by A.E. Davis
eighteen
Not surprisingly, I had a hard time going to sleep after Viktor left. Frustrated, I tossed off the covers and went to grab a book to read. I had my hand on blank and then I saw Twilight, the book by Stephenie Meyer that Glinda had bought me, and remembered she wanted to discuss it with me after I finished. More out of guilt than actually wanting to read it, I tossed it on my bed and then ran downstairs to grab something to eat.
Food once again was on the slim side, so I settled on a bowl of dry Captain Crunch cereal and a glass of water. Climbing the stairs, I stopped on the second level and looked down the hall. Mom’s door was ajar and her light crept out into the hall. I decided to forgo our nightly chitchat, headed up the stairs to my room, and shut the door. Setting my munchies down, I climbed under the covers. Once settled, I leaned back against my pillows and ran my hand over the cover. This was one of my favorite moments, cracking open a brand new book and immersing myself into the story. Not like my mom though, she took it to a whole other level.
“Well let’s see what you have to say…shall we?” Yes, weird, I know… I talk to my books…well actually… I talk to myself about my books. Especially when I am at a good part—I have a tendency to yell at the characters or the author for the inevitable cliffhanger. Hate them. Like really hate them, and yet I will still read them because I kind-of love them too. It gives me something to look forward to. Stupid, I know, but there it is. I actually even started a blog, “Books with a Bite,” you know, just to voice my thoughts about books to someone other than myself. I can’t talk with Mom about books, she really gets upset if I disagree with her about a character or author she likes and I don’t. So needless to say, I just don’t go there.
Reaching over, I grabbed a handful of dry Captain Crunch and munched on it while I read.
I made it to the part where Bella arrived in Forks before I grabbed another handful of cereal. Funny, she had the same reaction I did when I first came here. Shellshock—there was so much green, wetness, and fog. I missed the sun. My mind drifted to what Viktor had said to me when he left. It was like he had known I was fantasizing about him, which couldn’t be possible. Still thinking about it made me warm all over.
I read up to the part where Bella had her awful nightmare with Jacob turning into a wolf. The words started to blur together and my mind kept drifting to Viktor and what he had said when he left. It was like he knew what I was thinking. A flush of heat crept into my cheeks again. “Nah.” I shook my head and buried my face in my hands. “He couldn’t have read my mind…could he?” I forced myself to look at the book, pushing thoughts of Viktor from my mind but every time I looked at a word, Viktor’s beautiful face would appear. Irritated I shut the book, tossed it on my nightstand, and shut off the light. There was a full moon tonight and the illumination filled my room with its eerie hazy glow. A dog howled in the distance and a shiver passed along my spine. Hunkering down deeper under the covers, I shut my eyes and tried to sleep. It was already after midnight and I knew I would be dead tired when five-forty-five rolled around if I didn’t get some shuteye.
Sleep eluded me though. Instead, I kept replaying the day I had spent with Glinda over in my mind and the dance. How Vincent had seemed so angry at her and then did an about face like he was Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde all rolled into one.
“I am going to kill her,” he had growled and then he danced with her all night and ignored me. Nothing made sense.
Out of sheer determination, I fell into a fitful sleep.
I was dreaming, I knew it and yet everything seemed so real.
Woods surrounded me on either side and up ahead I could see a light shining through the trees. I ran to it, wanting to see the sun but when I reached the clearing, there was none. It was dark and cold. I was no longer in the woods but instead in a parking lot. A red convertible idled and white streams of exhaust billowed out into the air. I took a step forward.
Lucky appeared at my side. “I don’t think this is a good idea,” he said, his voice dragged weirdly, like an old tape.
“I have to see.” My voice vibrated strangely in my ears.
Walking forward, I made my way to the car. The top was up and I could see the outline of shapes inside.
“Amber!” Lucky’s voice was harder, scary. No—not scary but scared for me.
“I have to see,” I repeated but my voice once again vibrated strangely in my ears.
“Suit yourself,” he said, none too nicely. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“You’re being ridiculous,” I said, and yanked open the door. A body fell out of the side. I recognized her immediately. Her long blonde hair dripped down into a puddle on the ground, her eyes staring vacantly and blood poured from a wound in her neck. I stumbled backward.
A hand shot out and grabbed hold of me. I fought against it, thrashing wildly.
“Amber,” the deep voice resonated with me. I recognized it. Turning I saw Viktor. Blood dripped down the sides of his mouth. “I need you,” he said, his voice captivating which didn’t match the way his face looked.
“I can’t,” I said, tripping over my own feet, trying to get away.
“It’s too late now,” he said, stalking toward me, his eyes glowing in the darkness like an animals.
Terror tore through me. Lucky stood off to the side, a bystander, watching me. I turned toward him but then his face twisted and his body rippled. An ungodly sound came from his throat as he fell to the ground, shaking. “Lucky!” I yelled.
“Too late now,” said another voice. I turned and Vincent stood there, a box of Red Hots in his hand. “Dump them out and run,” he said calmly.
“What?” I screamed at him.
“Take them!” He shoved them into my hands as I tried to pass. “Do it, Amber,” his voice was harried, frightened. “Open the box!” he yelled, the sound of his voice was deafening. Fumbling with the box, I ripped it open. Red Hots scattered across the ground. Viktor rushed toward me and then stopped in front of the Red Hots, he stared at the ground—like he was counting? Frozen with fear, I stood there watching.
“Run before he counts them all…” Vincent hissed in my ears. I turned to run, my feet finally moving. A low growl stopped my escape. I looked to my left and Bear, Lucky’s dog, was beside me, growling, his massive head shaking, his teeth barred.
I realized he wasn’t growling at me but at Viktor, who was still counting the Red Hots.
My mind couldn’t seem to process what I was seeing. It was too everything. My body convulsed with fear but I couldn’t get my feet to move.
“Amber!” Vincent yelled. “You need to move. He bolted past me, grabbing my hand, pulling me back into the darkness. I didn’t want to go there though. I wanted to go home. His hand was hot in mine, scorching me, pulling me back…
A loud buzzing wrenched me from my nightmare. Gasping for air, I looked around my room. I was still in bed. Something hit the floor with a thud.
I screamed.
