Renesme's Dream

Chapter 28: "The Purge"

Chapter 28: “The Purge”

The room was silent, everyone’s mouths hung open in shock.

Carlisle was still kneeling over Ben, conflicted in what he should do.

“Edward, what are you talking about?” Esme asked him, her tone far less harsh now.

Alice answered before Edward could. “I’ve never had a vision quite like that before.” She explained. “It wasn’t so much a vision as an onslaught of information about Ben. I saw his life with James, Victoria, and Max, but I also saw him in Volturi robes, and I saw him talking with them in Voltera.”

“The information flew by too quickly to see much clearly,” Edward said. “But from what we could see, he is one of them. But there’s more. I’m not sure what it is, but it’s there. We just need him to tell us.”

“And how do you know it’s so important?” Asked Jasper.

“Because,” chimed Alice. “At the end of it all, there was an image of us, like a photograph….it was burning.”

No one said anything, the only voice was coming from Ben, who still lay on the ground, moaning in pain.

Sam spoke up, startling me. I had completely forgotten about the wolves and the humans in the room.  “Does this mean they are coming for you again? The vampires from the clearing 50 years ago?” I could hear the concern and the fear in his voice.

“I’m not sure.” Alice said.

“Alright, enough talk. Let’s do this.” Emmett said confidently. He strode away from Rosalie, and joined Carlisle. “Jazz, gimme a hand will ya?”

Jasper and Edward went over and helped Emmett lift Ben into the air, carrying him to the center of the room where they placed him in a chair.

“Jazz, go get the chains from the basement.”

Jasper reappeared seconds later hauling the lengths of clanking metal chains. They secured him to the chair, then stood around him.

“Bella?” I looked over to find Jacob holding out his hands, asking to hold Renesme. I looked in his eyes and saw my own fears and anxieties echoing back at me. I realized he needed her as much as I did in that moment, he needed the reassurance that we all really were alive. And he needed her comfort with the threat of the Volturi hanging over us once more.

I kissed the top of her hair, and handed her to him. She went willingly, as always, and clung to his neck. His enormous hands held her against his chest, and his eyes closed, relieved.

I stood and joined the circle around Ben. Carlisle, Esme, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper, Alice, Sam, Edward, and I all stood in a half circle around him. Charlie, Rene, Phil, and Billy all sat further back in the room, not having moved thus far throughout the entire ordeal.

“Ok, talk.” Emmett said softly.

Ben chuckled. “About what?”

“You know something important, something vital to the Volturi and to us. If you want these wounds tended to, then you’d better start talking, pal.”

Ben’s face was still contorted in pain, yet somehow he managed a sneer. “No.”

Emmett stepped forward and smiled menacingly. He took his right pointer finger, and slowly pointed down at the bullet wound on Ben’s left knee. Suddenly, I jabbed his finger downward, stabbing the fresh wound with his finger. Ben’s scream made us all jump.