Forks Page 16

  He slammed on his brakes and my body jerked forward. I threw up my hands and held onto the dashboard. “What did you do that for?” my voice came out in an unusually high pitch.

  “Sorry,” he said, even though he didn’t sound or look sorry at all. “Look.” He pointed out the windshield.

  I was suddenly afraid to look at what he was talking about but forced my gaze out the windshield. A huge creature was right in front of us, the eyes glowing in the headlights. “What the …” I jerked back.

  “See…” He pointed. “It’s a Bear,” he said.

  “I can see that,” I snapped about to have a crap fit.

  “Remember the other night?” he asked, turning toward me. His hand was on the steering wheel and the other flicked on the high beams.

  “Yeah,” I said, watching the giant bear stare us down. He feathered the gas and crept forward. “What are you doing?”

  “Isn’t it great?”

  “Um yeah…great,” I said. “He doesn’t look happy we’re here.” The bear stood up on its hind legs, rising at least six or seven feet in the air.

  “It’s a she,” he corrected.

  I looked over at him, his face cloaked in shadows. “How do you know it’s a she?”

  “Just watch,” he instructed.

  I looked back out the windshield. Two little cubs scampered out of the woods into the driveway and ran behind the mother. “Oh, gosh…” I leaned forward. “They’re so cute.”

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “They are.”

  “So this is why you told me to leave the other night?”

  “Yeah, she is really territorial now with her cubs being so small.”

  “What are you, like a bear whisperer or something?”

  “Yeah, something like that.” He grinned at me. “I’m pretty sure her den is around here close by.”

  “How’d you know she would be out?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “So what would have happened if she wasn’t out here in the open?”

  “I would have gotten out and we would have went to look for her.”

  “Are you out of your ever-loving mind?”

  His grin grew. “Maaybee,” he said in a singsong voice, just like Glinda had done. I shivered.

  Turning, he put the SUV in reverse and started backing slowly up the drive. Once we were far enough away he put the SUV in park. In the distance, I could see the bear drop back down on all fours and walk slowly down the drive like it didn’t have a care in the world. “I was out walking in the woods one day and I saw her…” He paused. “Actually, she saw me first.”

  “What happened?” He looked at some spot in the distance his voice coming out strangely calm.

  “She got mad and hit me with her paw.”

  “Oh my God,” I burst, covering my mouth.

  “She clipped me here and here,” he said, pointing to the two scars on his face.

  “Did she try to eat you?” I asked not even thinking about how stupid I must have sounded.

  “No,” he said, shaking his head. “I think she just wanted to scare me away. Beside bears don’t really want to eat people. They like berries and fish, honey, that sort of stuff. People aren’t really on their list.

  “I’ve heard about bear attacks. They do kill people.”

  “Only when they are feeling threatened.”

  “How can you be so blasé?” I asked. “That bear could have killed you.”

  “Yeah, but don’t you see… she didn’t. That is what is important,” he said. “It is in her nature to kill and yet she spared me.”

  “So what?” I argued. “It was probably a fluke.”

  He shrugged. “Maybe,” he said. “I try to think of it as she made a choice not to kill me.”

  “So what, now you think you’re friends and she won’t hurt you again?” I threw my hands up in exasperation. “That is crazy.” Something dawned on me. “Is that why you made me leave and you stayed?” I felt sick. “You wanted to see if she would try again?”

  “I don’t know.” A deep sadness passed over his face. My heart lurched in my chest at the sight. “At first I was so angry,” he continued. “I should have died that night,” he said almost wistfully. “And my dad was going to send out a hunting party and kill it but I wouldn’t let him.” He turned pained filled eyes on me. “I told him she spared me so he had to spare her as well.”

  “Viktor, it’s a bear,” I said. “It is in her nature to kill.”

  “Isn’t it in every beings nature to kill… or be killed?”

  “No.” I shuddered at the thought. “Not people. We have a choice.”

