to see you?" I asked him. It wasn't that unusual that Gladis could see his spirit but it meant she didn't have long left herself.
"She saw me just after I made contact with you," he told me. "I am not sure if I am happy or sad that she can see me. It means she is going to pass soon isn't it?"
I gave him a sympathetic glance. "You can be together again," I said. "Have you told her what is going to happen?"
"Yes," he said. "She seemed aware of it anyhow. When she speaks to me she is fine, just like before. But when she speaks to anyone else, she forgets who she is, what she is doing...I suppose it is better that it's her time."
"Do you have family?"
"They are staying close by and visit every day. They know that it will be soon," Mr. Pierce said.
"Do you want them to know that you are here?"
Mr. Pierce shook his head. "Our daughter is very religious; she already believes I have gone to heaven."
And knowing that her father was still on earth could upset her. I nodded. "Do you need me to do anything else?"
"It was a comfort to speak to an actual living person for the first time in a long time," Mr. Pierce happily. "You have done me a great kindness just by being here. You don't need to tell Gladis anything, she is ready to go. But I must thank you; I know it can't be easy answering every spirit that crosses your path."
"I was happy to come," I said. "I am sorry that I couldn't do much more, but in a way, it will be easier for you to guide your wife than it will be for me to do it. Come and say goodbye before you both..."
"Go?" Mr Pierce raised his eyebrow. "So there really is a Light?"
"I have never seen it but yeah, other sprits tell me that they see a very bright, very beautiful light and that's where they see their loved ones that have already crossed over." I stood up. I wasn't needed here since Mr. Pierce could do a better job of reassuring his wife than I could.
"Goodbye Gladis," I said. "It was really nice seeing you again." I took her hand and squeezed gently.
"Bye Roseanne," she said looking past me. "Take care!"
"And you," I said. I glanced at Mr. Pierce. "Goodbye."
"Thank you," he said. "And I'm sorry about your mom."
My eyes narrowed and a few questions came to my lips but I shook my head slightly and smiled before I turned away. Did spirits talk, I wondered. He couldn't have known about my mom otherwise. But he couldn't have seen her because she crossed over, I saw her go myself. Maybe it was common knowledge amongst the spirits of Forks that the one that could see them just lost someone close to her.
Alice met me at the doorway. She looked very amused. "That man, Bill, said he has had six wives, and he asked me to be his seventh!"
I snorted. "Way to go, Alice!" I said chuckling. "I am sure Jasper will be ecstatic! Can I be bridesmaid?"
"Of course," Alice said with mock enthusiasm. "He's cute in a grandpa sort of way...anyway, how did it go?"
"I wasn't needed after all," I said. "She can see her husband and I think it's best for him to guide her when...she goes."
"That's sweet." Alice went blank for a few seconds. "He won't have to wait too long for her though - she will pass just after her family visit tonight."
"Oh, that's a shame, but I guess it's for the best." The nursing assistant from earlier waved at us from the office but she was on the phone so she didn't come out to chat. I pressed the button to release the locked door and we headed out into the cold air.
The visit had brought forth a whole new set of questions that had already been on my mind for days; the very reason I wanted Alice to be there.
Alice seemed to know that there was something on my mind, which made me nervous as I wasn't sure what her reaction was going to be.
"Let's park the car and go on the little nature trail, the one made in the trees by the elementary school," Alice suggested. "The schools are off to day in wake of the accident so we won't be seen."
I mumbled something in agreement and we drove through town and parked the Volvo outside of the school. We walked past the small park that Edward and I had visited the night before and my heart gave a tiny jolt.
My feelings towards the Cullens had turned a full three sixty degrees since I'd first found out what they were back in Biology, when Ryan had accidentally spilled the beans on them. At first I'd been quite wary of them, which seemed perfectly natural, but I'd quickly changed my mind, and now everything had changed.
The entrance into the trees had a path which led in a ziz-zag throughout the trees. If my memory served me correctly, it hadn't been there when I was at this school. Alice and I walked for a couple of minutes in silence, as I had lost the nerve to talk to her.
Thankfully Alice had sensed my qualms and she began. "I saw what you asked Edward last night," she said gently. I could sense that she was looking at me but I didn't meet her eyes. "When he came home he wouldn't speak about it, but I hope he didn't hurt you too much."
I breathed in slowly and gathered my words. "Why doesn't he want to..." I looked at Alice and sighed. "Is there any chance that he would change his mind? Alice, I know I haven't known him that long, but I feel like we were meant to be together. It's always been there between us, but last night I felt this connection, a bond, that seemed to be flowing from both of us. Every time I see his face I smile, and my heart swells. When he touches me, it's like electricity flows through us." I sat down on a small bench that was between two trees. "I don't ever want to lose that feeling, Alice. But one day I know it will fade, because I am going to change. Yes, I will always love him but how could he love me?" Alice sat next to me. "I will end up like Mrs. Pierce, my memory will go and I will probably forget Edward altogether." Although, it didn't seem possible now, it was probably true. "And that is what hurt me last night. It hurt to know that one day the bond will break and...I will be left with this empty feeling in my heart."
