The Lights In the Field, Chapter One
The water rippled as my feet penetrated its surface, and I sighed when the cool temperature brought goose flesh to my bare skin. The little stream was located in a shady part of the forest, surrounded by the bases of the giant neighboring redwoods, offering the wildlife a reprieve from the summer’s violent heat wave. It was unnaturally hot that August afternoon; it had been getting progressively worse throughout the last four years.
I idled briefly in the water and bent forward to glance at the tiny world below me, examining the flitting minnows and the curious turtles. Smiling softly, I wondered if the fish recognized the taste of my skin or the lines of my feet. After all, I had been coming to this spot every summer since I was fourteen. Then again, I pondered wistfully, I’m sure the fish have better things to do than examine a foot…I know I would, were I fish.
That was all the encouragement I needed for my imagination to take off.
I couldn’t decide if I would prefer to be fresh water or salt water, were I a fish that is. I was fairly certain that fresh water fish had the propensity to live longer, given the lack of predators. However, as I ventured on through the woods, I quickly denounced that idea after hearing the screech of an owl. Tree birds loved fresh water fish. Of course, I thought happily, the little minnows must have a glorious view. To think of waking up and seeing the sun through the trees…it must be lovely! But that wonderment was thrown away just as quickly, seeing as the sun can be outright painful to look at and the sight gets a little repetitive.
The path had become rocky and a bit rough, at which point I decided to change, from the dainty sandals my mother had given me, to the tough boots my father had urged I take with me. The brown knee length boots weren’t ugly, but were, by definition, strange. Their surface was caked with mud, sand, paint, and bits of hay. If anything, these boots were a reflection of me as a person.
My real name was Mary Cullen, the third child born to Carlisle and Esme Cullen. However, my love for Lewis Carroll’s stories of Wonderland had earned me the permanent title of “Alice.” I had two siblings-Edward and Rosalie-and got along with both of them the majority of the time. In humble truth, I was the apple of my family’s eye and was protected by every one of them. Unfortunately, this truth did not extend to general populous of their town.
My family lived in Forks, Washington-a town with more gossip than people. The most recent Census had estimated the population count to be well under eighteen hundred people, which didn’t really justify the tininess of the town. Even though my father-Dr. Cullen, to the people of Forks-was a wise, skillful surgeon and physician, the townsfolk weren’t above starting rumors. It certainly didn’t help that his youngest daughter was a bit of an odd ball.
The bullying began subtly, as these things do, with the children repeating what their parents had said in hushed whispers. However, seeing how adolescents are naturally somewhat sociopathic, things quickly went from bad to worse. It ultimately ended with Edward and Rosalie defending their sister, me, in a rather violent fashion, and Esme decided that the public education system wasn’t good enough for her children.
Now, if you're assuming that I was picked on for being the school dunce, I have to disappoint you.I wasn’t dumb or challenged in anyway. In fact, prior to my extrication from Forks High School, my grades had made me one of the best students in the school, followed closely by the love of my brother’s life-the kind, soft-spoken, Bella.
Bella and I had met through a buddy program in the seventh grade, and it had been friendship at first sight. We complimented each other in every way imaginable; Bella allowed me to dress her in whatever she liked, and I allowed Bella to sketch and write about me. We were also there for one another when life became too overwhelming and the only cure was a shoulder to cry on.
As I affixed the boots on my feet and continued on with my journey, I smiled when I thought about my friend. Bella would’ve joined me, but she had a difficult story that she needed to have completed by tonight if she was going to make her deadline. I also knew that Edward was planning on paying Bella a visit tonight. The two of them were so in love with one another, but were completely unaware of each other’s feelings. It had been like that for almost two years, and I was starting to get annoyed with them.
Climbing over the rocks was easy for me, since I’d been visiting this place for the past four years. Even if my father hadn’t insisted I take my boots, I still would have been able to scale the rocky hill without injury. However, I could move faster with the extra protection, so I was happy to oblige.
