12. Weird

Bella

"Tony…" I repeated in a simple daze. He smiled, yet his face was still blurred, still unrecognizable to my eyes. It was a mystery why I could even tell his emotions. I squinted at his image in a slight frustration, but it only brought him confusion.

"Are you okay?"

His soothing voice was laced in concern. I liked it. It was so peaceful despite his mind-wrecking appearance in my eyes. If I didn't try so hard to see him the headaches would go away. That was an easy solution I guess. Everything seemed to happen to me so fast. Not to mention the fact that everything that just happened to me in the past few minutes were so incredibly odd. Could I honestly ignore it?

"Yeah," I murmured, feeling as though I was speaking to a wall or the deep abyss. I honestly felt blind. Suddenly I felt his hand on my shoulder. It surprised me at first but his gentle touch was lulling.

"What exactly is a woman like you doing out in the forest?" Tony attempted to please his curiosity with a casual tone. Nice try, but the question seemed so out there. Yet he was polite. Woman. I didn't look like an adult, did I? With all my thoughts I forgot to answer his question and the long pause made him shift a bit embarrassed.

"Oh, uh…" I was muddled. Was I using verbal crutches? I needed to lie.

"I don't honestly need an answer." He laughed and the noise was beautiful. Like the bubbling crystal clear waters of a spring in the form of rippling sound waves. And like water it seemed to wash over me. He removed his hand from my shoulder and displayed it in front of me—a helping hand. I took it without really needing it, but I enjoyed the gesture as I rose to my feet. He removed himself from his crouched position as I stood up straight. We were in perfect unison.

I felt so dead inside, like I really was a corpse with some source of animation. I don't know what it was, but I felt a spark inside. It was pleasant, a flicker of life, and with it came the foreign feeling on my lips, the unconscious smile that hadn't seen light in decades. When the emotion hit me, it was too late. Seconds had passed and my hand was still in his.

Reality hit me and my hand shot back as an icy truth punished my stupid joy. What was I doing here still? I felt anger, not at him, but at my stupid delusions. Happiness is a sin. I felt my being ice over in a think glaze, hardening instantly. I felt myself begin to drown in overwhelming emotion, red rage, a crimson loathing that held the ripping weight of mountains at my composure. My mind felt a blazing inferno yet my body chilled like the deep arctic winter kissing the cutting northern winds. My head snapped away from the eye sore, a scowl adamantly placed. You could almost hear the earth shattering clap from the jolting action of my neck. I could feel him jump like a hopelessly surprised mouse to a close proximity and haughty cat.

"Beat it!" I spat suddenly with venom. Tony was confused by this; I knew that much despite the heavy silence. My abrupt action all the sudden seemed embarrassingly childish or stupid for there was no expected immediate reaction. The empty air stood there still yet his presence was definite. I waited for him to act yet my head was filled with anger and it ate the fuse of patience in milliseconds. Damn, this silence was deafening! My teeth began to grind, was he going to leave?

"I'm not leavin—"

"—Get the Hell out of here!" I shouted. I was fuming. Yet I was beginning to rethink the limits to my tolerance. I turned around holding my head as if it throbbed with annoyance.

"Nope." I let out long, annoyed, and babbling groan when he said that childish phrase and it was then that the situation seemed a lot more… simple. It was funny really. I almost laughed slap-happy! And I did, it was uncontrollable, hearty laughs shook my frame. He even popped the 'p'! The smile on my face was drunk, my hand was casually on my forehead like I was trying to be suave about concealing a tattoo or something. I swear I was mad.

"What's so funny?" Tony asked almost offended. That made me roar even more. The sensation was so odd in contrast to my drear. It was so fake to my persona! I couldn't control it. I just belted out laughing as if Emmett was right there giving off innuendos, or expressing his flustered emotions in a deep game of chess. Tony even started to chuckle at its contagious nature. I was so mad, A mad-woman!

They started to die gradually and I huffed. "Oh my—" I busted into giggles again. "How—" I roared again. What was wrong with me? "Geese, ... I don't even know." I let my head fall into my hands to allow my laughter to cease behind the walls. This was embarrassing.

