Heavy Hearts | Quil Ateara [3]

epilogue

Running, running, running, running. Why was she running? She couldn't remember even leaving her home but she was running.

Twigs and rocks alike dug into the bare skin of her feet, trees scratch at her as she ran passed - the sound of her feet echoing against the earth blaring in rivalry to the sound of her heaet beating steady in her ears.

Running, running, running. She reached out to the trunks of, the bark cutting into her hands as she used it to project herself forward.

There was a deep pull in her chest, an instinctual guiding that told her she needed to get there now - where ever there actually was.

Andy couldn't where she was going, only that the trees that loomed over her and the darkness they cast was not frightening as it use to be. Tucked deep withing the trees she felt a rooted sense of comfort and safety.

Pumping her legs faster, she forced herself to feets she did not think herself possible as she launched herself over laege roots and climbed over fallen logs with a swiftness that should have been impossible to her.

And then she stopped, stumbling her way into a wide clearing and tall dry grass that tickled her exposed knees.

She glanced down, taking in the thin, nearly see through dress that showed cut just above her knee, swishing in a mix of fabric that reminded her something out of the ballet. Arms bare and straps spaghetti thin, her hair hung around her face in distinct wet strands.

Raking a hand through her hair, Andy moved to the middle of the clearing and glanced up at the open sky that was nothing but swollen bruised clouds that were tinges with purples and blues.

The first drop of rain landed against her nose, cold as it slid from her face. She didn't move as it began to rain harder. The water weighing down the white dress that began to cling to her.

She reached a hand up, shielding her face as she looked around the space - expecting something to happen.

It came in blurs that weaved in and out of the trees. Silver, brown and tawny that raced around her. She recognized them - Lynn, Leah and Seth - as they circled her.

And stepping from the trees was Jacob, tall and red paint smeared across his chest and cheeks.

Andy moved towards him, the air charging as the space closed. She lifted her hand, hesitating her palm in the space between them as he mimicked the action. 

Their palms connected, a burst of energy sending her hair flying behind her and the rain stopped.

A wolf howled in the distance.

Jerking awake from the sensation of falling, Andy was disoriented as she found herself sprawled on the floor -papers that she could remember looking over with Alice scattered around her.

She was in the Cullen home, in Alice's bedroom with no one around for her to see.

There was an ache in her chest, a hollowing feeling that had her lurching forward - scrambling to her feet and dashing from the room and down the stairs.

She didn't say anything as she passed curious faces, sprinting out the door and into the rain.

There was a call, a deep, pleading call that drove her onwards and into the forest at a frantic pace. It seized her, spreading through her lungs, corrupting, and troubling her mind with a tormented cry. She ran, ripping through bushes and branches, leaping roots and rocks, dodging large trees - she ran.

It was so much like her strange dream, the dream of chasing after some silent trail that only she could see, a silent whisper that only she could hear.

It echoed in her ears and hollowed her veins. The feeling of agony and loss colliding together and turning into what was a clear guidance for Andy to follow.

Coming to the stream that worked as a treaty line, Andy skid to a stop, slowing herself down long emoigh for her to skid along the back and into the quickly following water. It took the entirety of her strength to keep herself firm and to move forward but she did so without a thought before she scalled the opposite end and used protruding rocks to pull herself up.

Dirty and muddy, she didn't stop once she was on the other side and continued to push herself forward - following her instincts like a compasses pointed her true north.

Her hair snagged, clothes pulling, she continued onward until she was breaking into the downfall among the homes of the Quileute's, chest rising in deep puffs as she narrowed her gaze - head swiveling when the call came from the direction of the Black house and she was running again.

Andy caught sight of Jacob's retreating figure as he ran into the forest behind his house, his form shaking. She went after him, passing a bewildered Billy as she disappeared after his son.

She pushed at the branches that caught at her, snaking her way toward the shifter.

She didn't feel the shift but some part of her knew that it happened, that he was moving further and further away from her.

Luck was on her side as a blur of gray shot past her and after the brown wolf - slowing him enough for her to speed up significantly. Another blur and sje felt her heart speed up at the sight of Quil close behind them.

"Jacob!" She screamed, climbing over a large tree and sliding down the other side. "Jacob!"

Andy ran faster, muscles burning in protest but every part of her shrieked the importance of catching up to him, that she needed to get to him.

"No! No, Jacob!" Andy cried.

She burst through a bush, arms coming up to shield her face as twigs and trees scrath at her.

There was a small clearing, the wolves no where in sight, and she waited - listening for the thrum that guided her. Her head snapped to the side, body automatically turning towards the small signs of distraction.

She was halfway there, so close that her fingers brushed against the leaves, when arms snaked around her waist and pulled her back.

Colliding with a hard chest she struggled, thrashing around in their hold as she fought to go after them.

"Andy! Ands!" Quil, her mind snapped, the haze that took hold of her thoughts fading away to confusion.

Sore, irreparably sore and tired, she could not understand the way she wished to continue her chase - a distinct sensation of having missed out on some important mark.

"Jacob, he - I need, I needed to get to him," she sunk into him, muscles betraying her.

"Did you run all the way out here?" He asked incredulously, lifting her off the ground. "Where were you? What are you wearing?"

Andy glanced down at herself, blood chilling at the sight of the white dress from her dream. She couldn't recall owning a dress like this.

"The Cullen's. I needed to get to him, there was this, this -" she gestured vaguely at her chest -"pulling that drove me here."

Quil began to walk back, his heat awakening her skin and causing her to shiver with a cold that she didn't know held her.

"Andy, did you run here all the way from the Cullen's place?" Quil asked, the seriousness of his tone not registering with her.

Andy's eyes fluttered behind him, over his shoulder to the small path of destruction that whispered for her to follow, a string like essence that pointed her directly to where Jacob was.

"There was something so important . . . " Andy whispered breathlessly.  "Oh Quil, there was something so important that I needed to do."

***

Vote,
Comment,
& follow me on wattpad

Until we meet again, thanks to all the wonderful people that stuck with this story till the end! I appreciate and love every single one of you! I hope to see you all at the next book!

À la prochaine!

Unedited

2018-03-04