Alice placed her cool hand on mine. "Edward said what he did because he is scared," she said. "He doesn't think a person should be like us unless it is inevitable. Most of us were turned because death was the only other option. He doesn't want our life for you; he loves you too much..."
"Doesn't he love me enough to listen to what I want in my future? What if I chose to become like you...when you met Jasper, didn't you just know that he was The One?"
"I knew it before I saw him in person," Alice said with a reminiscent smile. "He was the first thing I saw in my first vision after I woke up and I set out to find him."
That was so romantic! I wanted to ask so many questions, but I couldn't lose track of what I was saying.
"Jasper would have turned you if you were human?"
Alice contemplated for a moment. "Yes," she said. "But Edward is different. He..." Alice looked at the ground. "He is going to kill me but here goes. When Edward bumped into you the day you met him, he thought instantly that he wanted to share a life with you. It was like seeing you sparked something that he had never felt before and the feeling was never going to go away. It was like that for the rest of us; we just knew that the other person was who we were meant to be with. And since then, Edward has imagined you as one of us because he wants it so badly for himself. Only, Edward is too good for his own sake and he tries to blank out those thoughts, and the more he spends time with you, the more he falls in love with you, the more he wants you to be human because you are good and pure. The accident with your dad scared him because he knew you would be without a parent and he knew you would instantly want to be turned...and as much as he so badly wants you to be like him, he knew then that he would keep you alive and let you live a human life, have human experiences and be...normal."
"But I am not normal," I said, exasperated. Her words did give me a lot to think about, but I knew what I wanted. And I couldn't have it if I stayed human.
"But you are not as different as us," Alice said choosing her words carefully. "Edward sees himself as a monster, that he is all the things bad in the world. He doesn't want that for you. With your gift and what you do for people, he thinks that if you were turned, he would be doing a wrong to the world and he doesn't want to live with that guilt."
I couldn't help it; I laughed out loud. "Maybe I don't want to spend the rest of my existence with someone who thinks so little of himself," I said shaking my head. "All I know is that I love him and I don't want to grow up while he stays the same as always. I want to be an equal to him, but if I stay human, our relationship will be very limited. It drives me crazy knowing that there would always be this divide between us...is it so much to ask to be with him forever?"
A smile played on Alice's smooth face. "I see visions of peoples' decisions all the time," she said very quietly. "But these visions are subjective, and they don't play out, because the person changes their mind. Sometimes I see things spontaneously, things that aren't from decisions. Yet sometimes they don't work out either because something gets in the way to change that future." Her golden eyes met mine for a brief second. "But lately there has been a vision that won't go away, and no matter which way I look at it, the outcome is always the same..." She raised her eyebrows and my breathing stopped for just a second, my heart reacting excitedly. "All I am saying is, just because Edward said that last night...don't give up hope."
Her words didn't sink in for a few seconds so I was slow to say anything; instead I quickly wrapped my arms around Alice and held her tight. "Thank you," I whispered. "Truly!"
"I haven't done anything," she giggled as she held me back.
"You have said what I wanted to hear," I told her. "Hope is all I need!"
I let Alice go and sat back on the bench. Some people might look at it as throwing my life away, but I saw it as starting a new one. I knew that I couldn't live without Edward. It hurt to even think about it.
Alice had been very helpful, and it gave me a new angle to work on with Edward.
"He loves you very much you know," Alice said after a few minutes of just the birds talking in the trees. "I don't think I have ever seen Edward so happy. He fits in the family perfectly, but we all know that there is something missing in his life. I am glad to see that that something is you. I couldn't have asked for a better sister. You two are perfect for each other!"
Her words were very welcome. It meant a lot to know Alice's opinion.
"Thank you," I said again. "That actually means a lot to me."
Alice started to say something else, but her words seemed to falter, as if I had suddenly gone deaf. I saw her lips moving but I couldn't hear what she was saying.
I frowned then looked around the trees quickly, and my eyes met the woman of the spirit who I thought had slashed my wrists a few nights ago.
Before I could say anything, the atmosphere began to change and I felt woozy, out of touch with reality.
And then suddenly, without warning at all, both the woman and Alice disappeared completely, and I was left standing there, in a place I had never visited before. I wondered if this place had anything to do with the story behind the woman who'd just appeared to me again - the rational part of my brain was telling me that this was probably just another projection, because they had been getting clearer recently. The other part was freaking out.