I huffed again and let the area grow silent again. It was a really awkward silence, really awkward. I could feel Tony's eyes on me in the most creeped out look ever. He was probably staring, mouth slightly open as if wanting to say something and judgmental eyes scanning for any physical sigh of illness. I had to keep my slap-happy emotions from making a comedy routine out of that look.

It was just so funny. Here I came storming in on this stranger doing only God knows what in the middle of a damn forest, collapsing into some seizure-like (and pathetic) state just because of his looks and then demanding the nice man to leave the place I intruded on after helping me up and making me feel good. Oh let's just leave out the fact that the poor, broken vampire girl was going to eat him! It was so damn childish!

I calmed down a bit and looked him in the eyes the best I could. It was all so confusing and new, impossible and enticing. A man without an face. So odd. My emotions were going hay-wire and the world was going stranger just to make things worse. Out of nowhere I forced a fake cough and straightened myself out quickly fixing myself like nothing happened.

"Sorry about that." My tone was politely formal. I didn't know him personally after all.

"No problem." He laughed awkwardly. There was a silence again that lingered for a while.

"Uh…" We both said in unison. We both began to laugh shyly at the same time and stopped very suddenly as though our moves where choreographed. Weird. I may not have been able to see his expression with true clarity but I could tell his mirrored mine. A nervous smile to mask the creeped out thoughts.

I acted first. "I should be going. I'm sorry to bother you Tony, but it was nice meeting you." I began to turn around to leave the human alone.

"Wait!" He shouted making me stop in my tracks.

"What is it?" My annoyed tone came back. Why couldn't he just leave me alone?

"Please… er… Can I…" I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. "…Come along with you?"

"No." Voice cold and irritated, I turned around and started briskly walking at the fastest human pace I could manage.

"Wait!" He gasped behind me. I heard his footsteps ruffle the grass behind me. I responded by quickening the pace, my chin held high in an attempt to seem unfazed by his challenge. He broke into a slight jog catching up to me, I didn't look at him. I had to make my point clear. I couldn't be having a human hanging around me! I barely knew him.

"Wait, Bella."

I froze immediately.

He was huffing, out of breath. This guy was getting weirder and weirder.

"How do you know my name?" I asked, very wary.

"You told me." His tone was light and simple, confident. I could tell there was an innocent smile on his face. I gave him another suspicious look that made sure to give him the message that I wasn't buying that. It was sour I made sure of it.

"No really!" He laughed with perfect confidence. "I told you mine and you mumbled yours back, you were kind of disoriented though. I wouldn't blame you for not remembering."

I didn't forget anything. There were times when I wish I could forget but my memory was as sharp as any other vampire. I wasn't buying it, but out of sheer displeasure I gave a quick groan and ignored him, walking forward once again like nothing happened.

"Bella!" I flinched as my named rolled off his tongue so easily and smooth but with a reminiscent way that struck me with thick and slow agonizing fire, like honey rotting teeth. He started running to catch up with me and I marched ahead. It was like he was trying to catch a bus. If I didn't want to expose myself to this kid I would have darted with unseen speed in an instant.

"Would you please stop following me?" I asked with monotone.

He just breathed heavy, trying to keep up with me.

"No!" He breathed.

"Will you at least tell me why?"

"Uh…" He laughed the question off.

I marched a bit faster and he followed to my side in only a beat's worth.

I groaned. This was going to be a long day.

It seemed as though his world was the simple back and forth pulse of his pounding legs and pumping arms. He was breathing heavy by habit and his eyes focused on his surroundings. He was frantic. He could hear them right on his heels. He couldn't waste time questioning what was going on or why, he just had to run. His life depended on it.

Jared bolted through the trees, a forest in northern New Mexico. He couldn't marvel at the beautiful and warm sun that bounced off the colors like acoustics with sound. He couldn't be distracted by the way each ray bounced off his skin like diamonds. Jared had to get back to the camp. In the distance behind him, he could hear the cackling and jarring maws of his predators… Predators.

