Hey guys! I decided to have a change and this chapter will be shorter than usual. I am going to go back and touch on earlier subjects that may seem forgotten. This chapter will tie in nicely with the rest of the story. I have mixed things up, opened more questions and answered others (but not much, I like to keep things secret lol). Anyway, I felt that I have neglected this story as of late, but I hope to be back on track. This chapter is needed just so that the next isn't insanely long as they have been recently.
Enjoy!
I own nothing Twilight!
Chapter Twenty-Five
Just a Dream
The hallway was completely empty, which I found quite unusual for a high school. There was an eerie feel to it, but I didn't let it put me off as I hurried to my locker. I had been in Forks a week, but I had barely got two days of classes down. Now I was late for my third day, as well as being very behind on homework. Spirits were literally taking over my life.
But there was always an upside to things; Edward said he would tutor me to catch up. I was never one to refuse alone time with the most beautiful person in the world.
A smile lingered on my face as I opened my locker to empty my bag, when a child's laughter filled the deserted hallway.
With my Biology book still in my hand, I froze. The mischievous laugh was familiar. The vivid memory from my first day at Forks High drifted into my mind: Still feeling the aftershock from bumping into a dazzling stranger at the time, I was the last in the hallway, fumbling my way to my first ever class. That's when I heard the lockers bang. Then the laughter came – a child's laugh. Henry.
Someone was watching me; I could feel eyes probing me from behind. I quickly shoved my book into the locker carelessly and turned around slowly.
"Henry?" I called out.
The dim lights above me flickered, before eventually shutting off altogether, plunging me into darkness.
"Henry, is that you?"
The lights flickered back on, the dim orange hazing above my head.
It couldn't be Henry. Henry was no longer earth bound. He crossed over. I watched him go with my own eyes...
Glancing around the eerily quiet hallway, something was niggling at me. Something felt...wrong.
It was too quiet for a school, even if everyone was in class without me, there would still be some noise somewhere. Not a single footstep or whispers from other students could be heard. Unless I missed some sort of fire alarm test and everyone was outside, I was sure I was the only person in school at that moment.
The obvious was staring at my face. I glanced up and down the deserted corridor once more; a chill ran down my spine as awareness dawned on me.
It was a dream. I sighed as I closed my eyes, the realisation that this wasn't real made me frustrated that I hadn't noticed the difference between a dream and reality sooner.
Last I remembered it was Saturday night. I was with Edward. No-one goes to school on a weekend!
I had learned to go with my instincts, and with the memory still circling in mind, I somehow knew it was Edward's little brothers' presence that I now felt in the faintly lit hallway.
Then if it wasn't real, why was Henry here?
Last I saw of him, he was walking into The Light, crossing over from our world into another. Not once, ever, had I seen a ghost that had crossed over come back. Never have I had a dream that was controlled by spirits that had already been into The Light. I dreamed about my mother of course, but those were always just dreams. Ones that everyone had once they lost someone close to them.
Turning back to my locker, I picked up my English book before closing the locker firmly. If I was dreaming then it wouldn't hurt to play out the facade of being at school and see what happened.
I barely managed to turn around when the lockers opposite me flew open simultaneously, making me jump when they closed abruptly with an echoing slam. A long silence followed. I glanced around the still hallway, waiting.
Something tugged hard on the back of my coat, pulling me backward slightly. With an air of déjà vu, I turned around with anticipation. I was met with a pair of vivid green eyes and messy bronze hair. He was still wearing the same blue one piece pyjama sleep suit, with the same familiar smile. Edward's smile.
"Henry," I whisper in acknowledgment.
His rosy smile brightened just as the dim lights flickered on and off again. "This isn't real, is it?" I asked when he gave us light again, the orange illuminating the both of us.
Henry remained silent, watching me with his curious green eyes, still smiling away at me.
When I first met Henry, the most he said to me was a whole sentence, until he finally told me who he was in front of Edward. He wasn't going to give much away. I needed to work it out for myself.