I was pretty sure I had no control of my movements right now, so I paused to see what was happening, and then some other, unknown force took over my actions and my mind and thoughts seemed to fade and someone else's thoughts and feelings swarmed my mind and took control over my brain completely.
I my thoughts faded into the background entirely.
...
The sun had already begun to set on the western horizon. The sky was cloudy and pink but it was getting darker as I walked. The street lights were already on, which was reassuring, because it got pretty dark real quick this time of year.
The breeze was soft but provided a chill as I walked along the deserted road. It struck me as odd that it was quiet. Sure it was closing time for most of the stores, but normally there were always some people about. Yet there was no one. There were no cars around either.
It was as if everyone had mysteriously disappeared. It left an eerie thought.
I wrapped my arms around my waist and walked briskly along the sidewalk towards Grace's shop. We had arranged to meet after work, but I had overrun when marking the pupils' work from the day before, and was now late. I knew she would wait for me, but time just seemed to run away as usual while I was at work.
When I reached Grace's store, a small women's clothes store that her parents had left her, the door was wide open. I frowned to myself and paused for a second before I entered.
I had an odd feeling as I walked slowly through the shop, my heart beating quickly, as if warning me about something.
"Grace?" I called out. I stood by the counter, looking around the empty store. Everything was still, no noise came from outside and the backroom appeared empty from where I stood but it was too dark to tell.
It wasn't like her to keep the door open and just leave. Besides, she knew I was meeting her, where could she have gotten to?
The uneasy feeling intensified as I slowly walked around the counter and edged towards the backroom.
"Grace?" I called again but still got no answer. "It's me..."
I found the light switch before I entered the room but I wished I hadn't. I let out a piercing scream and my hand, shaking, flew to my mouth.
Bile rose in my throat and I felt dizzy.
Blood had flooded half of the small room floor. The walls were smeared red and the bright orange curtain on the small window had been ripped in a struggle.
Lying against the wall below the window was a terrible sight.
She had blood smeared all over her face; there was a gaping wound in her neck with a chunk of flesh missing, and blood was steadily dripping down her front. Her eyes were wide open and she was staring blankly ahead of her, but there was no sign of life in her broken body.
"Grace," I shrieked but it came out all broken. I realised I had frozen; I knew I had to move, to get help, but I couldn't.
My friend was gone. Killed...brutally murdered in the back room of her own shop. Who could have done such a thing?
The sight of her broken, bloody body was making me sick, so I backed out of the room, stumbling over a box in the hall. I picked myself up and rushed towards the counter where I knew there was a telephone.
I picked up the telephone but the cable was torn. My heart sank and my lips trembled as tears watered my cheeks. Whoever had killed her had cut the cord so she couldn't call for help.
My mind was fogged with horror and grief, but I had to act fast so they could catch whoever had done it. I raced out of the shop and onto the street. The sun had already gone down, and the sky was almost completely dark.
I looked around the empty street and thought fast. Most stores were closed already, but I knew some people lived in the apartments above them.
I ran out on to the road and looked up to the window that was opposite Grace's store.
If I made enough noise they would come out to investigate for sure.
"Help!" I called but my voice was so muffled with tears that it was barely a whisper. I cleared my throat and began to yell but before I could get the first syllable out, something clapped over my mouth from behind me, stopping me from making a noise.
My breath caught in a frightened gasp and dread flooded through me.
I squirmed under the grip that was holding my mouth. A long arm trapped me across my chest, and pulled me close to the person behind me, stopping me from getting help. I squealed under the hand over my mouth but it wasn't loud enough to alert anyone.
"Hush now," a deep voice whispered in my ear, their nose touching my skin.
"Let me go!" I demanded through his hand. "Help, someone help me!" I added, in the hope that someone had their window open.
"Now now," he said, his voice light with amusement. "I have been waiting for this for years and no human is going to come and ruin it for me now!" The arm tightened over my chest and I felt my feet leave the road.
There was a whoosh of air around me and when I felt the road beneath me again, I realised we had moved off the road and somehow landed between two buildings.
How did we get there so quick? I wondered but I realised I was still in the clutches of the man and I was starting to really panic.
"I will let you go, but if you as much as scream, I will tear your throat out before you can finish."
I was shaking but made myself nod in agreement.
The arm around my chest fell and slowly the hand across my mouth dropped too. I stood frozen while the person walked around and observed me from the front.
His short dark hair was slicked to the right neatly with gel. He was clean shaven and was wearing a three piece suit; grey with a black tie. The jacket was unbuttoned and with a closer look, I noticed it was quite ragged, which wasn't the norm for the men around this town. I stared at his feet and was shocked to see he had no shoes; his feet were filthy and my heart sank when I saw they were covered in blood.
