Chapter 5
Let's walk into the woods
*The titles of the next 5 chapters are the verses of a French nursery rhyme: "Let's walk in the woods..."*
I feel Alice hug me and rock me.
"They just passed out Bella," she told me softly. They have a few broken bones, but nothing serious and they won't remember your face or Edward's when they wake up. »
I feel the car start and drive away from the alley. I'm shaking all the time. I hear Edward and Alice talking softly. I understand that Carlisle, Jasper and Emmett are going to take care of the men in the alley. The light fades and I realize we've left town. I then whisper:
"It wasn't supposed to happen like this. »
The car swerves and comes to an abrupt stop on the side of the road. A rush of icy air sends shivers down my spine, and I feel two powerful hands shake me frantically.
"Did you know what was going to happen? growls a velvety voice. »
I turn to Alice who nods.
"I had to tell him that you knew about Bella's past." He was there when you sent me a vision.
I'm sorry, I shakily reply to Edward. It wasn't supposed to happen before March."
He stops shaking me and stares at me.
"Were you at least going to tell Alice about it?" »
I shake my head.
"I didn't want to cause more trouble than I already caused. »
My sobs redouble and I feel arms around me. It doesn't seem to be Alice. I hear two doors close and the car restarts. The smell that envelops me is both soothing and intoxicating. As if to break the mood, a blue window appears:
"Quest completed...reward granted." »
"New Title Granted: Unlucky Collector… Requirement: Survive 3+ near-death situations within 100 hours"
"New stat added…Luck: 10…Surviving each new near death will earn you 5 Luck. »
Mash potatoes ! I want to laugh, cry and scream at the same time. These developers really have a psychopathic sense of humor. As if I was going to throw myself into the den of the wolf, just to be lucky… I realize then that I am in Edward's arms and that I am already risking my life. I ask him if he's okay.
"It's more up to me to ask you a question. You are the one who found yourself face to face with this garbage. »
There is hatred in his voice when he talks about these men. I raise my head and put my hand on her cheek to turn her face towards me. He looks at me, surprised. His Onyx eyes lighten a little as they meet my gaze. He seems to control his thirst.
" THANKS. I whisper.
I rest my head on his shoulder and try to pull my hand away, but he holds it.
"You don't ask me questions?
About what ?
About how I knocked out and hurt these guys?
Everyone has their secrets. You, like me. You'll talk to me when you're ready.
What if I never am?
That will be fine too, I whisper. But don't lie to me, please. »
These exchanges on secrets were also something that bothered me in the books. Edward is lying to her and that's something I disapprove of, but at the same time she pushes him to his limits trying to force his hand. Of course she's a trustworthy person, but he doesn't really know her. He's not going to tell her all his secrets, just because she tells him she'll keep them, that's obvious. So I decided to let him know that I had indeed noticed some strange things, but that I was not going to force him to talk about it. Maybe once he trusts me more, he'll open up about himself without me having to confront him.
"I promise you," Edward whispers. »
Well, that's a hell of a step forward if he keeps his word. I feel myself gradually relax and sink into a half-sleep. The car parks in front of a house. It's not mine. Half in awe, I squint to understand where I am. Edward carries me home, lifting me with one arm and pulling my head to his shoulder with the other. The environment is suddenly much brighter. I'm sitting on a cream leather sofa and three pairs of topaz eyes are watching me. Alice is gone, but the one I guess is Esme, Edward and Rosalie are sitting in a semi-circle on the armchairs and sofa. I notice in passing that Edward's eyes have returned to a more normal color and that Rosalie's show real concern. She scans my torn clothes, looking for a wound.
Looking down, I feel a bruise forming on my left shoulder, with which I stabbed the man with a knife. He doesn't even seem to have grazed me with his blade. Only my clothes were torn when he snagged as he fell. Alice comes back and hands me an ice pack wrapped in a towel. I thank her and slide her onto the blue. Rosalie and Edward follow my movements and I know they spot the purple stain on my skin when anger distorts their faces.
Alice hands the phone to Esme after dialing a number. Soon I hear a voice coming from the handset.
"Forks Police, Sheriff Swan speaking.
Hello Mr. Swan, my name is Esme. I am the mother of several classmates of your daughter. I wanted to let you know that Bella is with me right now.
bella? Charlie exclaims. Has something happened to him? »
I feel guilty to death feeling the panic in his voice.
"Don't worry, Mr. Swan, she's fine. »
I hear my "father" huff in relief.
"Call me Charlie please Mrs. Cullen."
