The First Drop Of Rain

Chapter Four

Laying in my hospital bed late at night with the drone of machines all around me was going to drive me insane. My eyes were closed but my mind was racing, I couldn't fall asleep. I heard the steady roll of a janitor's cart go by, a muffled cough in the next room, and a couple of nurses having a hushed conversation at the station just twenty feet from my door.

Why couldn't I have a book with me? A book and a soft book light. Anything. Please lawd anything.

I sighed and opened my eyes, a figure stood in my room, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I gasped so hard the pain in my ribs almost knocked the air from my lungs. "You scared me." I laughed softly, assuming the figure to be a nurse who probably noticed my inability to rest. When they didn't respond a fear grew in my heart.

Who the hell is this?

"Please get out of my room." I mumbled, my hand reaching for the call button slowly, praying they would not see. "Please." My finger found the square button but before I could press it a freezing cold hand was wrapped around my wrist. "Ow! What the hell? Let go of me!" A growl that sounded almost inhuman came next, then the stranger's face drew near, and all I could see of it was bright crimson eyes that almost surely meant my death.

Just as quickly as the fear ramped in my heart two figures grabbed and pulled away my assailant. With my heart still pounding I watched the two new figures grapple with the original figure, fighting it down before suddenly the head came clean off. "OH MY GOD!" I scream, grabbing the sides of my bed, ignoring the blistering pain that soared through my body. The figures paused and looked at me, panting. I threw myself from the bed and began "running," in reality it was a sad half hobble mosey, but I was giving it my damnedest.

Before I even reached the doorway I had another set of cold hands on me. "Arabella wait!" The voice sounded so familiar, it made me stutter step and stumble, and another pair of hands caught me, just like before. My hand hit the light as I went down and the room was flooded to every corner with the sterile glow. Before me were a few things I couldn't believe, a man decapitated on the floor, but no blood pooling or even dripping, and then the two figures that had been brought to light. Edward and Jasper.

Wait... what? how? when. here? Why!? CONFUSION

The fear and confusion bubbles in my stomach as I stare at them. "What the hell?" I held my side as I stared from the floor at the two boys crouching by me. The next thing I knew someone was standing in the door, Doctor Cullen.

"My god. Get him out of here. You know what to do." Doctor Cullen walked forward and grabbed me, picking me up off the ground and placing me back in the bed like I was the weight of a mere feather, Edward displayed that same strength when he picked up the man's body, and head, and him and Jasper fled from the room at a speed my eyes could not track.

"What are they doing with him!?" My breath quickened and I began to try to fight my way out of the room.

"Arabella, you must calm down. You can't be in this frenzied state." Dr.Cullen held me down on the bed with pure ease, his golden eyes flicking to my vitals, then down at my arm, he reached and readjusted everything I had knocked loose in the commotion. "Now listen, I will explain everything later, but for now you need to rest, okay?"

I nodded, biting my lip to stop it from quivering, baffled at the idea I would get any sleep after this.

When Doctor Cullen was done in the room he gave me one stern look then stepped out. I heard talking in the hall and a couple of shuffling feet. Then my door opened slowly and Jasper stood there. "Go to sleep, Arabella." His words had such conviction, like I had no choice but to obey, the drowsiness crept in, it's soft touch sliding up my cheeks to my eyes and then dragging it all down, pulling me into the darkness of my own eyelids, making my body heavier and my bed so much more comfortable and warm. I felt safe, warm, and tired.

I woke the next morning from a dreamless sleep with more questions than answers, the clock on my right where I opened my eyes to read 8:45am. With a groan I pushed myself up and looked around my room, nearly jumping out of my skin when I saw Edward standing there looking at me. I set my jaw and stared straight back at him. I wanted to tell him so badly he didn't scare me. That he had no power. But if I opened my mouth I was not sure what would come from it, so I settled with the satisfaction of thinking to myself.

You don't scare me.

Edward had a look flash across his face, one of almost disbelief. Maybe I had thought it so hard he could see it in my eyes. Maybe I thought it so hard the very resistance to fear radiated out of my skin.

Hopefully I can keep this up, because this pain is still kicking my ass stronger than any badass-ery could hide it, that will also definitely ebb away the longer that cute topaz eyed mystery stares at me.

Edward coughed awkwardly and looked down. "Look, we need to talk." He finally broke the dead silence of the room and took me from my runaway thoughts.

Ope okay.... alright gee wonder what we gotta talk about? Maybe the murder that happened in front of me from the crazy ass dude?

"Oh we do?" I said quietly.

"Yeah." He shuffled awkwardly and sat down.

Why is he the awkward one? I'm the one that was almost killed and then watched someone be killed and covered up. Who was that poor soul? His family? Wait, am I sympathetic to my potential murderer? What the hell? Wow that's a new one... but like did he really have to die? He could have just been apprehended and put to justice not put to death, because how do we know he was going to kill me... I mean anything would have been really bad, and I don't think it was just a mildly aggressive hug he was going in for. And why me? In a hospital full of people, I'm sure more than a few who have done or covered up things that are less than moral- why the girl who got fallen on in English class?

Edward cleared his throat, almost like he could tell I was going on a tirade in my mind. "Where would you like me to start?"

"What?" I looked at him confused.

"Ara, I know what you're thinking."

"Well yeah it's pretty obvious- I'm thinking this is insane..." I shrugged my shoulders painfully, and he began to explain.