Once I passed the rocky terrain, I dusted off my boots and smiled when I spied the beginning of the fields belonging to the Denalis. They were a family of women-three sisters-who were kind, accepting, but a bit reclusive. Rosalie, my mother, and I had taken to baking cookies for them every holiday. Because of my kindness, and their fondness of my headstrong, airy spirit, I was allowed to wander through their land unattended. My father always said it was hard for anyone to deny me anything once they got to know me.
I moved through the thin, wispy plants and put a little hitch in my step as I came closer to my destination. Just beyond the southeastern part of the Denali wheat field was a tree house that the late Mr. Denali had made for his daughters. After his passing, the sisters tried to maintain it, but it grew difficult and soon fell to disrepair. That was until I came into their lives.
I had discovered the structure during one of my ventures into the wilderness, and had taken it upon myself to fix it up. It had taken me four trips to the hardware store, a few extra chores for more money, and some minor cuts and scrapes, but it had paid off. By the end of the summer, I had not only fixed it up but made it better.
The Denali sisters were tickled at what had occurred without their knowledge, and gave me permission to use the tree house in whatever way I saw fit. So far, I had used it for sleepovers with Rosalie and Bella, study sessions, a retreat when life got me down, and solo camping, which was why I was there. My parents had made me promise that I was to run to the Denalis’ home, should anything happen.
As I moved through the field, my eyes finally found what I was anticipating; the tree house. The stairs curled around the base of the thick tree trunk, giving access to the elaborate structure. I had painted the wood a deep mahogany color, so it would blend in during the night time. I stopped at the base and took a deep breath, marveling at the work I had done. It was only a temporary pause, and I promptly giggled and flew up the steps.
It was the same as it had been the week prior, when I’d come up with Bella. The two of us had spent the entire night talking about boys and nonsense. I had encouraged my friend to open up to Edward, to tell him how she really felt. Of course, Bella had given me her normal reply-stammering heavily and blushing feverishly.
As the sun started to trace its way down behind the trees, I started unpacking my satchel. I rolled out my sleeping bag, fluffed my pillow, changed into my pajamas, and arranged my schoolbooks nearby. My cell phone was flashing and I found my mother had texted me, asking if I had made it safely. I gave my mother a response before turning my phone off. I wanted the full experience of camping tonight.
The next hour was filled with me pouring through my textbooks, making sure the notes I’d taken were accurate. I had finished going over my math and history when my stomach started to grumble. Without skipping a beat, I unpacked the meal I had brought with me-baked chicken, potatoes, some fresh vegetables, and a side of apple pie for dessert. Esme had set aside some of their meal from the previous night for me; she didn’t want me to wake up hungry in the middle of the night.
After practically inhaling my meal, and washing it down with water from my canteen, I had just enough time to flip through a few fashion magazines before having to switch on my flashlight. I sprawled out on my sleeping bag and listened to the forest come alive. There were the calls of the cicadas, shrill and sporadic, as well as the screeches of the night birds, fleeting and haunting.
As the song of the forest grew stronger, I felt my eyelids grow heavy and I soon fell fast asleep.
A few hours later, I was awakened and stared curiously around the tree house. In all the times I had stayed here, I had never awoken during the night. I scanned the inside of my dwelling and was relieved to find that no one had intruded during my slumber, but I was confused why I had woken up. I sat up and wondered if I should peek outside when I noticed something strange. The woods had fallen silent.
Seeing how I’d never been awake while in the tree house, I couldn’t decide if this was normal or not. As I sat up and rubbed my eyes, I immediately noticed that something was not right. Instead of the blackness that normally engulfed Forks at night, there was a soft blue glow coming from outside.
I debated momentarily on what I should do. There was no way I would be able to go back to sleep, but investigating might lead to trouble. The light from outside seemed like it was pulsating, and it was starting to make me a little nervous. However, regardless of my trepidations, I got on all fours and crawled to one of the openings. I deftly pulled back the curtains a tiny bit, moving slowly so as not to attract attention, and glanced out the window.
What I saw made me gasp.
The Denalis’ wheat field was littered with multiple orbs of light, each one a different size and color. They hovered at random distances above the crops, but didn’t appear to be moving much. As I raised my eyes, I noticed the sky above was covered with them as well, and I caught myself sighing at the splendor of the sight. It was breathtaking.