"Okay then, I'll figure it out as I go along," I said easily. "Do you want to come to class with me?"
Henry wasn't expecting that reaction, I could tell, but smiled eagerly. "I guess since this is a dream my schedule doesn't really matter, but I'll stick to it anyway." Although I had the feeling I was going to be the only one turning up to class. Who dreamt about being in school?
The thought triggered the significance of why I was back in school, which was usually the last place I wanted to be. Turning back to my small shadow following in my wake I said, "This is where we first met, do you remember?"
Henry grinned. "Of course," he replied. "I heard from someone that you had magic eyes. I was going to find you when you found me. I was following Edward when you walked into him. That's when I showed myself to you."
"I didn't notice you before then. You were watching the whole time?"
"I always watched Edward. I am just good at hiding." Henry caught up with me and we walked side by side. I was pleased he was answering me with ease. It would make things difficult if he shut me out like I had expected.
"You are an excellent hider," I complimented. "Even to me, the one with magic eyes."
I was getting him talking. He was being himself again, no longer shy or reluctant to speak around me. I was pleased he was answering me with ease. It would make things difficult if he shut me out like I had expected.
As we walked, I stole a few glances at Henry when he wasn't gazing at me. He looked different than when I first saw him. He was no longer paper white, with sunken cheeks and dark circles under his eyes. He didn't resemble the way he must have before death. Now he was the Henry that I saw before he walked into The Light, the one ready to move on with his cheeks rosy, matching his full red lips, and a glint in his bright eyes when he smiled. This meant he wasn't back. He wasn't, for whatever reason, back to being earthbound.
No, he was just in my dream. I just had to figure out why.
"There must be a reason why I am seeing you," I said out loud as I slowed to a stop outside the English classroom door. Henry stopped, too, and stood against the door opposite me.
Henry stayed quiet. His eyes remained on mine while I thought. "Did you come to me or did I come to you?" I hoped his five year old mind would understand what I meant.
"Why do spirits usually come to you?" he spoke quietly.
"Usually they seek me out so I can help them in some way or another," I answered without pause. My eyes narrowed. "But you already..." Then I realised. My mind cast back to the things Henry said before he crossed over. Questions were left unanswered when he disappeared beyond The Light. Questions that I desperately needed to know the answer to. "I came to you." It was the first I had heard of, me seeking answers from a spirit. Especially ones that had already moved on from earth.
"How did you get here?" was my first question.
Henry shrugged. "I thought this was just a dream?"
Even five year old spirits are evasive. "Okay, fine, fair enough. But answer me this or I'll go insane when I wake up. You are really here? In my dream, I mean."
"Yes," Henry answered quietly with a small nod.
"Thank you," I whispered. I put that thought away for questioning later. Henry waited for me to continue. But I had too many questions, but so little time. "Who knows when I'll wake up so I will get to the point. You really did see my mother? In the hospital while I was unconscious?"
"Yes."
"Ryan was there, but he said he didn't see you. Were you hiding?"
"He wasn't paying attention," Henry replied.
My heart skipped a beat.
It wasn't that I didn't believe Henry before when he said he saw my mom at the hospital, it was just I was afraid to believe him. Just the thought of my mother being here on earth with me set me heart beating furiously. At my sides my hands trembled uncontrollably.
"Ryan might not have noticed you, but what about my mom? Surely he would have seen her as well if she was in the room and not hiding like you." Why was I fighting the idea when all I have ever wanted was to see my mom just one last time? But it's impossible! Once spirits crossed over, that was the end. No coming back. Right?
"Children can see things that others can't," Henry replied simply.
"Yes, human children see things that adults can't," I said slowly. "Until they stop believing for themselves." Occasionally I came cross non gifted children who could see ghosts, too, but then they get older the spirits no longer existed to them.
Shaking his head, Henry threw up his hands up in frustration. "No, Bella, not just human children. I saw your mom and Ryan didn't."
I took a breath. "Okay. I believe you, I do, but it's hard to understand. How did she get here?"
