CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The Gathering Hall
Lauren reaches behind to grasp Charlotte's hand. Together they walk through the rows of benches towards the platform while cheers and gasps echo around the hall. Charlotte has put on the dress Bella refused to wear to her party. Her trim figure perfectly suits the design and pattern Renee now accepts as more suitable for a mature lady. Love and pride writ plain on Charlie and Renee's faces tells the three Elders that the Swans knew this was about to happen. Their sharp glances at each other make it plain they have no clue how to handle this situation. Five hundred years of lies are about to be exposed for what they are.
Charlie takes his mother's hand from Lauren to help her up the steps to the platform. An instant hush falls over the room. Those who can sit do. Mike notices that more of the able-bodied men have taken up positions along the sides of the room, specifically by the four exits. Without needing to confer, they have guessed there's a good chance the Elders and their men may attempt to turn this situation ugly. The people of Forks have decided that this meeting still has a long way to go and the twenty guards or whatever they are must not be allowed to interfere.
With one arm around his mother's shoulders, Charlie launches into the speech he had been mentally preparing since his mother appeared at the farmhouse door just over six hours earlier. Neither antagonistic nor conciliatory, only facts and truth would be spoken now. The line had been crossed. For Forks and Lympi there would be no turning back.
"Friends and neighbors, I'll try to make this short because I know from experience how hard those benches are. Also, my mother is tired from her journey and we have lots of catching up to do."
Laughter breaks the tension for a brief moment. Charlie continues.
"When I walked into this hall with Renee, I needed no further proof that the Elders lied to us about the Catchers. However, five minutes ago I saw more. Whatever is covering that man's eyes was not made in Lympi, but in a sophisticated society that my mother will confirm is situated on the other side of the fence. I will admit though that this Elder has told you one truth this afternoon. Our daughter, Isabella, has been colluding but not conspiring with a Catcher. Now before you get too excited about that, this Catcher is the same ... man ... who took my mother to a medical facility eleven years ago so she could receive treatment for her cancer. Jessica and Jack, your mom is in the same place right now receiving her treatment, and the Catchers will do their best to ensure you will see her again soon."
Charlie pauses to allow Jess and Jack a moment to hug one another. In the audience, their father covers his face with his hands while his neighbors pat him on the back. Charlie continues.
"Now, I'm unable to explain why the Catchers do what they do because I'm not clear on that myself, but I can assure you there is no reason for you to live in fear of them or anyone else anymore. The Elders are finished as our rulers. How we live and how we're governed will change from now on. Also, no one will stop you from crossing the border fence or the Wastelands, even though genuine hazards are there, but not the monsters we were warned about."
"How do you know this," a man shouts out.
"Because I've spoken with the Catcher myself. He delivered my mother to the farm this morning, about six hours after the Elders' men took Bella to the Compound."
The old man in the front row puts his hand up to speak.
"Charlotte, you remember me, don't you?"
Charlotte smiles at her late husband's uncle. "Yes, Daniel. I remember you. I'm glad you're looking so well after all this time."
"You too, my dear, you too. Now I guess your son will have a thousand questions for you tonight, but there's only one I want answering before you leave here, and that is what lies beyond the Wastelands?"
The three Elders glance at one another and nod their heads. Without speaking a word they head towards the nearest door.
"Oh no you don't," Samuel says as he blocks their way with arms outstretched. Without any instruction, every door is covered by the men of Forks standing at least two deep. "You three are staying here until we grant permission for you to leave. The boot is on the other foot now. The people of Forks are in charge."
"Now now, Samuel," Charlotte interrupts. "Let's keep this civil. There's plenty of time for that sort of talk."
Samuel steps back but only far enough to ensure the Elders are made to listen to what Charlotte has to say. After getting an approval nod from Charlie, Charlotte's strong voice rings out across the packed but silent hall.
"Beyond the Wastelands is … well … it's just the Old World, as simple as that. It's as though the catastrophe never happened in most respects. I've never wanted to visit the city. I can see it from my village and it looks scary. But I can assure you that the regular folks I've met from there are good, kind people as you are. The sky-high towers they live in look like they're made of glass. They have vehicles called airplanes that fly as high as a bird. My home has artificial light at the touch of a button. It stays warm without the need for a fire. There is little use for horses except for pleasure and sport because their vehicles don't need animals to pull them along. We have books dating back a thousand years and the same for music. I have everything you would think a person could need and I could tell you about a thousand more things they have, but I don't have time for that now. What they don't have though is what you people in Forks have in abundance but you probably don't realize it."