This revelry was short lived, though. The reality of the situation set in, and I felt myself panic a bit. What were these lights? Was it an optical illusion, or something else? Was it a good omen, or a terrible warning? My skin erupted into goose flesh as I internally questioned what I was seeing, and an errant thought suggested I make a run for it. However, I had never been a coward and resolved to stay put.
As the seconds ticked by, I noticed that the lights had started to change; they were all pulsating and appeared to be gravitating towards one another. They ghosted over the field and unified to create a giant ball of light, brilliant and near blinding. I tried to continue watching it, but, after awhile, it became too bright and I was forced to close my eyes.
Even behind my eyelids, I could see the light growing in its luminosity, and could hear a slight hum floating through the air. The bumps on my arms had spread exponentially, encompassing my entire body, and with it came a sharp tingle. The unknown had always excited me.
And then it was over.
I opened my eyes and noticed that the lights had vanished completely, and the humming in the air had ceased. The forest was still silent however, and I knew that this was a sign that the wildlife was still on alert. As I let my eyes scour the field, I spied movement in the center of the corn stalks.
I tensed up, but only temporarily. Realizing it must be a mouse, or possibly the Denalis’ house cat, I relaxed and shook my head. I had no explanation for what I had just seen, and wasn’t sure that I wanted one. What I had just witnessed had been magical and spectacular; I didn’t need any scientific reasoning ruining the beauty of it.
I shifted away from the window and was about to lay back down, when the rustling sound caught my attention. I was immediately back glancing out the window, peeking out of the curtains at the stirring foliage in the field, and noticed that something was heading in my direction. My stomach knotted and I mentally started coming up with contingency plans of escape. I had a baseball bat with me, so I was definitely prepared should I encounter violence, but I had never travelled through these woods at night.
I glanced back at my cell phone and wondered if I should call my parents, or Edward. However, none of them knew the forest as well as I did, so they would probably end up getting lost. I considered calling Emmett, my sister’s boyfriend who lived two farms down from the Denalis, but remembered Rosalie saying that not even an earthquake could wake him up.
Whatever was moving in the field was almost to the tree house, and I was getting genuinely frightened. What if it was a drifter? Or a bear? I realized that a bear would be the best case scenario, seeing as the door had a lock on it.
The lock!
I quickly jumped up, rushed to the heavy door, and padlocked it. Carlisle had purchased the most expensive lock imaginable for me, after it was apparent that I wanted to spend nights alone in the tree house. Although I thought it was silly at the time, I told myself to hug my daddy later…if I saw him again.
Meanwhile, the rustling outside had stopped, and I moved as quietly as possible to look out the window. Just as my eye found a crack in the drapes, the strands of wheat parted and a solid form stepped out. I pulled back a little, trying to hide my face in the shadows, and gasped when the figure moved into the moonlight.
Although he was on the ground, he was close enough that I could make out the majority of his features. His hair fell to his shoulders-blonde, given the way it shone under the moonlight-and his skin glowed iridescently blue. While it was difficult to truly gauge his measurements from where I sat, I could tell he was tall by comparing him to the size of the crops; he had to be at least six feet in height.
However, the most shocking part about him was that he was naked.
I caught myself blushing as I traced the contour and shadows of his nude, lithe form. Even though he was partially masked by the night, I could tell his body was pleasing to look at. I averted my eyes quickly when he shifted to the side, revealing the outline of his back and front side, and stifled a giggle. While other seventeen year old girls had some level of experience with naked men, I was definitely not one of them. The only exposure I’d had to male genitals was through the text books in middle school.
When my gaze returned to him, I was relieved that he had shifted again and was facing the Denalis’ home. The stranger began to stretch out his arms and legs, bending at the waist as a runner would before a big sprint. I knew that it was rude to stare, but I couldn’t help it. I was fascinated by this man who had come out of nowhere.
No. I shook her head and frowned. He came with the lights.
