CHAPTER TWENTY ONE
ᴇsᴄᴀᴘᴇ
"I think I missed out on my eternal patience when I became an immortal."
I felt Alice's shoulders shake with laughter from where my head was leaning back against her arm, my legs stretching across the rest of the settee. The sound of her soft chuckle filled the room, covering the sound of her scribbles against the smudged paper. Across the room, Jasper smiled slightly, eye sight never moving from where it was trained on the small gap in the blinds.
We were still pulling back around from Bella's outburst earlier that morning after Alice's last vision of a house, of which Bella'd recognised as her mother's. She'd been in tears, sobbing as she glared between us. Even for me, time seemed to tick by slowly. The image of her distraught, still stuck.
"I can't win, Alice. You can't guard everyone I know forever. Don't you see what he's doing? He's not tracking me at all. He'll find someone, he'll hurt some one I love. Alice, I can't- " she'd said.
Alice's voice pulled me back to the present. "How's that?"
"You've been sitting for hours drawing the same things and all the while I've done nothing but watch," I said, sighing and sitting up to look at the picture.
She wasn't the best artist, but it was clear enough what she'd drawn. It was the dance studio, just as Bella had said. There were now piles of the same charcoal images at the edge of the coffee table, each one having a minor detail added. Alice was obsessed, but at least I'd become more comfortable with them all.
The room has dimmed significantly, almost pitch black in the corners where the light of the lamp didn't reach. Even from beneath the blinds that Jasper peered through, little light could stretch. Neither of us had bothered to stand to switch the lights on when the sun had begun to hide from the night. There was something about the darkness of night that was comforting, even after a full day of nothing but gloominess thanks to the thick curtains.
"You've kept me company," Alice said, her shoulders shrugging.
I took the paper from her hands, smiling at the added swirls she'd drawn absentmindedly in the corners. "Well, I'm honoured to have the most important job."
I paused, eyebrows creasing. "Do you think it actually is Bella's old dance studio?"
"I couldn't imagine it being anything else."
I nodded, going back to gazing around the room, watching as Jasper stiffened, his eyes shooting our way. From beside me, Alice's stature became rigid, back straightening as she stared forward.
Another vision.
I could see so much, yet so little in Alice's eyes. I saw deep rolling hills of golden sands, the dazzling of topaz on a sunny day and the dark sliding of charcoal powder shimmering against metal on those nights where she was overcome with feeling. I saw them blank, suddenly still and emotionless. But I would never see the struggling of her visions, nor the look of my own face as I stared at her. I often wondered what she saw- was I gaping and conflicted, or was I cool? I supposed neither.
Even after centuries, I still remembered what my mother had always said in that broad, northern accent that I'd come to miss: 'a face like a slapped arse'- a constant look of disappointment in politer terms. But I could never be disappointed with Alice, I'd sharply learned. Seeing her face contort into something frightened made my stomach lurch in some strange and unnatural way. I let her grip my arm. Jasper was in front of us in a split second, kneeling and letting the vision pass.
Alice's face crippled, her fingers curling against the table as she leaned over it, almost as if she was in pain. I helped her up, letting her stagger against my hold until she crashed into it completely. Gaping with surprise, I glanced down at the small girl that was tucked into my side. I let my arms fold over her shoulders, pulling her closer as she squeezed her eyes shut.
"What is it?" I whispered, prying her fingers from my top.
"Bella," she gasped, head turning back to my shoulder.
I glanced to Jasper, but he was already looking at Bella, who'd appeared in the doorway, eyes wide. Alice's eyes flashed up, locking onto her.
"I'm right here," she said. "What did you see?"
Alice was staring at her sharply, Jasper's eyes flickering cautiously between the two... And then she straightened abruptly, shoulders calming as she smiled slightly. I suspected Jasper had something to do with it, but Alice was a calm creature and she wasn't through with surprising.