  “Well, you’re quite the optimist.” He gave me a halfhearted smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

  “Not really.” I tried to process what he must have went through and knew I couldn’t even begin to come close to what he must have felt. “

  “What would have you done?”

  “I don’t know.” I took a shaky breath. “I’m just glad the bear didn’t kill you.”

  “Why’s that?” he breathed.

  “Because I would have never gotten to meet you,” I said honestly.

  “It might have been better for you, if she had.” His eyes glittered in the darkness.

  I swallowed hard and my skin prickled. “Why’s that?”

  “Because I’m …” He leaned forward, his face nearing mine…I saw a flash of something cross his face and then he…gagged.

  twenty six

  I should be dead, but apparently, you can’t really die of embarrassment. I underlined the sentence twice and put a few exclamation points on the end. I slammed my journal shut and tossed it back inside my nightstand. Tinkerbelle wobbled on top and settled back down. The figurine was one of the only things my father had given me that I actually kept out so I could see every day. It reminded me of when I was little and he had read Peter Pan to me. I never much cared for Wendy or her brothers but Tink she was cool. I could relate to her and Peter, both. They were the stars of my own imaginary version of an unrequited love story.

  Inflating my cheeks, I released a long stream of air and hugged my pillow. I still couldn’t wrap my head around what even happened with Viktor…really. After the almost kiss that turned into a gagging fit he couldn’t get me home fast enough. He said he wasn’t feeling well and I barely said goodbye before he gunned his SUV, backed crazily out of the driveway, and sped down the road.

  Once again, I blew on my hand to check my breath but all I could smell was the faint trace of cinnamon from my mouthwash.

  “Too weird.” I shook my head. Not having anything better to do, I grabbed up the book Glinda had bought me, crawled under my covers and began to read. I wasn’t going to read Twilight, anymore, but it was a surprisingly good book. I could relate to the heroine pretty well…we were both in a strange place, vertically challenged and prone to embarrassing ourselves. And I didn’t even mind the Vampires that sparkled either. It wasn’t Bram Stoker or even Anne Rice or Stephen King, but it did have its allure….forbidden love always made for a good read.

  I made a mental note to blog about it when I was finished… that is if I ever got back on the internet. My connection was sluggish at best.

  After reading for an hour or so, my mind kept wandering off the pages of the book and back into my own life, or lack thereof. Giving up, I leaned over and flicked off the light. Pulling my comforter up to my chin, I snuggled down. Viktor’s story kept replaying, as did the evening at the hospital. Had Glinda’s eyes been open? Had someone put that chair in front of me? Had Viktor really wanted to kiss me? There were too many questions and not any answers. I tried to make my mind stop whirling and think of something else. I started counting sheep but then they turned into wolves that eventually turned into bats before I finally fell into a fitful sleep.

  When I opened my eyes, I was back out in the woods but this time I wasn’t in Viktor’s SUV. I was standing alone in dead Mr. Fergusons driveway. Spinning around, I scanned the area.
It was so cold my breath turned white.

  A twig snapped.

  “Who’s there?” I called out. My heart pounded so loudly it drowned out the sound of my voice. I didn’t want to be here but my feet were rooted in place. Glowing eyes appeared from the tree line making their way toward where I was trapped. The heavy footfalls vibrated the earth under my feet. I willed myself to wake up but I couldn’t.

  Something slammed into my back. I pitched forward, my hands and knees slammed down into the sharp gravel. “Ow, that hurt.” The pain freaked me out more than the glowing eyes. Since when did you feel pain while you were sleeping? “This is just a dream,” I kept repeating but it didn’t feel like a dream any longer. It felt too real. I stumbled up. Only then did I realize I was wearing my sweats and Sunshine t-shirt from my old school. I looked down. I had no shoes on only my lobster socks from one of our family trips to Maine.