After a few minutes, the man stopped stretching and lifted his hand to the sky. A small orb of light appeared before him, similar to the ones I had seen earlier. I squinted at the brightness, and could hear the man begin to speak. His voice was deep and melodious, bringing a tickle to my stomach that could only be described as butterflies. I smiled and let her eyes close, hoping to catch a bit of what he was saying.
However, there was something off about his speech; he wasn’t speaking English.
Now, I knew better than to assume that every person on Earth spoke my language, but I had a deep love for foreign movies and was familiar with many different languages. This didn’t sound like French, Italian, or any others I’d encountered. In fact, it sounded more like pairings of hisses and squawks than a normal language. The man’s jargon almost reminded me of tree squirrels chattering, only deeper and more pleasing to the ear-if that made sense.
What was stranger was that the orb of light appeared to be responding to his bizarre sounds. The same meaningless noise came in rapid procession from the illuminated ball, which blinked when it made a sound. Despite my vast linguist placement skills, I was at a loss as to what language this was.
After a few minutes, the luminescent ball disappeared and the man vanished back into the fields. I followed him with my eyes, watching for the movement and disruption of the plants, and breathed a deep sigh when I decided he was far enough. Without stopping myself, I fell backwards and wrapped both arms around my knees.
Once again, I briefly considered heading home, but knew I wouldn’t be able to make it on my own. I glanced back at my cell phone and considered calling someone, but the list of people was short and problematic. Bella would get lost, or hurt herself, Edward would get lost and upset, Rosalie would get lost, or break a nail, Carlisle was working a night shift at the hospital, and Esme would get lost, and forbid me to come out here again. So, without stopping to think if he’d wake or not, I called Emmett.
It rang three times before a very groggy voice said, “Mphfello?”
“Emmett?” His voice was so muffled that I had to make sure I had dialed the right number. “Is that you?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed and I could hear him groan. “What’s up, Ally?”
“I’m sorry for calling,” I said and softened my voice, realizing that the stranger may have doubled back and be listening. “Could you do me a huge, amazing favor?”
“Depends,” Emmett said, yawning. “What is it?”
“I’m at the tree house,” I said meekly, feeling guilty for waking him up at three in the morning. “Is there any way you could pick me up and drive me home?”
“The tree house?” His voice became a little clearer, and I could tell he was a little miffed. Emmett thought of me as his baby sister and had never liked the idea of me camping alone. There had been one occasion where he had camped in a tent a few yards away, after hearing about an escaped convict on the loose. He took no chances in regards to me. “Is everything all right?”
“Um, kind of,” I hedged, not wanting to divulge what I had seen. “I just think it’s best if I head home-maybe try for another day.”
“How about with someone else next time?” Emmett suggested, clearly disapproving of me being there alone. However, as he sighed heavily, I could hear the squeak of his mattress as he got out of bed. “All right, I’ll be there in about ten or fifteen minutes-don’t leave the tree house until I get there, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed, nodding. “Thanks, Emmett-I owe you one.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said before disconnecting the line.
I knew that if I was idle for too long I’d start getting nervous again. So, I immediately started packing up everything I’d brought with me. I had just thrown everything into my backpack when I heard Emmett’s unmistakable grumbling from below. I giggled and listened to him.
“I can’t believe I’m marching through the forest at three in the morning,” he griped, and I could hear him start to climb the steps. “I’m glad she called but, damn. If she does this again, I’m going to set her tree house on fire.”
A knock came at the bottom of the tree house and I climbed down, shivering when I saw the spot where the man had been standing. I followed Emmett down the stairs after locking the door behind me, and we started through the woods. There was a road not far from where we were, and, after about five minutes of walking, we were climbing into Emmett’s old jeep.
“So,” he said as we drove towards my house. “You’ve spent many nights out there before-what was different about tonight.”
I debated internally about whether or not to tell Emmett what I had seen. The town had pretty much written me off as a kook, and I couldn’t stand the idea of my sister’s boyfriend thinking the same about me. Even though I knew he was different, I couldn’t bring down my wall enough to open up fully.