"Nothing really, just the same room as before," she said lightly. "Did you want breakfast?"
Bella shook her head, eyes narrowing. "No, I'll eat at the airport."
"Edward will keep you safe. Alice and I are going to look after your mother," Jasper said, but his words didn't seem to have the same effect as his powers did.
"I know," she said, biting her lip.
Bella left the room anxiously. We could all feel it- Alice's strange, unsettled want to have her out of the room. It made everything tense, until she finally did, leaving Alice to deflate, dropping smoothly to the seat. I followed, sitting beside her.
"You and Jasper will stay?" I asked. We'd talked about it before.
Alice cringed. "Yes. Someone has to."
"But not me?"
"Elide..." she trailed off, eyes downcast to the floor.
"It's fine."
"We need more people with her than we do over here," she explained.
"I understand," I nodded, because I did understand. There was something about the way she looked up, wanting me to be understanding and content, that made me feel warm.
"I trust you."
I looked up at her through lowered lashes. "But who will keep you company?"
She slumped back, her mouth opening slightly. "Jasper is good company."
"As good as me?"
I let my eyes blink away rapidly, glancing to Jasper who'd gone back to his place by the window. And I wondered if she'd meant the same as I in those veiled comments. But who will keep me company? Even I didn't know what I meant by those tricky words. Jasper is good company. Did that mean what it could?
It didn't matter.
Alice frowned, obviously taken by my meaningless comments. "Don't make me choose between family and..."
"Alice?"
She was cut off by Jasper, his head turned and eyebrows raised, but eyes as hard and serious as they had been the whole time. Before she could say a word more, I stood hastily, swiping the keys from the table and leaving to get the car ready by the front of the hotel.
Jasper drove again. It was dark by the time we set off toward the airport in silence, Alice taking up the passenger seat and Bella and I in the back. Alice faced out toward the window, her head leaning back against the glass, but from behind her tinted sunglasses, I could see her wide eyes flickering back. Toward Bella and me.
The content of her vision still hadn't been shared, and it worried me. Bella was fidgeting, no matter how much Jasper wordlessly tried to calm her down. It stayed like that, until she broke the air of silence.
"How does it work? The things that you see?" She asked, glancing out of the window and acting indifferently. "Edward said it wasn't definite... that things change?" She stuttered through his name, lips catching, and a new wave of tranquility washed through the car.
"Yes, things change..." she said. Dragging out a pause that I took as hopefulness for the last vision. "Some things are more certain than others. Like the weather. People are harder. I only see the course they're on while they're on it. Once they change their minds, make a new decision, no matter how small, the future shifts."
"So you couldn't see James in Phoenix until he decided to come here."
"Yes," she said, suddenly frowning again.
We got to the airport quickly. It seemed that all the Cullen's had the reckless ability to drive at unbelievable speeds without it feeling like a rollercoaster. Bella lead us from the fourth floor of the parking tower toward the terminal where we'd meet Edward and the rest of his family- for once, she was more knowledgeable of our surroundings.
The fourth terminal was busy, with people pushing against the natural flow of pedestrians as we hurried toward the front in search of a seat. We still had half an hour until they would land, and crowds were piling in by the minute. The harsh glare of the false lights didn't help with the stress, as each time I turned, it seemed as if the image of the hunter flashed before me, obscured somewhere within the hoards of people.
Alice stopped in front of a board of departing flights. New York, Chicago, Atlanta... they managed to find disadvantages for each.
"New York may be an option. It's busy. Surely it would be harder to track her in the big city?" I said.
"He'll track her anywhere we go straight. We need somewhere with a layover, it'll confuse him for a little while longer."
After that, we sat in a long metal bench by the edge of the bag checks. It was central enough that we could see everything that we needed to, and though I spent my time watching the exits and everything in between, the watchful and cautious glances that Alice sent toward Bella were hard to miss.
"My letter," Bella said, placing a whit envelope on top of Alice's black bag. She nodded, zipping it back up.