"Spirits will always be attached to you, even after they have crossed over. Like me."
It wasn't the most intriguing thought, having all the spirits that I have ever helped still attached to me in some way even after they have crossed over. Who knows when they will pop back through the divide of earth and The Light? But if it meant I could see my mom I didn't care who else came back.
"What did she say? Why didn't she come to me like you have come to me, here in a dream?" My throat was closing up on me, my voice squeaking with emotion.
"But she was with you in a dream. You just need to remember in here." Henry touched his left temple lightly. "You were together. Just like us now."
Gasping for air in shock, I stumbled my way towards the wall and held on for support. After a minute my legs became too unstable that I had to sink to the floor.
It couldn't be true! She couldn't have been with me! It would be the first thing I remembered when I regained consciousness in hospital. Why would I forget my mom, forget having a conversation with her in a realistic dream? Out of all the times she came back, she chose to come when I was unconscious.
My chest was tight. I couldn't handle the thought of my mom being here, but I missed it entirely. Or accruing to Henry, I had forgotten the whole thing.
A little figure sat opposite me, his legs crossed. Meeting his eyes I whispered, "How do you know all this?"
"I know everything," Henry replied with an Edward look. I chuckled briefly. How much they were alike it was unreal, even with the age gap. But my humour was short lived.
Knowing that my mom was with me and I didn't remember a single detail was heartbreaking. So many questions buzzed through my mind at once, making it almost sore to think. I tried to picture the moment when I spoke to her, seeing her, speaking to her, hugging her. Noting every detail; her smile, her laughter, even her tears. What did I ask? Where did we meet? Surely not school. Most importantly was she okay? Was I aware of us as I was with Henry? But it's all my imagination. No memory of our dream together surfaces in my mind.
A roar of frustration escaped my lips, echoing through the empty hallway. I had missed my opportunity to see my mom again. I missed the golden opportunity and the likely hood of it happening again was close to zero. The emptiness in my chest deepened. Despite what Jasper said about not burying my emotions, I locked them away for a reason. On top of everything I have to face the fact that I could have missed my chance to see my mom again.
I sniffed quietly as I regained control. I knew this wasn't the sole purpose of Henry being in my dream but I had to ask, "Will she come back?"
"She only came because you needed her."
My heart sank. Of course it was too good to be true. Spirits didn't really come back from The Light. This was why I didn't want to believe it in the first place. But then all my years of helping people, ghosts and humans alike, saying goodbye would be worthless if it were so easy for spirits to come back when they pleased after they had crossed over.
"But I always need her," I mumbled pathetically. Henry reached for my hand and squeezed it. I noted how solid he felt as opposed to being the hollow spirit like before. A teardripped onto my cheek, but I wiped it away quickly.
It was as if I was the five year old and Henry was the seventeen year old. I felt so much younger at that moment. I just wanted my mom.
"Goodbyes are never forever," Henry whispered just before the lights above us went completely out. A piercing sound suddenly blared around us. The high pitch squeal offended my ears, pulsating through me. When the light flashed back on, Henry was out of sight.
Scrambling to my feet, I covered my ears with hands. The noise was vibrating the lockers beside me. I looked to the roof, spotting the red alarm above me. A fire alarm. Before I could process why the alarm had gone off in my dream world, smoke was drifting heavily from the left of me, taking over the ceiling quickly, advancing on me where I stood frozen.
"Henry?" I yelled above the noise. I dropped my hands from my ears and moved away from the smoke. "Henry?"
Smoke was already engulfing my whole body making it harder to breathe. I couldn't see much beyond the smoke, which was filling my lungs too quickly. Choking, I dropped to the ground. Dream or not, my instincts were to do whatever I could to get air. The vapour of thick, grey cloud was just as dense near the ground as it was above, but all the emergency training we had at school, I learned that the floor was your lifeline in a fire.
Crawling slowly through the fog was not helping. I couldn't see anything in either direction and the smoke was burning my lungs, and stinging my eyes, making them useless anyway.