Charlotte stops and takes a deep breath. The crowd remains silent while they wait for Charlotte to speak again.
"Friends, Forks is a strong, caring, and supportive community, and that is worth far more than you could ever dream of. So before you start seeking an easier way of life that certainly can be had beyond that wretched fence, think long and hard about what you would be giving up if you abandoned Lympi and went east. I despised the Elders when I lived here. I felt trapped and restricted in Lympi. Beyond that fence, I guessed the Old World still existed, and it is there, I can assure you of that. But apart from modern conveniences including the amazing medical facilities that cured me, your life in Lympi, especially in Forks, is a hundred times better, more wholesome, and more caring than anything they have. I can assure you of that too."
Charlotte halts again. Emotions are starting to affect her voice. There's so much she wants to say ... that she's dreamt of saying if this moment was ever to happen. After a few deep breaths to calm herself she continues.
"Now I'm angry on your behalf because of why the Elders have forced you to live like you do, but what makes me the most angry is that we were brainwashed by the Elders to be terrified of monsters that don't exist and of the Catchers who do. The stories told to us were all lies. I can tell you now that entirely because of the skills of the Catchers there is still a world safe enough to live in after the catastrophe. Because of the intervention of one Catcher in particular, Lympi has had access to medicines that have cured you of all but the most serious ailments. "
"But why were we cut off from that world?" a woman calls out.
"I know why," Charlotte replies. "but maybe it's time for one of these Elders to tell you about the Experiment?"
All eyes turn toward the Elders who are shaking their heads.
'Come on. Speak up;' and other demands are shouted out. Anger and frustration are evident in their voices. Charlie suspects this could easily get out of control. He raises his hand. The chants decrease. He points to the Elder he came eye to fake eye with.
"It's your turn to speak, and you'd better not lie."
"I'm not going to lie," the Elder growls back. "But I'm not saying anything to this mob because I don't have the authorization to do so. Yes, the Old World still exists, and what your mother said is true. But why this community exists … you will not hear that from me. You may think you have the upper hand, Charlie Swan, but don't forget we have your daughter. So if you want to see her again, you had better get down from that platform, apologize to me and the other Elders here, and give some respect to the people who've looked after this community for the last five hundred years."
To the Elder's surprise, Charlie throws his head back and laughs. The audience appears stunned. Could Charlie be considering abandoning his daughter to the Elders? Only one cheer comes from the back. Jacob is on his feet punching the air. "Good," he shouts out. "Let her rot."
Renee nudges Charlie and points to the open doors closest to the platform. She has spotted that the guards are nowhere to be seen. A dog can be heard barking aggressively. There's shouting and cursing. Men on this side of the doors are peering out to see what's happening. When they realize what they are looking at, they instinctively back away. Fear of the unknown instilled since birth cannot be overridden by Charlotte or Charlie's platitudes. A Catcher is a Catcher and they are not yet ready to take a chance, even when the Catcher is holding the hand of Isabella Swan.
There's a collective gasp when Edward appears at the door with Bella and Jupiter. Even the Gang on the platform steps backward. But when Angela forces herself to look at Edward, she remembers what Bella said in the hall of Eric's house when she admitted she'd met a guy. Bella had said, 'Unfortunately he's a guy I can't have. Can I leave it like that for the moment?' Now Angela understands this is who she meant.
Seeing Edward and Bella walking in, the terror written on the Elders' faces is understandable. When they rode out from the Compound more than an hour previously, Isabella Swan was still being confined in a cold cell-like room with no comforts and minimal food. A formidable Vampire seeking revenge for the mistreatment of his girlfriend was a strong possibility. Without a flamethrower, they had no means of defense. He had got past their guards. He had managed to free the girl. All three are puzzled why they were not warned of her escape through their comms devices until they remember the signal was still down when they rode out.
Bella leaps up the steps onto the platform waving her arms at the frightened audience.
"Everybody, he's not going to hurt you, he's not going to hurt you."
And then she spots Jake standing at the back, staring at her with an expression of pure hatred. She turns to look at Edward whose own gaze is fixed on Jake. Edward throws Jupiter's leash to the old man in the front row, springs onto the stage without using the stairs, and pushes Bella into the arms of her father.