He was surveying me like I was something he was going to buy. His smile was satisfied, as if he had won the best prize in the world. He took a step forward and touched my cheek. I flinched. His hands were so cold, as if he had placed them in a bucket of ice for a long time.
"You look so much like her," he muttered gently. "And you smell..." He inhaled deeply. "My, you smell pretty incredible..." He placed one finger under my chin and pushed it up so I would meet his eyes.
But what I saw made me scream and I stumbled back.
His eyes were scarlet, gleaming at me like little red lights in comparison to his pale profile. He laughed at my reaction; it seemed to amuse him that I was frightened.
"Do I scare you?" He walked closer to me still, his head tilted curiously to the side, as if he was deciding something.
"You killed my friend," I managed to say. I needed a distraction; maybe I would get away.
He chuckled delightfully. "She was my starter," he said as he smiled toothily. "You are my main!"
My heart pounded in my chest and every inch of my core was shaking with fear. I wanted to run, but he would catch me. I wanted to scream, but he would rip my throat out like he said.
I was trapped, cornered, and I was going to die.
"Who do I look like?" I asked to buy myself some more time, in the hope that someone would walk by.
"Your sister," he told me.
My breath caught. "My sister is dead..." My eyes went wide. "You killed her?"
This seemed to anger him. "No," he said stiffly.
"She's alive?" My back touched a brick wall. I glanced to the left but the road was still deserted and I couldn't hear anything apart from my own heart beat.
The news that he knew my sister had startled me very much. I hadn't seen her in years but I missed her every day. I had been told that she was dead. I had believed it until now.
"No," the man said, his voice dead, his eyes alight with fury. But I seemed to have distracted him for a moment. However he knew my sister seemed to keep him from looking at me. I knew it was stupid but my instincts kicked in and I took the chance to run.
I darted towards the road but before I could even reach the sidewalk, I was pushed from behind and I smashed to the ground. My hands broke my fall but without thinking about the pain, I tried to crawl away.
"Help!" I screamed as I picked myself up.
He was on top of me in an instant. He flipped me onto my back and straddled my waist. His eyes were burning, glowing at me, ready to strike.
He leaned forward as if to kiss me but I turned my head away and put my arms up to protect my face.
Searing pain ripped through my arms and blood dripped onto my face.
Before I knew it, I was up against the wall again and his body was pressed against mine. "I am going to enjoy this," he whispered. He reached behind my head and pulled out the pin keeping my hair up neatly.
He ran his fingers through my dark locks and bent over and inhaled again.
"How sweet," he said, his tone ragged.
"Please," I begged. "I have a child...she needs me. Please..." I could hear how desperate I sounded which only seemed to excite him more.
"Please, I have a child," he said, mocking my tone. He smiled widely and picked up my wounded arms. As he brought them closer to his face he seemed to be on the edge of ecstasy.
His demon eyes closed as he put my wrists to his mouth and he kissed the wound. I screamed in a last futile attempt to get someone's attention and I tried to grab my hand away from him but in my struggle, his teeth cleanly sliced my skin as if he had dragged a knife down it.
We shared a look. I saw my fearful expression mirrored in his black pupils and his smile was like that of a crazed monster.
I closed my eyes and it wasn't long before the pain came. I felt my skin rip over my neck. I cried out softly but tried to hold my breath as if it would stop me from screaming. I wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
Instantly I felt wetness around my neck, and the hot searing pain intensified.
Then he sucked deeply over my wound. And that's when the pain hit me the worst. Fire burned through my veins as he sucked them dry.
He was a monster of the worst kind, one of terror stories that you hear of as a child. Only he was real. Night Walkers my granddaddy used to call them.
I was paralysed but I could still feel my heart beating in my chest.
All I could think of was Marybeth. Her father was gone also, and now she was going to be without a mother. I tried to picture her in my mind, but the pain was overcoming me.
Eventually everything faded, even the pain, and my mind swirled into nothingness...
...
I swayed on my feet. I was woozy still, my eyes struggling to keep open. I heard my name and my head drooped to the side. My eyes met with Alice's frightened ones briefly.
"Vampire..." I whispered before the darkness engulfed me.
Whoa! I hope you followed this chapter okay and managed to distinguish what was Bella and what was the vision from the point of view of the woman! As I said, it was a long chapter! Thank you to those who are reading this because it means you read the whole thing!
Well, the chapter will conclude in the next one. I hope it won't be too weird for you and I have decided to keep going with the drama...I hope you like where I am going. Bella's gift is expanding but there are other things that you will have to wrap your head around soon!
Review? It would mean a lot to know how you are enjoying the story so far!