Bella
POV
I
wish I knew the date. Normally, I would wake up to hear Charlie
watching the sport, his feet resting on my bed, leaning back in the
chair as it creaks under the weight. He’d flick through the
channels in the breaks, chewing the cold remains of the pizza he’d
bought, as I listened, waiting as he paused between the news channels
during the breaks.
It
was an irritating routine of his back home, eventually I’d take the
remote when it was on the reports near Forks, turn the volume up and
go back to the kitchen and continue with dinner. I never saw the
point in listening to other news reports, until I met the Cullens.
Sometimes, when Charlie was out fishing, I would flick through until
I found the US News and wait. My ears would prick at the sound of
‘suspicious circumstances’ and I would dart through to see the
location. It was a habit I’d picked up with them; Carlisle checked
the local murders and deaths each day, making sure everything was
ordinary; human.
After
he…
they
left, I carried on listening, widening my search to the East coast,
Mexico and even Canada. I tried to kid myself it was for the right
reasons – identifying the abnormalities in abductions, checking for
unusual deaths, but I always knew why I kept looking. After they left
it was my only connection to them, to him.
I had a piece of their existence, something to remind me of them, to
tell me that they’re still out there and that they were, hopefully,
watching out for me in Forks. My guardian angels...
However,
today was the exception – apart from a woman, who had vacuumed the
floor, mumbling about some soil near my bed, I was alone. Maggie had
left on Wednesday, packed up and went as soon as the doctors let her
go, so the bed next to me was bare. I had become accustomed to
hearing the rustle of events behind the curtain, listening to her
soft voice as she talked to George about their daughter. She was
about my age, Maggie had told Edward, and we should be good friends
when I wake up - if I wake up, he’d corrected.
From
the uncertainty in his voice, you’d think I was already dead.
Jacob
POV
It’s
so hard to get rid of them, when they’re in your head all the time.
They’re chasing me now, but I can’t face them yet. I shouldn’t
have let my guard down – two weeks of selective thoughts and I slip
up tonight. I wish they’d just let it go, it was a mistake and I of
all people know that it should never have happened.
Jake!
How could you be so stupid? Sam
calls.
Yeah,
seriously dude, Bella?
Jared questions.
Damn,
Jake, she’s in a coma!
Embry yells.
I
think of all the machines and wires, the charts, the disinfectant.
It’s still hard to picture Bells in the centre of it, looking so
pale and fragile. What was I thinking?
At
least she was unconscious. Paul
and Jared laugh.
What
were you thinking, Jake? Embry
asks accusingly. I can almost feel their eyes boring into me, judging
me for that stupid mistake.
I,
I can explain.
I say, skidding in the dirt.
You
wanted to be prince charming, Jake?
Paul sniggers.
Yeah,
the magic kiss wakes your princess?
Jared adds, laughing.
Dude,
isn’t she the bloodsucker’s girl?
Embry says.
Hey,
you’ve basically kissed that bloodsucker! Paul
shouts, his laugh echoing in the trees.
Jared
pictures me and that thing
and I skid to a halt, glaring menacingly at Paul.
Shut
up
Paul! You’ve got no idea!!
I turn to him, shaking with fury.
It
didn’t change, did it Jake? Your fairytale ending’s failed,
hasn’t it? Jared
snorts.
Leave
him. Sam
says.
I
wouldn’t want to stay with that thing
anyway.
Jared
spits.
Yeah,
it’s disgusting. Paul
declares, glaring at me.
You
better have a good explanation for this Jacob.
Sam commands, turning around.
The
others follow Sam as I watch helplessly, torn between following.
Embry’s last glance on the horizon almost makes me burst into
tears. Almost...
Edward
POV
He
hasn’t left your side, has barely touched his food, bless him.
I meet her teary gaze as her eyes search my face and she sighs,
returning her stare to her silent daughter. I clench my mouth in envy
as tears drip from her moist cheeks. It does not take many visitors
to remind me that I cannot cry. I continue scrutinizing the chart in
my hands as Renee wipes her sodden cheeks with the back of her
sleeve.
I’ve still
got your hand, honey, do you know? She
pleads desperately.
I’ve been waiting for you to squeeze it back, to show me you’re
still there, that you’re listening to me.
She
coughs, as if to speak, but her mouth runs dry and words are replaced
with trembling breaths caught in her throat.
‘Sorry’
she mouths, stumbling from the room to embrace Phil, leaning
awkwardly at the doorway. I clench my mouth, throat blazing as their
intoxicating scents combine delectably on my tongue.
“Make
sure he eats something,” Renee mumbles, head resting on Phil’s
shoulder as Alice glides through the room. I gesture towards the
chart as she perches on the bed, studying my face. I hear Phil
shuffle with Renee into the corridor and inhale deeply.
“You
can’t stay with her fore-” Alice begins. I interrupt by throwing
the chart at her.
“There
is a confusing decrease in her vitals with no logical explanation.”
“She’s
been on new medication recently,” Alice smiles encouragingly. “Only
Bella could manage to baffle the doctors in her sleep.” She’ll
wake up soon, Edward.
But
of course, she is not asleep, for in her sweet slumber the soft call
of her voice would break through the sheets. Through these countless
nights, the stillness of her dreaming still slashes at my bleeding
mind. I want to
join you; my darling, I will follow you into the darkness. You will
not be alone.
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