"Charlie, get Bella out of here. She's in grave danger, and not from the Elders. Whatever happens next, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have come here today. I've been an idiotic fool. Get her away from here, now!"
"What's happening," Bella screams.
People are on their feet. They've heard the Catcher say the word danger and witnessed Bella's distress and look towards Charlie for guidance but Edward shouts out to them instead.
"All of you run, and don't look behind you. Get out of the hall immediately and keep running as fast as you can."
There's a moment of hesitation before the people rush towards the exits, jamming them in their desperation to escape. Charlie throws a wriggling, cursing Bella over his shoulder while Renee helps Charlotte down the steps. Before they and many others including the Elders reach the doors though, a guttural roar emanates from the back of the hall. Terrified screams rip through the hall. Braver souls turn their heads to look. Those still inside are transfixed as they watch the boy they'd known as Billy Black's son, Jacob, transition into a snarling, slavering, gigantic wolf.
"Edward!" Bella screams as Charlie pushes his way towards the door. Before they escape into blinding daylight, she glimpses the final seconds of Jake's transformation. Without knowing she's leaving behind the man she loves to face the only creature on Earth that is more than a match for him, she screams his name repeatedly in despair.
"Holy shit," the chief Elder cries as he too runs for his life but is pushed back by furious residents. He's the last to get through the door, leaving Edward alone to face what caused their fear. But then Edward spots Billy behind an upturned bench. He's slumped on the floor with his back to the wall, tears rolling down his face. He's terrified, but his love for his son has compelled him to stay.
Edward calls out to the wolf hoping that the old legends are true and it can understand what he's saying.
"Jake, I know you can hear me. Bella is not your enemy. She hasn't made you like this. That was me. What you are is a Werewolf …"
The wolf's back arches. Its head drops almost to the floor. Unblinking eyes fix on Edward. Its constant growl changes pitch and volume. Edward prepares for an attack by also crouching low. He has no doubts that there's less than a fifty-fifty chance he'll survive this. Those odds would be slashed if Jake was an experienced, mature wolf. He tries once more to placate him.
"Jake, I can help you, but if you attack me I'll have to kill you, and I don't want to do that. You are your father's only child. He doesn't deserve this."
The wolf's head slowly turns towards Billy. The growls become louder. Pools of saliva slide across the polished floor. The stench reaches Edward which makes him gag.
The wolf's head whips around.
The decision has been made.
In one huge bound, the wolf lands the full weight of its belly on Edward who crashes onto his back. Using every ounce of strength in his arms and legs, Edward thrusts at the wolf's torso which propels it into the roof beams smashing several, before it crashes halfway down the hall flattening rows of benches. Once upright, it leaps again in Edward's direction but misses, instead tearing up the wooden floor and sliding heavily into the platform which disintegrates into shards of oak. The polished and saliva-soaked floor has worked in Edward's favor as the wolf's paws cannot grip. Again it charges at Edward but slides uncontrollably towards the side wall smashing every bench in its path. Edward dives out of the way of its snapping jaws just in time, like a bullfighter would do when that was a sport.
The wolf staggers to its feet and crouches ready to pounce again when part of the roof collapses onto its head and back. Unscathed, it shakes the debris away and prepares another attack. Edward flies from one end of the hall to the other to position himself in front of the wrecked platform. Jake is acquiring more experience with each leap, so Edward guesses he'll only get one more chance to kill or disable him. Standing in this spot might give him that chance if his idea works. If not, he'll be dead in the next few seconds.
The wolf roars at Edward and crouches again. Billy is on his feet screaming, "Jacob, no." It pulls back on its haunches, roars again then leaps at Edward. Edward dives forward, head-first onto the saliva-covered floor to slide under the leaping wolf and wait for the inevitable impact. The wolf flies over the top of him, his jaws missing Edward's head by inches. But instead of landing on Edward, it impales itself on two shards of splintered oak protruding from the remains of the platform that Edward had shielded with his body.
As the wolf writhes in agony, Edward watches in relief and horror as it slowly transforms into Jake again. At first glance, the wood has penetrated Jake's torso close to his hip and has ripped through his right leg exposing the muscle. Jake moans his father's name twice before passing out. Billy rushes to his son's side and collapses over him in grief.
"He's alive, Billy," Edward says as he leaps up from the floor, his clothes now covered in stinking saliva. "I'll go fetch Doctor Newton. You stay with Jacob until he gets here."
