A Moon Of Blood • Paul Lahote

Chapter Five Cont.

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The clinical white walls were suffocating. Like heaven's gate was waiting for her father at his bedside. The beeping was the only thing keeping her from pulling the hair from her head.  Her foot tapped against the tiled floor as she looked at her dad, watching his head rise and fall. Her breath mirroring his. He was alive. Breathing slowly, but breathing. His lungs clear of the liquid that had invaded them moments before.

As she watched the lines on the monitor, her brain replayed the last few hours on loop. The blue lights staining her eyes. The shouts and cries. The tears that still stained her cheeks hours later. The breath she had finally released when Dr. Cullen had greeted them with the good news that he was alive. He had been their by pure coinsidence, picking up something he had left hours before. Right place at the right time. Almost too perfect. But she wouldn't question it—not when her father was alive.

Her father was breathing once again. She and Rhys sat side by side at their father's bedside, neither sharing a word. Her head resting against his shoulder and his head resting against her's. Their hand interlocked as they waited for the moment their father would wake.

The two looked up as the door to the room opened, Paul and Sam walking in. "We've got coffee," Cerise smiled, muttering a small thanks as Pual handed her a cup, sitting beside her, while Sam sat himself next to Rhys.

"Thank you guys, but you don't have to stay," Rhys thanked them. The two smiled but shook their heads. 

"We're not going anywhere until he wakes," Sam explained, patting Rhys' shoulder. The boy smiled at him, though it wavered, as he nodded and looked towards his father. Cerise instinctively leant into Paul who wrapped an arm around her shoulder. His warmth like a safety blanket. The four sat in a comfortable silence. The only noise in the room the soft breaths from them all and the beeping of the monitor. 

A sharp breath filled the room. The four shooting up from their chairs and the siblings rushing forwards. He was awake. Their father was alive and awake, his brown eyes stairing into theirs.

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"How's your dad?" Bella asked Cerise as they sat in the car. The two were sat outside of the school. Cerise trying to muster up the energy to enter it. Cerise sighed, looking at her feet, blinking rapidly.

"Alive. But they're keeping him there for a few days to keep an eye on him," Bella took Cerise's hand in hers, reassuringly squeezing it. Cerise gave her friend a small smile, though it vanished as quick as it came. She looked at the school. The people laughing together as they entered. She couldn't help the deep frown invading her face.

"You don't have to go in, you know. Everyone will understand," Bella tried to reassure her but Cerise shook her head. Taking a deep breath.

"He's gonna go one day, Bells. I'd rather save my pity days for then," Cerise opened the car door, swinging out of it. She closed the door behind her. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. She could feel eyes watching her and Bella from across the car park. She looked to see Edward and his siblings looking over at them.

"Come on," Bella said, linking their arms together. Dragging Cerise to the group of teens. Cerise sighed but allowed Bella to drag her over to them. She hadn't the energy to argue. "Morning, guys," Bella chirped at the Cullen's.

"Morning, Bella, Cerise," Cerise managed to muster a small smile at Edward. Alice walked forwards, enveloping the blonde in a hug. Cerise accepted it, hugging her back. Alice smiled. She had seen the vision of her father and told Carlile. It had allowed the man to get to the hospital in time to be 'coincidentally' there when Cerise's father was rushed through the doors. Saving the man from death's doors. Literally. The man had laid there dead for three minutes when Carlile was able to drag him back to life. Cerise would be eternally grateful to the Cullen for it.

"We should probably get to class," Cerise choked, trying not to let her emotions get to her. Just get through school, she thought. The group walked towards the school. A building that seemed to now loom over Cerise. Foundations threatening to crack beneath her. She could feel every pitiful look thrown at her. Trying to ignore them, she pressed on. She couldn't see the nasty looks the Cullens, especially Edward, gave the other students. Everyone one of them could see how uncomfortable the girl was. How she seemd to fold in on herself.

Cerise stopped, sighing and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Cer?" her lower lip trembled, as tears pooled in her eyes.

"I can't do this today," She spun on her heels, marching out of the school. Bella went to go after her, only for Edward to stop her. Knowing exactly where, or more so who, Cerise was going to. Bella spun to face Edward, anger clear on her face.

"She needs some time to herself, Bella," Bella huffed, shaking Edwards's hand from her arm and heading towards her first class.

Cerise stormed over the car park towards the woods. Taking a shortcut to La Push beach. She needed to get away. Get somewhere away from the judging eyes of Forks high school. A place she had only ever felt peace. The moment she stepped into the forest, her heart rate sped up. Sweat started to bead on her forehead. The feeling of someone following her seeped through her bones.

She started to speed up. Focusing on the path ahead of her. The roots of every tree trying to trip her up. Ivy threatened to wrap around her feet. It felt like no matter how fast she walked; the thing was just as close behind her as it always had been. She thought of the animal. The thing that had been terrorising Forks. She ran. Though she suspected if this was the animal, it was way faster than she was. She couldn't hear it running but could feel it behind her. The eyes burning into her skull. Getting closer with every step. It felt as though it were playing with her. Playing with its food before devours it.

She tried to look behind her, seeing if she could see the creature. She felt her heart drop as she hit something hard. A scream leaving her lips. Hands held her arms, stopping her from falling backwards. She looked up to see Paul. His eyes scanned every inch of her body. Looking for any injuries. "Are you okay?" He asked her. His jaw was clenched as he scanned the woods behind her. His hand instinctively tightening around hers. Still trying to catch her breath, she nodded. "Let's get you out of this forest," He said, holding her hand and guiding her away. Towards the beach she had been hoping to get to.

However, the moment was halted by the piercing ringing of her phone. She jumped, her heart still pounding as adrenaline pumped through her. She shakily took out her phone to see Rhys' name lighting up the phone. She pressed the button, rushing her phone to her ear.

"Cerise, you need to get to the hospital now." 

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Updated 04/02/25Chapter added, scene at the beginning added and scene at the end moved from chapter 5. I hope you guys like this little addition. I thought the move between the scene at the end of chapter 5 and the scene at the end of this was too quick.

Let me know your thoughts!