  The glowing eyes became four and then six, headed right at me. Since I couldn’t wake up, I did the only thing I could: I ran. The rocks under my feet caused pain with every step I made. Tears streamed down my face and I couldn’t move fast enough. I felt weighted down, moving through sand with sharp jagged rocks underfoot. I heard a roar and stopped. The ocean was sprawled out in front of me and a large tree trunk big enough to park a car in was illuminated in the moonlight. I ran to it hoping for cover. Somehow, I made it to the tree and ducked inside, my breath coming out in ragged gasps. The cold air blew on my back, sliding under my shirt. I tried to tug the material down but it kept coming, blowing against me. “Wake up! Wake up!” I repeated over and over but it was so real…so wrong…

  “Amber,” a deep voice soothed. “You are awake.” The sound was familiar and haunting at the same time.

  “No!” I staggered back. The bark of the tree scraped against my arm inflicting even more pain. “This is a dream!” I yelled, the sound getting lost in the howling wind. I pressed further back into the confines of the tree and heard a low growl. My skin prickled with awareness and my fight or flight mechanism kicked into high gear. I broke from the tree and ran. The sound of something big chasing me, spurred me to run even faster but there was nowhere to go. I couldn’t outrun it so I did the only thing I could think of to save myself. I dove into the surf of the ocean. The freezing water took away my breath. Gulping for air, I swam away from shore, my feet kicking against the roiling waves. I made it to the calm of the ocean, past the roll of waves and turned toward the shore. Three people were standing on the beach, their outlines silhouetted by the full moon.

  There were two boys and a girl, the long dark hair of the girl whipping back into the wind. All of their eyes were glowing. Waves lapped over me and I kicked my feet trying to stay above water but I was so cold. I couldn’t feel my legs or arms anymore and still they stood there, watching me. “What do you want?” I screamed almost too cold to get my voice to work.

  Something big and furry broke from the confines of the tree and moved swiftly down the beach, eating up the distance with large galloping strides. It was a bear. The three glowing eyed people turned. When they saw what was coming toward them, they ran. The shapes of their bodies blurred as they ran into the break of trees on the far end of the beach. It all happened so fast I wasn’t sure if I had seen it or if it was my eyes playing tricks on me from the hyperthermia that was surely setting in by now. “It’s only a dream,” I chattered, trying to stay afloat. My lids slowly closed and my body bobbed with the water like a buoy out to sea, pulling me down little by little into its dark embrace.

  “Amber,” someone called, shaking me. Fingers slid over my throat and a mouth closed over mine. I expected to feel the cold but the lips that were touching mine were warm. So warm and inviting, I tried to get closer. Hot hands came down on my chest, pressing against me over and over. I didn’t fight them they were so warm. “Amber,” he called again, his voice stern… demanding.

  “I’m here,” I tried to say but my voice was trapped behind something cold and wet.

  The heavy hands pressed against me, again and again, pushing against my chest. Something gurgled from deep in my throat and I spit up on the warmth that pressed against me.

  Struggling, I pulled air back into my raw lungs. I heard voices and tried to open my eyes, but I was so tired I couldn’t get them to work. Warmth encircled me and my limp body was lifted up in the air. My eyes fluttered open briefly but I couldn’t see anything but blurred shapes and then the darkness took hold of me once more. This time I went willingly.

  twenty seven

  I opened my eyes to a face peering closely at me. I screamed.

  The face screamed too.

  I pushed back, trying to get away.

  “Amber!” Mom yelled.

  “Mom!” I tried to pull my arms from her grasp. “What are you doing?” I rasped.

  “Thank goodness,” she said, releasing me and pressed the back of her hand to my forehead.

  “Mom!” I jerked away. “Stop!” My throat felt sore.

  “Amber Regina Elisa Davis, sit still and let me check your temperature,” she warned. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail and dark circles hung heavily under her eyes.

  “Why are you checking my temperature?” I asked, my voice came out scratchy against the rawness of my throat.

  “Well, at least your temperature is gone.” She sat back, assessing me. “Thank goodness.”

  “What are you talking about? What fever?”