The thought made him shiver. He was the hunter, a vampire. Being hunted. And like any good prey, he was scared, dead scared. It was primal fear that controlled his every move. He didn't even think about the safety of the rest of the camp, that he was leading his pursuer straight to them. He had to be smart. Jared quickly took a sharp turn, launching off a strong tree at the base. Maybe it could throw them off. He continued without hesitation, dashing and darting around trees.

Eventually after what seemed like hours he realized that he could no longer hear them. Not a sound, probably miles between them. With a sigh of relief he cantered to a stop in a large open field. The tall grass rolled like wheat around him and the setting sun was a welcoming sight, as if the day's end symbolized the end of his hell. He didn't need rest but he needed a break. The now safe vampire allowed his knees to buckle and his body to plop lazily on the grass of the field. It was soft and relaxing. This place was heaven to him now, a sanctuary away from his predators. He let out a slow breath with the wind that danced across the field. Despite getting caught he left with a lot of information to give to the camp. He smiled at thinking how proud Amy would be with him and swelled with pride at the possible words of praise Cain would give. His mission was a success. Jared lifted himself up, about ready to head back to the camp when he froze.

His body cooled to sub-zero temperatures. He didn't move. He didn't think. All he could do was listen to the disgusting sound of inhuman gurgling. The heavy, labored breathing mixed with piercing whines. The rustle of their bodies, brushing anxiously against each other. The scraping clicks of their claws against stone and soil. The audible yearning screech that their teeth made.

Jared's eyes were wide. He'd lost. He was done for. He could smell them. Whatever the hell they were. He was as good as dead. But he couldn't see them. The rustling a bit to his left of his made him focus on the foliage to the edge of the field like it was the most important thing ever. He stared at that spot forever. Waiting. He didn't bother running, they would catch him at the heels instantly. He was dead. Dead. Dead. Dead. That's all Jared could think of. Panic choked him and beat him. Fear overloaded his senses. He lost the feeling of touch, the ability to think, the ability to live.

A single, sharp, heavy bark filled the air. Like hoarse chord made by and out of tune symphony.

Without warning it jumped out straight at him. Hell itself, personified into the most gruesome creature he had ever seen. Of course, the prey was prone to hyperboles.

He screamed, ripping the air with his final cry for help. Allowing his instinct to survive to control him Jared bolted. His dash didn't last long. He knew it was all over the moment he felt the razor sharp teeth pierce through the stone hard skin of his leg like butter accompanied by the fiercest flame he'd ever felt in his immortal life. He fell forward slamming his head onto the floor. He screamed again, the predator still clinging to his prey. Then they all came.

They closed in very slowly, allowing their leader to get the first bite. Jared was dizzy with pain he couldn't focus. Growling and snarling was amplified around his ears, the smell of cold blood around his nose. They snorted viciously. He cried again as his shoulder exploded in agony, then arm, then hands, then legs. The ripping, the cutting, the stabbing, was his world now. Jared felt wet with their spit, dripping across his limbs, face and body. They were everywhere, on every open portion of his body. They held on with the iron clad jaws only one let go…

Another hoarse bark sounded, like a signal.

Then it was all over.

Jared's scream could be heard for miles as the beast ripped him apart, limb from limb, tearing every shard of skin, muscle and life from every bone, shattering his skull, leaving no carcass.

He only wished he wasn't conscious through the entire process.

Yes we know no bang for it's buck

Yet we hope it didn't really suck.

It's a short chapter and with poor timing.

Hey! At least we brought back the rhyming.

We're hoping to move the plot along faster

So we can get to our genius disaster.

But with summer school dragging us down.

Writing's a privilege hard to come around.

So please stay tuned readers old and new

Behind this laptop we're both anxious too

We're sorry for delay and hope to make it up

Our hiatuses really tend to disrupt. ^^"

Please keep on reading you loyal alert-ees

To see how Bella and Edward come to be.

~It-Ended-At-3