"Henry?" I screamed. "Henry, where did you go?"
The shrill ringing in my ears was dying out just as I reached a door. I crouched on my knees as I touched the handle. It was warm, but not burning. Turning it, I dropped back to my knees and pushed myself inside an empty classroom. With my foot I kicked the door closed.
Coughing and retching the smoke out my throat, I dragged myself away from the door. The air was cleaner here, allowing my lungs to be washed with fresher oxygen, but I could still feel the burning. I heaved myself up to the windowsill and tried the window. It opened with ease, so I sat on the ledge getting as much fresh air as possible.
If this was my dream I would be able to control it. But something tells me that I was not in control at all. Spirits sometimes used my dreams to tell me things, and as of late they used them to physically show me things, like the woman and her real life vision, in which I suffered as she did. But again, this was different.
For some reason I knew this wasn't Henry's dream either.
As if he had heard me thinking about him, he stood beside me shivering next to the window. He was no longer calm. His eyes brought worry and panic. In turn, I was panicked too.
"What happened?" I asked frantically. "Did you cause a fire?"
Henry shook his head before glancing at the door. He didn't respond.
"Henry, what is it? You can tell me?"
He opened his mouth but shook his head. "Bella, when was the last time you saw or spoke to a spirit?"
"Not since...you and Ryan...two days ago." Henrys increasing panic was alarming. He kept glancing at the door, as if a horror other than the smoke was waiting for us behind it.
"But you have so many spirits to help in Forks. All those car crash victims," Henry said in a rush.
"Right." I followed his gaze towards the door. Smoke was snaking its way under the crack in the door. I cursed myself for not covering it, but it was too late to worry about it now. My panic was rising and it took a few reminders that it was only a dream to calm myself down.
"Henry, what's wrong? What are you afraid of?"
He ignored my question. "Don't you find it odd that you haven't seen anyone from the car accident in days? All those people and not one of them have come back to you?"
Staring at the adjoining door that led to another classroom, I buried myself in thought. He was right. All those people and not one of them have come back since I spoke to each of them at the hospital. No one has come for reassurances, or even just to speak to a human. I hadn't even seen Mattie Jay yet, and he was bound to know that a live person can see spirits. Eleven died in that accident. But none have come back to me. It's not unusual to go days, or weeks without seeing a spirit, but not seeing spirits for long periods of time, that already want my help, was not exactly the norm. Usually I see the spirit on and off each day until they crossed over.
Now suddenly eleven of them have suddenly disappeared off my radar.
"See?" Henry said quickly. "It's not right!"
He had the answers. "Then what's wrong? Have they decided they don't want my help?"
Somehow it hurt to think that, but I didn't know why.
Henry nodded sadly. "Yes. All of them."
"Why?" Shocked wasn't the word.
The door flew open at that instant, allowing the smoke to spill in freely. I watched it for a moment; the grey whips were menacing, filling the empty classroom as if it knew where to find Henry and I.
"I have to go," Henry whispered. "And you need to wake up, Bella."
Henry backed away from me, his eyes fixed on the smoke filling the room. "Wait," I called as I jumped off the windowsill. Henry was already in the next classroom, the adjoining door wide open.
Pushing a desk out my way, I hurried after him, kicking the second door shut to rid us of the incoming smoke.
He stood by the second classroom door, the one which lead to the hall. His height didn't even reach the window on the door.
"Why are the spirits avoiding me?" I asked. It didn't seem possible that they would all refuse my help at the same time. Most of them seemed to want my help before, they all were preparing themselves to say goodbye when I spoke to them.
Green eyes met mine for a brief second before Henry cast his gaze back to the door, his fingers curving the handle. "Children can see things that others can't," Henry whispered. "Even things that you can't."