Esme…
All right… Esme, could you tell me why my daughter is at your house when she was supposed to go to Port Angeles tonight?
It looks like she got lost looking for her car after shopping. She fell and hurt her shoulder a little. Alice and Edward, my children, found him soon after and brought him home to show their father his wound...
Oh yes ! Doctor Cullen.
That's it. My husband is working overtime tonight, but he should be home soon. I wondered if it was possible for Bella to sleep over, since she and Alice had plans to go to Seattle tomorrow.
Ah good ? In Seattle ? As far ?
It seems that shoe stores do not have the perfect pair of boots in size 36 according to Alice
A scandal, sneers Charlie.
Is not it ? Esme laughs too.
It's okay, Charlie replies. But she has to be home by 6 p.m. Saturday.
The message got through Charlie.
Good evening to you Esme.
Good evening to you too Charlie. »
She hangs up smiling at me.
"You sleep at home tonight, darling.
How did you do ? I ask taken aback. Are you a magician?
No, Alice replies. Just an amazing mother! »
She wraps her small arms around Esme's neck and gives her a kiss on the cheek. Esme looks over the moon. I smile at their complicity. Rosalie interrupts us with a chilling tone.
"Can you explain to us how you managed to contact Alice?"
With this phone. At least thinking I was going to call Alice with it. I was being chased and I didn't want to alert them. I tried to save time by continuing to walk.
Until they catch you… she finishes.
Yes, but I didn't give up. »
I see Rosalie raise one of her perfect eyebrows.
"Did you scratch him?" she scoffed.
No, I disarmed him and I stuck his knife in his leg, I answer. »
She whistles, quite impressed.
"Well I didn't think you had the shoulders for it." Good game.
THANKS.
You still haven't answered my question. How did you know Alice's gift. »
I take a deep breath. This is the time to tell as much truth as possible without scaring them away.
"I know the future and I saw Alice in one of my dreams.
Do you have premonitory dreams? asks Esme.
Yes. »
I'm not completely lying, since Bella has cryptic dreams, but paradoxically very explicit when you know the rest of the novel. Rosalie looks at me sternly.
"What do you know of us?
That you are not ordinary people.
That's to say ? she hisses through her teeth.
Rosalie! Esme lectures.
No, it's fine, Esme, I reply. Listen Rosalie, you have your secrets and I have mine. None of us particularly want these secrets to get out. So I think it would be desirable for the moment that we stick to the recognition of our difference. »
Rosalie growls and goes upstairs. Esme and Alice exchange a look and Edward watches me with interest, as if trying to unravel a mystery. If he thinks he's reading my mind doing that, he's not out of the woods yet! Esme offers me some food and Alice goes upstairs to get me the guest room. Edward, silent until now, asks me if he can sit next to me. I nod my head and immediately he approaches me.
"You are definitely an enigma Bella.
I'm not that difficult to understand, I retort.
However, the more time I spend with you, the more you amaze me. You have unexpected reactions and sometimes you don't seem to look your age.
How old do you think I am? I ask, curious to know if he can guess.
You have reactions most people develop in their thirties. »
I open my mouth. Thin! He is strong! Fortunately, he misinterprets my reaction and stutters an apology:
"But… But that's not a criticism.
I didn't take it as such, I answer him smiling. On the contrary, it is rather a compliment that people see me as a mature person.
You like mature and serious people…"
It was a statement, not a question. You, honey, you listened to my conversation with Jessica.
"Yes, I like to laugh, but I think there are times for everything. And especially times when you have to be responsible. »
He smiles at me without saying a word and pulls my head to his shoulder. We stay there, without saying anything for long minutes. I'm fine and Edward also seems to be relaxed. When Esme calls me to come eat, he takes my hand to walk me to the kitchen, sits next to me and watches me eat. I don't ask him why he isn't eating and he doesn't try to fake a meal. I'm starting to like this compromise. When Alice and Edward lead me to the guest room, I gather my courage and ask them
"Uh…I'm sorry to ask you this, but I'm a little scared to sleep alone tonight." It's not the first time I've experienced an attack and like the last time I had nightmares for several days...
Wait, Edward interrupts me, it's not the first time.
That was in another life, I whisper.
I'll wait with you while Alice goes to sleep, Edward said.
I'm waiting for Jasper, Alice tells me. »
I nod and make Edward wait while I put on the pajamas Alice lent me. I slip under the sheets as Edward sits on the bedspread next to me. I turn to him and lay my head against his thigh. If he freezes for a moment, he's not pushing me away and I'm not looking for more contact. Gradually, I feel fatigue catching up with me and I fall into a restless sleep.