  She exhaled and pushed a stray lock of hair back. “You’ve been sick.”

  “I have?” I scooted back and winced. “Mom, I’m fine.”

  “Oh really.” She gave me her staple hairy eyeball.

  I moved and a sudden, sharp pain shot through my body.

  “See, you’re not okay.” She gave me an “I told you so” look.

  “I would be if you moved off my legs,” I croaked and reached up to rub my throat. “I need some water.”

  “I have some right here.” She reached over and grabbed a glass with Smurfs and Gargamel and Azrael the cat on it. The one she always used when I was sick. A red and white straw was shoved up to my lips. “Drink,” she instructed in her stern mom voice that said, “don’t mess with me.”

  I took an obligatory sip and leaned back against my pillows.

  She put the glass back on the nightstand and smoothed my hair away from my face. She was freaking me out. “Mom…” I moved and winced. “Why do my knees hurt?” I asked more to myself than to her.

  “I should say they do.” She gave me a reprimanding look.

  “Why’s that?”

  “You fell.”

  “Where?” My brow creased, the action hurt too. “When?” Vaguely I remembered falling but it wasn’t tangible.

  “Amber,” she exhaled. “You’ve been really sick.”

  “I have?”

  “Yes.” She sat back and placed her hands on her lap. “You don’t remember?”

  “No,” I said, shaking my head. My vision blurred from the action.

  “Take it easy,” she said.

  It was weird. Mom acting all motherly and protective was sending me over the edge. I was the one that usually looked out for her, not the other way around. She hadn’t acted like this since I was in sixth grade and gotten sick at camp with appendicitis.

  “I thought I was going to have to call an ambulance.”

  “Why?” I frowned, trying to remember. “Could you please tell me what you are talking about?”

  “You came back from the hospital with Viktor and went to bed.” She sighed and pulled a pillow into her lap. “Anyway, it was around, I don’t know…I guess four in the morning there was a loud thump. At first, we didn’t think much of it. You’ve dropped things before...,” she reminded me. “Anyway, Ken thought it was a good idea if we checked on you.”

  “Oh—kay,” I said not remembering any of this.

  Ken ran up the stairs and banged on your door but you didn’t answer.” She smoothed a piece of hair away from her
face. “I told him not to worry but he wanted to make sure you were all right…so…he tried the door but it was locked.”

  “How did you get inside?”

  “Ken kicked in your door.”

  “He what?” I tried to see my door.

  “Good thing he did,” she said. “He found you lying on your floor completely soaked through and you were burning up.” She shook her head. “Your floor lamp was knocked over and glass was everywhere. He tried to lift you and you threw up on him.”

  “Nooo.” I covered my face in complete humiliation. “I don’t’ remember any of this.” I lowered my hands. “How did I even get on the floor?”

  “Ken thinks you must have tried to get to the bathroom and grabbed hold of your lamp for support but obviously it didn’t work very well.” Her brows lifted to her hairline.

  “God, poor Ken,” I groaned.

  “Poor you,” she soothed. “Did you feel sick when you got home?”

  “Huh?”

  “You know, from going to the hospital with Viktor?”

  It all came back in a wave. Viktor talking to me about his run-in with the bear and then the almost kiss…I think… “Viktor didn’t feel good, but I felt fine.”

  “Well, you both must have picked up a bug from the hospital.” She shivered. “I hate hospitals.”

  “Join the club,” I murmured.

  “Anyway,” she exhaled. “Be sure to thank Ken when you see him.”

  “Is he here?”

  “No.” She shook her head. “He’ll be back later though. He’s bringing you some ginger ale to help settled your stomach.”

  “Wow, okay.” I adjusted. “That’s awfully nice of him.”

  “He was really worried about you.”

  I felt like a jerk for calling him names. I was officially indebted to Ken for like, ever.

  “How long have I been sick?”

  “Just last night and most of today,” she said and smoothed the comforter down. “Now don’t worry about school, I called and told them you were sick.”