Henry turned the handle on the door. A puff of smoke almost engulfed him completely. He turned back towards me with urgency in his eyes. "Bella," he whispered. "Your friend Alex...he..." Henry glanced to the left. The sound of lockers being rattled reached my ears. The smoke was filling the classroom fast, but Henry was still vivid in the doorway. The whole room shook before Henry could finish. Windows rattled and the table and chairs shifted in their place. Henry's whole profile changed when he spoke, he resembled someone with more years than he physically had. When he spoke, it was of urgency, "Don't let them get lost. Find them. Tell them it is all lies. If the they believe it's true, they will hurt her. Keep her safe."
"Find who? Tell them what? Henry, please I need to know." I was running out of time, I could tell. Henry was distracted by a rumble from somewhere beyond the classroom. But I needed answers. He couldn't leave me with nothing, he knew too much. "What about Alex? You said something about Alex. Henry, please I need to know. What are you trying to tell me?"
Everything shuddered violently. Books flew off shelves, chairs knocked to the ground. From the hall I could heard lockers being thrown open again.
"Just wake up, Bella," Henry said before he turned away from me and walked straight into the smoke.
My eyes were wide with panic, about one hundred questions on my lips. I thrust myself forward and darted after the little boy. The smoke was thick and hit my lungs instantly. Doubling over in a coughing fit, I tried to cover my mouth. With my hand out stretched to guide me, I hurried through the thick smoke, calling Henry's name when I dared to life my hand away from my mouth. The shrill from the fire alarm was silent now, everything was silent except for my own heartbeat which I could hear pounding in my chest.
My feet protested with every step I took. My lungs felt like they were literally on fire. Everything hurt. But I needed answers. I need to find Henry.
I called his name over and over, before screaming for my mom, then Edward. But it was deadly silent, no one replied to my cries. The smoke swallowed me up to the point where I was almost crippled with the amount I was inhaling. But I kept going. I didn't want to stop. I wanted answers, and I didn't want to leave without them.
The smoke slowed me to barely a shuffle.
It was frustrating that I didn't know the corridor as well as I should have. Less than two days in school meant I was a stranger fumbling through the halls filled with smoke. I was blind anyway; the smoke forced my eyes tight shut, making movement through the corridor dangerous. If it had been my old school I wouldn't even need to open my eyes because I knew the halls so well.
The smoke was just so over powering. My lungs were burning and I couldn't cough the smoke out quick enough. Could I die in a dream? Was my gift that advanced that if I actually died trapped in my own head, I would really be gone in real life? Was Edward watching my body fill up with smoke back in my bedroom? Was he trying to wake me, but couldn't?
If what Henry said was true, and my mom came to me because I needed her, I was half hoping she would appear now. Maybe I would see her soon. The smoke wouldn't take long to kill me.
The answers to Henry's urgent words were too far away. I was probably going round in circles and I wouldn't know it. The saying, 'looking for a needle in a haystack' rang through my mind just as the will to keep going stomped right out of my mind.
Giving up trying to find Henry, or for a way out, I sunk to the floor and crawled to the side. Learning against a cold locker, I buried my face in my knees.
Covering my face with my sleeve I waited for death, or to at least wake up. Whose dream this was now, I wasn't sure. But they weren't letting me wake. I had some answers from Henry, but he had awoken more questions. Even on a good day I wouldn't be quick to find explanations for what Henry told me. Now the smoke was making it hard for me to think at all.
After what seemed an eternity of worrying, my only thought left was my mother. I tried to picture her coming for me. I wondered if I would get a Light or if I would stay to say goodbye to Edward and Charlie.
Edward.
I tried to hold onto everything I had so I didn't cry. I didn't want to think about Edward. I didn't want to say goodbye to him. Not now. Not ever.
Everything hurt as I lay on the smoky ground. My breathing was laboured and with each second that passed, I feared I would be stuck forever in the smoky hallway if I didn't die or wake up soon.
My energy dwindled quickly, the smoke shutting down my body.
Peacefulness quickly followed the overwhelming urge to sleep. There was no point in worrying now. Whatever happened it would all be okay. If I opened my eyes back in my bed, I would have Edward. If I opened my eyes and was greeted with a Light, then I would have my mom.