Edward staggers from the wrecked hall into strong sunlight which he genuinely believed he would never see again. His whole body is shaking uncontrollably and he gags constantly due to his clothes reeking of Werewolf. His first thoughts are of Bella and where she would be now. Whatever, he'd made a promise to Billy so Michael Newton must be his first call.
While Edward runs at a human pace toward the doctor's house, disposing of his jacket along the way, he contemplates that this was the nearest he'd come to oblivion since the day Carlisle saved him back in 1918. How ironic would it have been for him to die now when he'd finally found what he'd been searching a thousand years for? Seeing the last of the Elders' horses disappearing into the distance reminds him that his trauma isn't over yet. Tackling a Werewolf is one thing. Fighting an obstinate, uncompromising government in Seattle will be another.
Bella
Charlie doesn't put me down until we reach Mike's house which lies closer to the hall than our farmhouse. He stayed silent during the whole hurried journey despite my protestations and embarrassment at being carried like a naughty child. I can tell how shocked he is when he sets me down. His face is colorless. Mom ran beside us the whole time and didn't utter a word either.
Mike and Tyler carried Gran between them until they were far enough away from the hall to put her on Lauren's cart. Jess and the others collected their horses and rode them back to Mike's. Aunt Carol took charge of Jupiter who only stopped growling once he was indoors. Every person who rushed away from the hall, including the Elders and their guards, whether on foot, leading a horse, or on horseback, heard the howls and roars emanating from the monster until the moment they finally ceased. The silence was doubly ominous because that meant the fight was over. Who had survived, my enemy or my love?
Indoors, Charlie holds me by my shoulders while he lectures me on what I can and cannot do. The panic in his voice is evident. I want to cry, but need to believe that Edward will come through this. Contemplating any other outcome is too much to bear.
"Bella, we stay here until we get word from Edward. What's happening in that hall is not for the likes of us. I can tell you care for Edward, but that won't help him or us right now."
I nod in agreement even though I'm desperate to run back. There's no point though. Dad would send Mike and Eric after me. I wouldn't get further than a hundred yards away. Reluctantly, I sit on the couch next to Mike who has his arm around Jess. Jupiter trots over and lays his head on my lap. He hasn't stopped whimpering since we got in. He'd never seen a real wolf, let alone one ten times the size.
"You and I have a lot of talking to do," Mike announces flatly. I can't tell whether he's pissed or curious. He has every right to be both. What must have been going through his mind when he spotted me holding hands with Edward? I have no idea what was said in the hall before we made our entrance, but nobody was expecting a Catcher to show up as if it was a normal thing to do.
"Yeah, I know," I reply. "I'm really sorry, Mike, but I had to keep quiet about Edward. You must understand that?"
"Not really, but that's in the past now. How long have you known him?"
"Since my birthday. I met Edward on the beach in the afternoon, but he admitted he'd watched me for a long while before that. I haven't spent much time alone with him, Mike, but I know he's the man for me."
Mike snorts whether in shock or derision.
"Man? Is Edward a man in the usual sense of the word, Bella? He has a head, two arms, and two legs, but that's where the similarities end. Explain the sparkly skin. I saw it when he was still outside?"
"You noticed?"
"Impossible not to."
"He's not human, Mike … he's … err … supernatural, and before you ask, supernatural is something unexplainable by natural law or phenomena. I think that's how he described himself. Outside the accepted order. An abnormal being. I guess Jake would fall into that category now."
"What the fuck was going on there, Bella. Did you watch him transform?"
"I didn't see it happen until the last few seconds. My head was dangling down Charlie's back at the time. I saw what he'd turned into which is why I'm terrified for Edward. Poor Billy, he must be petrified."
"I didn't hang around to see whether Billy got out. Shit, that was scary. What did Edward say to Charlie?"
"He just told him he was sorry for bringing me there. That was before Jake changed though. Edward must have known what was about to happen. I don't know how, but then I don't know really what he is."
"Hasn't he told you?"
"Sort of. His kind are called Vampires. They were considered dangerous to humans many years ago, but Edward's family are allowed to live in the city with regular folks now, so they can't be too dangerous."
"His family?"
"Edward's sister, Alice, took Jess's mom."
Jess raises her head off the couch to look at me.
"So you knew Mom was safe all this time?"
"Not all the time, Jess. Only in the last few days. If I'd told you I knew for definite, you would've demanded to know how. I knew it would only be a short time before I could tell you about Edward and that's why I agreed to keep quiet. I couldn't even tell Charlie and Mom that Gran was alive until three nights ago. I hope you'll forgive me."
