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« on: September 20, 2009, 11:01:18 PM » |
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Chapter 15 Pressure By Libby
Summary:
Bella awakes to another spring break in Forks, last year at this time she was being hunted by James and this year it’s Victoria; she’s hoping this isn’t going to become a regular thing. She heads down to La Push and finds herself mostly wandering the beach alone to keep Jake’s secret from Charlie since he is out patrolling with the pack. Jacob is sorry for leaving her alone so much, but while Victoria is out there the wolves are on red alert. When Jacob walks the beach with Bella they always hold hands - Bella realizes how that looks to others and knows Jake would love for that to be the case as well. Bella has work on Tuesday and Mike notices Jacob has followed her and asks if she’s dating him; she replies that they’re just friends- best friends. Tuesday night Sam, Emily and Charlie come over to Billy’s; Jacob and Bella leave early while the adults are talking and head to the garage.
Bella inquires about "wolf things" and asks if the heat, healing fast, and being so big are part of it and if that’s why they’re all worried about Quil. Jake explains that there isn’t a certain age for the change to happen and that his took longer because he was so happy spending time with Bella. He tells her about the first time he changed and how he almost tore Billy’s face off; Bella asks if it’s really bad and he says it’s ok now but the worst part is feeling out of control and that he might hurt someone he cares about. Jake explains that it comes easily to him and that he sometimes feels less human than the others because he’s a natural at it. He also explains that he’s got the genes on both sides, his great-grandfathers Ephraim Black and Quil Ateara were the last in the pack with Levi Uley. Bella then asks what the best part of being a wolf is and Jacob says the speed. When she asks how fast they can run he thinks of how he can gauge it for her and then settles with they were able to catch up with Laurent because that means more to Bella than a normal person. Jacob then asks why Edward killed James and she explains that James was trying to kill her and came very close to doing so. Jacob notices that Bella stroked her "funny scar" and realizes how she got it, he almost loses control. Bella is able to calm him down and tells him that Edward saved her by sucking the venom out like with a rattlesnake bite. Jake then asks if any of the other Cullen’s had special abilities like Edward’s mind reading, she then explains Alice and Jasper’s abilities and grips the hole in her chest. Jacob notices that and asks why she always does that when she talks about them, she tells him that it hurts her to talk about them and that she feels like she’s going to break into pieces.
Wednesday Bella goes over to Emily’s for a change of scenery but can’t take it when Sam shows up. She stays long enough to hear Jake is fine and that there is no news and then heads to the beach again. Jacob finds Bella on the beach curled up in a ball and apologizes for leaving her alone for so long and promises to take her cliff diving tomorrow. Bella agrees because she realizes that it’s been days since she’s heard Edward’s "voice". She wakes up early the next morning and heads to Jacob’s, who is not home; Billy tells her that Embry, Paul and Jared crossed a fresh path from Victoria and Sam and Jake went to help. Instantly Bella starts worrying about the wolves and Billy reassures her that they will be fine, they take their job very seriously and everything they need to know has been passed down through the generations.
Upset, Bella heads to the beach again and is still worrying about the wolves and also disappointed that she missed her opportunity to hear Edward today. She quickly decides to go cliff diving alone. Unable to find the path that will take her to the lower edge she stays where she’s at on the very top as it starts to rain. Because of the rain and fast approaching storm she doesn’t have time to find another way to the lower edge and realizes that she wants to jump from the top. Knowing that this will be the stupidest, most reckless thing she has done it makes her smile and her body knows Edward’s voice is coming. Edward’s voice pleads with her to stop but she doesn’t care, she flings herself off the cliff without one ounce of fear. She screams as she flies through the air with exhilaration and plunges into the icy black water below. And that’s when the current takes over. Ever analytical, she knows that she should swim parallel to the shore but she doesn’t even know which way is up. Bella is positive that she’s going to drown and die, her delusions of Edward keeping telling her to fight. She accepts that she’s going to die and is almost happy it’s over and then her delusions give her what she wants most- Edward. She sees Edward and has no urge to fight anymore. The current then slams her into what she thinks is a rock and hits her across the chest. She swallows a huge gulp of water and thinks the current is dragging her down to the ocean floor away from Edward and she says her final goodbyes to him.
Characters Involved:
Bella Swan
Mike Newton
Jacob Black
Sam Uley
Emily
Charlie Swan
Billy Black
Characters Mentioned:
Embry Call
Quil Ateara
Victoria
Jared
Paul
Ephraim Black
Old Quil Ateara
Levi Uley
Laurent
James
Victoria
Edward Cullen
Jasper Hale
Alice Cullen
Places Visited:
La Push
Black home
Newton’s store
Emily’s house
First Beach
Significant Events:
There’s no set age for werewolves to change
Jacob has the "wolf gene" on both sides of his family
Werewolves can run just as fast, if not faster than vampires
Bella jumps off the cliff and "sees" Edward
Memorable quotes:
"Last spring break, I’d been hunted by a vampire, too. I hoped this wasn’t some kind of tradition forming." Bella pg. 342
"Life is complicated." Bella
"And girls are cruel," Mike pg. 343
"That and the fact that Quil’s grandfather says the kid could fry and egg on his forehead." Jacob pg. 344
"The hardest part is feeling... out of control." Jacob pg. 345
"Who wants to be a nightmare, a monster?" Jacob pg. 345
"I was addicted to the sound of my delusions." Bella pg. 352
"A date with Jacob, a date with Edward... I laughed darkly to myself." Bella pg. 352
"It was not hard to convince myself that I didn’t have time to search for another way- I wanted to jump from the top." Bella pg. 357
"Bella." "Don’t do this," "Please. For me." "Please." Bella’s delusions pg. 358
"And I flung myself off the cliff." Bella pg. 359
" Stop that!" "Don’t you dare give up!" "Fight!" "Damn it, Bella, keep fighting." Bella’s delusions pg. 360
"I saw him, and I had no will to fight. It was so clear, so much more defined than any memory. My subconscious had stored Edward away in flawless detail, saving him for this final moment. I could see his perfect face as if he were really there; the exact shade of his icy skin, the shape of his lips, the line of his jaw, the gold glinting in his furious eyes." Bella pg. 361
"Goodbye, I love you, was my last thought." Bella pg. 362
Questions for consideration:
Is there something you noticed in this chapter that you’d like to discuss with the book club?
Did you agree with Mike when he said girls are cruel? Do you think Bella is being cruel to Jake by acting the way she does with him?
Is there anything about this chapter you were disappointed with?
Were you surprised by how open Bella and Jake are now?
Did someone or something in this chapter catch you by surprise?
Do you think the wolves have a chance against Victoria? That is, if they can catch up with her.
Did you notice any particular symbolism or little detail you have never noticed before while rereading this chapter?
What did you think of Bella’s decision to jump off the cliff by herself?
What is your favorite quote from this chapter?
After she jumped off the cliff and saw Edward, did you honestly think she was going to die?
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