Laying my head on the smoky floor, I curled up in a ball. I couldn't fight the smoke. And I didn't have the energy to move. I was ready just to leave. The Light seemed a good place to be right now. It would be welcoming...
"It's only the beginning," a voice said. My heart froze for a second. A woman's voice.
"Mommy?" I choked. I bolted up right and was met with a pair of legs through the dense smoke. My eyes watered as I searched for the eyes that the legs belonged to.
To my relief the smoke was washing away quickly, parting through the hallway, leaving it somewhat clear. The eyes that were looking down at me were not my mothers. For a moment I wanted to scream in frustration, but instead I looked away.
"Come to torture me again?" I mumbled sleepily.
The first spirit that I met in Forks since I arrived, the woman that had spilled so much of my blood during a vision that she projected through me, crouched down in front of me.
"That was unintentional," she said quietly. "But that's not what matters. You need to wake up, Bella. You need to think about what Henry said. You need to help them seek the truth. And you need to keep her safe."
I vaguely noted that it was the first time she had ever spoken to me. But that was a thought for later.
"How? I don't really understand what he meant." Meeting her eyes I realised for the first time since I had seen her that she was familiar. Her deep brown eyes triggered a memory. A photograph. I had seen those exact eyes in a picture somewhere. But where? When?
My thoughts were sidetracked when she spoke again with more urgency. Like Henry. "Your childhood. Look back on your childhood. Back when you were discovering what you could do. I will do what I can, but you need to be the one to convince them."
The woman stood abruptly. I tried to get up after her but my legs were too weak. Where am I? What is happening?" She couldn't leave that for me to figure out.
"It's just a dream that got out of control. You're safe now. We have managed to fight it."
Finally, a straight answer. Still, it wasn't the most important question. "Alex? What did Henry mean about my friend?"
The woman shook her head sadly. "You must wake up, Bella," she told me firmly as she stepped backwards from me.
"No! Tell me what he meant!" I yelled at her. Why was everyone trying to annoy me by only giving me half the information I wanted. "What about Henry, is he okay?"
The woman gave me a smile. The first I had seen on her. "Of course," she replied. "Wake up, Bella. You will work everything out in time. Just wake up!"
She disappeared before I could move. Still no answers. And even more questions.
The fog disappeared completely as soon as she left, but I still felt extremely tired. I sank back into the foetal position and let myself drift in to the incoming darkness.
"Bella, wake up! Bella?"
A voice echoed in my head.
Without warning, I was thrust awake with as much shock as if I had been plunged into freezing water. I gasped for air as I bolted up into a sitting position. My face was pouring with sweat and I was met with frantic eyes.
Henrys vivid green eyes, I thought for a moment, before I realised they were golden.
"Edward," I croaked as I sucked in the clean air sounding my bedroom.
"What did you see? A vision? Were your hurt?" The golden eyes surveyed me anxiously, checking my body for obvious signs of harm.
Edward had his arms wrapped around me before I could tell him what I needed. I needed to feel him close to me. I needed to know he was real. I sunk my head into his cool chest, and drew comfort of being safe in his firm arms.
"It was just a dream," I whispered. "But so much happened." I allowed a brief cry before I told him what happened.
Well that was a dream and a half! Henry didn't half leave us with so many questions lol. But at least the woman was more helpful for once instead of hurting Bella (not intentionally of course lol). But at least she told her where to start looking – her childhood. Also, I had to briefly mention Bella's friend Alex in there because I have neglected him completely. If you remember that I said I regretted creating him, and kind of kicked him out of the story, so I am trying to fix that.
Anyway, I will get back on track with the chapters soon. I hope that was enough to keep you wondering where I am going. I apologize for my sloppiness in pervious chapters, but I also want to thank you guys for sticking with me.
I have the memorial and funeral to come as I said last chapter. Will the ghosts be there? Or is Henry right, have they been avoiding Bella? But why? Hmm….
Well, I won't be back before Breaking Dawn is released, so you guys have a fab time and I hope everyone enjoys it!