The time between sitting and Edward's arrival seemed to drag out impossibly. Bella's knee shook, Alice's eyes darted each way, and even Jasper couldn't seem to concentrate enough to calm them down.
"I think I'll eat now," Bella said quickly.
"I'll come with you," Alice said, standing.
"Do you mind if Jasper comes instead? I'm feeling a little..." She didn't finish the sentence. Alice nodded, watching as they left.
"That was strange," she commented, still staring after them.
"This whole thing is strange," I said, groaning. "What did you see? You saw Bella, but what will she do?"
Alice shook her head, staying quiet.
"Come on, Alice. You say you trust me? Then let me help," I said.
Her head snapped toward me, eyes glaring as her hand clutched my wrist. "It's not just Bella that I see," she snapped. Then she frowned, eyebrows furrowing almost as if she was confused. "I saw you- I saw you..."
"Saw me what?"
"I can't say it."
From across the vast room, something caught my eye. Someone was running, dark hair flowing in a dark swathe behind. It was Bella, and for a moment, fear bubbled in my chest, expecting to see the prowling glare of James on her tail. But Bella wasn't running from something- she was running for something.
"Bella," I gasped.
Alice shook her head, still thinking about her vision. "It can't be true."
I took her hand in mine, yanking in onto her feet. "No, come on, she's making a runner!"
We skipped around the crowds, keeping our pace as believable as possible, but Bella was already too far ahead. Jasper met us half way, balance moving from one foot to the other as if on springs. Even to my own ears, the sound of our pounding feet didn't reach, drowning under the shouts of the humans as we shoved through, carving a path toward the door she'd left through.
"Bella!"
She didn't turn. With a last sudden burst of Olympic speed, we cut through the corner, skidding to a stop as Bella jumped onto a coach across the car park, curling over and rasping out a heavy breath as the hissing doors closed like a trap behind her.
"No!"
I sprinted but Alice lunged forward, catching my wrist in her hands and tugging me back.
"Stop," she shouted. "We can't just run after it."
I sighed, turning away from the direction of the bus. "You're right."
"What do we do?" I sighed. "How did we let this happen?"
My face must have been distraught, as she reached up, smoothing her fingers over the harsh edges of my lips and cheeks, as if she was modelling clay. I could feel my shoulders relaxing too- Jasper's help no doubt.
"Calm down," she whispered.
I really had lost my eternal patience.
"Come on," she said, leading us in the direction of the car.
Her hand was still in mine, dragging me behind, as if she was scared I would bolt the other way the second she let go. They were delicate, far too elegant for someone her age. My own fingers interlocked safely with hers, and I felt myself settle, following along placidly.
"Do we phone Edward?" I asked when we reached the car, sliding into the back and sitting in the middle seat. My hand felt weird without her touch.
Alice was driving this time, her foot already clamped down on the pedal, speeding us out of the airport car park. Jasper had unfurled the large, paper map, and leaned over, digging his large hands through the bag. He chucked something back to me, going back to staring at the weaving roads of the map. I looked down at the small black object in my hand and raised a brow.
"You're giving me the job of breaking the news?"
Alice said nothing but, "Hurry!"
I rung Edward's number and he picked up in the first ring.
"Alice?" His low voice came out high over the phone, panic evident in his voice.
"It's me," I said, my own voice croaky.
"Elide?"
"Yeah, we have a problem."
"What is it?" He hissed, making me cringe.
"Bella's gone, she made a run for it as soon as we let her have a second of privacy."
There was a loud crash of a fist on the other side. "Why? Why would she do that?" He shouted. "Has Alice seen anything?"
"No," I said, glancing to her in the front mirror, seeing her nod. "But we know where she'll be."
"Where?"
"A dance studio, a few blocks over from her mother's house." Jasper had already located it on the map.
"We'll be there."
He hung up before I could say a word more.
☾