Jess doesn't reply. She just sinks back onto the couch and places her head on Mike's shoulder.
A knock on the door silences all conversation. Uncle Michael appears from the kitchen and looks for agreement to open the door.
"Wolves don't generally knock," I say as I get to my feet. Mike and Jess stand too, then Angela, Eric, and Lauren. Aunt Carol, Mom, and Gran hang back in the kitchen while Charlie goes to stand next to Michael.
The heavy oak door opens. Edward is on the step, his face glittering like a starry night. I rush toward him but Edward puts his hands out to stop me. For a fleeting moment I'm shocked, but then I spot that his shirt and pants are covered in slime.
"Don't ask," Edward says as he enters and turns immediately to face Uncle Michael.
"Doctor Newton, Jake has been badly injured. I don't know if there's much you can do for him but can you at least attend for Billy's sake? Jake won't transition again if I'm not there so you'll be quite safe."
Michael glances at Carol who nods her consent. After grabbing his medical bag from a closet by the door he takes off for the hall on horseback.
Mike has come over to stand next to me. He proffers his hand to Edward who wipes his right hand on a clean piece of shirt before they shake. "Mike Newton, pleased to meet you at last."
"Likewise," Edward says and smiles. "You have no idea how long I've been envious of you."
"Me … why?"
"Because of your closeness to Bella. I want to thank you for being such a good friend to her while she was growing up."
"My pleasure and I hope our friendship continues after all this is sorted."
"I do too because I have no intention of taking her away from Forks, her friends, or her family. All I want is for Bella to be free to do whatever she wants with her life. Whether I'm part of that is up to her. Now I need to clean up. Would you mind if I use your bathroom?"
"What is that stuff?"
"Wolf saliva. The smell is revolting. What remains of the hall is covered in it."
Aunt Carol guides Edward towards the bathroom. "You can wash up in here, dear," she says as though she's known Edward for years. "I'll throw in some more towels and some spare clothes of Michael's. Take your time."
Mike examines his hand when Edward heads for the bathroom. "He's freezing," he says to me. "Is that part of the … you know … Vampire thing?"
"Yep, and he can run very fast and he's over a thousand years old."
If jaws dropping made a sound, the noise would be deafening. Mike propels me back to the couch where he makes me spill everything I know about Edward which doesn't take long. I'm about to relate Edward's story about the meteorite when he returns to the room carrying his ruined clothes.
"I could hear you talking about me, Bella. That's okay now. Is there anything you guys want to ask me before we go?"
"How is our mom," Jack asks.
"Honestly, I don't know. She has a blood disorder called leukaemia for which there are great treatments available. She should recover and feel fine in a few months but will have follow-up treatment for at least two more years, maybe more. Be patient, Jack. Just hang on to the knowledge that you will see her again very soon."
"What will happen to the Elders," Eric asks. "We don't need them now but I guess they're not going to give up a good thing without a fight. They've been living off us for years."
Edward ponders his answer. "I genuinely don't know but I suspect they'll abandon the Compound and return to the city. The game is up now. You guys have taken control of your destiny. There's no point in keeping you cut off from society any longer and you can survive quite well without them."
"Why did they do this to us in the first place," Angela asks.
"To prove a point and to end an argument. Look … before the catastrophe happened there was this thing called religion. It can be wonderful because it gives folks comfort, but ... it can also be divisive. When I've got time I'll tell you more, but in brief, this community was set up to prove that people don't need religion to be happy and content. It seems you are proving that, but five hundred years isn't enough to achieve a fair result. Now if you want to discover more about religion, I suggest you ask Bella's gran because I have somewhere I need to be, and Bella is coming too."
Edward pulls me off the sofa and guides me into the kitchen where all the parents and Gran are seated around the table.
"Charlie and Renee," Edward says very politely. "Would you mind if I borrow your daughter for a while? She'll be safe with me I assure you."
"Where are you taking her," Charlie says.
"Seattle, Charlie … I'd like to take Bella there to meet my folks."
So the Elders have seen Jake transform, which will get back to their bosses in Seattle as soon as the mast is fixed.
The drama isn't over yet. Bella is about to go on the trip she's always dreamed of and hopes there'll be a genuine welcome from Edward's family when she arrives. What do you think?
Joan x