ｂｒｅａｔｈｅ．{ʀ. ʜᴀʟᴇ}

27 | from the forest

⸺AT FIRST I WAS frozen in fear. The wolves, about as big as horses, were still, waiting for someone to move. I didn't expect it at all when Laurent was the one to bolt away across the field. 

The wolves run past us, chasing after Laurent. They start fighting, Laurent frantically slapping and punching the wolves, and the wolves biting Laurent. We don't stay to find out who will win.

Bella grabs my hand and pulls me out of the meadow, running towards home. I stumble, trying to catch my breath, but I kept running. My face was getting redder, and I was feeling lightheaded as we finally passed through the treeline into our backyard.

At first the burning in my lungs felt faint, but I could barely breathe as I crumpled to the ground just outside of the door. My legs could no longer work, and my lungs felt as if they wanted to give up on me.

"Andie?" Bella turned around. "Oh my God." She crouched on the ground beside me, placing her hands on my shoulders. "Andie. Andie, look at me."

I fell on my back, and felt Bella's arms leave my shoulders. I heard the door swing open and Bella screaming, "Dad! Help me!" before the world became dark and I slipped out of consciousness. 

.

I woke up to the smell of the hospital, and the blindingly white walls and lights. I sighed, rubbing my aching head and sitting up slowly. Pushing the nurse's call button, I try to remember the events that got me here. The woods, The meadow, Laurent, The wolves... I tried to make sense of the blurred memories, but I wasn't able to sort through them as the nurse came in.

It was Katie. She must've know I was here. She's been my favorite nurse ever since I've gotten to Forks, and now works with my new doctor instead of Carlisle, Dr. Carter.

"Long time, no see." She smiled as she picked up my patient chart. Her curly black hair was pulled into a loose ponytail. "Why'd you have to go and pass out on Forks, hmm? The town isn't that boring."

I roll my eyes as she takes off the oxygen mask I'd been wearing and hands me my oxygen tube. "I saw someone asleep at the town hall meeting dad called about the stuff happening in the woods. Everyone here is bored. How much did I miss?"

"Not much, you were only out for a few hours. It's about 9." She writes something down on the chart, and places it back down. 

I groan. "Do I have to stay the night?"

She shrugs. "It's up to your dad. You want vistors right now? Or do you want to sleep for a little while?"

I literally yawned, as I said, "Visitors. Is Bella here?"

"I'll go get them." Katie rolls her eyes.

"Oh! And please can I have some Jello?" I call after her, hoping she hears me. 

Bella and dad came in a while later, both looking tired. Bella gave me a long hug, whispering that she was sorry. When she finally pulled away, dad then gave me a long hug. He later looked at both of us, saying, "You are both in trouble. I told you not to go in the woods. It's dangerous, you know that."

"It's my fault." Bella quickly piped up. "I dragged her out to the woods because I wanted some air, and she got winded once we came home. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done it."

Charlie sighs, shaking his head. "Well then you're in trouble."

"Do I have to stay the night?" I ask. "Can't I just go home?"

He looks me dead in the eye. "Can I trust you to make sure Bella doesn't do something stupid again?"

I start laughing, so hard my stomach hurts. "I promise."

.

When I'm home, Bella sits me down, and tells me about how she visited Jacob before she met me at the hospital. 

"His hair is buzzed, and he has a tattoo... He just looks so different. He's changed. Sam has gotten to him..." She trailed off, staring into space. I could tell what was happening. I was gonna lose her again.

"Gotten to him?" I ask. I know Sam Uley, but I didn't know what Bella soon told me. That he basically ran a cult of teenage boys, cutting the off from their friends who weren't in the group.

"He told me we couldn't be friends anymore." Bella sniffed. "I just wonder what he did to him."

I pause. A wave of worry and uncertainty washes through me as I have the thought, "What if we go back to La Push tomorrow?" I tell her. "Nobody but us, and we'll wait all day if we have to to see Sam and ask him what he's been doing. Confront the problem head on."

Bella's already shaking her head, "What if they hurt us? Or get angry? What if Jacob just starts to hate me even more than he already does?"

Laughing a little, I roll my eyes. "Please, being the police chief's daughter and  having cystic fibrosis? I'd like to see them try. And, Jacob doesn't hate you." I look her in the eyes. "If what you're telling me is true, than what if he's trapped... or even in danger?"

.

oh hi. 

i've been gone for almost a month and maybe more... i'm super sorry! i know how much y'all love this story and how invested you are, and i thank you for that and sorry for making you wait for so long!

school just started and it is KICKING MY ASS. literally it sucks we just need to get rid of school and bullies and mean people in the hallways. i hope we can all agree on that. 

anyway, this chapter is a little short but i'm gonna try and start writing more soon!

love, 

Lola