“I don’t know,” I responded with a shrug. “I guess I just got spooked or something.”
“So, you’re not going to tell me, then?” He grinned when I gave him a semi shocked look. “All right, keep your secrets, Ally-just know that I’m always here for you.”
“Thanks Emmy,” I said and leaned my head on my broad shoulder.
We stayed like that for the duration of our trip, and hugged each other when he dropped me off at my front door. Emmett was very protective over me, had been since the day we’d first met. Sometimes I wondered if it was odd that he felt a stronger bond with me than with Rose. It wasn’t a sexual or romantic feeling whatsoever, but he did tend to look out for me more. According to him, Rosalie was a strong woman and capable of taking care of herself.
Everyone was fast asleep when I got in, and I was able to slip up to my room without waking anyone. I briefly thought about checking in on Edward-especially when I noticed his bedside lamp was still on-and finding out what happened with him and Bella. However, I decided that was best saved for the next day and headed upstairs.
My family’s home was an ornate, three story house, which Esme, mom, had restored prior to Rosalie being born. Esme and Carlisle’s room was on the first floor, Rosalie and Edward on the second, and me on the third floor.
The third floor used to be the attic, however, when I had turned fourteen, I had wanted a larger space. So, Esme had commissioned to have the attic altered for her youngest daughter. The room was large, with a massive skylight-so I could sleep under the stars-as well as my own bathroom. After only a day or two of being up there, I had transformed it into my own personal haven. While I did have light fixtures, I preferred to light the space with discarded Christmas lights, and Bella had painted a mural on one of the walls for my sixteenth birthday.
The mural was something that I had drawn once; a collage of images I’d collected from my own dreams. Everyone had been skeptical, because it was so bizarre and eclectic, but somehow I had known it would come out lovely, and so it did. In fact, Bella had taken a picture of it to use for her portfolio when applying to art school.
I decided I’d unpack my backpack in the morning, and, after changing into a new set of pajamas, I curled up in my bed and fell asleep. That night, the only subject of my dreams was the strange man that had come with the lights.
They were very good dreams.
I idled briefly in the water and bent forward to glance at the tiny world below me, examining the flitting minnows and the curious turtles. Smiling softly, I wondered if the fish recognized the taste of my skin or the lines of my feet. After all, I had been coming to this spot every summer since I was fourteen. Then again, I pondered wistfully, I’m sure the fish have better things to do than examine a foot…I know I would, were I fish.
That was all the encouragement I needed for my imagination to take off.
I couldn’t decide if I would prefer to be fresh water or salt water, were I a fish that is. I was fairly certain that fresh water fish had the propensity to live longer, given the lack of predators. However, as I ventured on through the woods, I quickly denounced that idea after hearing the screech of an owl. Tree birds loved fresh water fish. Of course, I thought happily, the little minnows must have a glorious view. To think of waking up and seeing the sun through the trees…it must be lovely! But that wonderment was thrown away just as quickly, seeing as the sun can be outright painful to look at and the sight gets a little repetitive.
The path had become rocky and a bit rough, at which point I decided to change, from the dainty sandals my mother had given me, to the tough boots my father had urged I take with me. The brown knee length boots weren’t ugly, but were, by definition, strange. Their surface was caked with mud, sand, paint, and bits of hay. If anything, these boots were a reflection of me as a person.
My real name was Mary Cullen, the third child born to Carlisle and Esme Cullen. However, my love for Lewis Carroll’s stories of Wonderland had earned me the permanent title of “Alice.” I had two siblings-Edward and Rosalie-and got along with both of them the majority of the time. In humble truth, I was the apple of my family’s eye and was protected by every one of them. Unfortunately, this truth did not extend to general populous of their town.
My family lived in Forks, Washington-a town with more gossip than people. The most recent Census had estimated the population count to be well under eighteen hundred people, which didn’t really justify the tininess of the town. Even though my father-Dr. Cullen, to the people of Forks-was a wise, skillful surgeon and physician, the townsfolk weren’t above starting rumors. It certainly didn’t help that his youngest daughter was a bit of an odd ball.
The bullying began subtly, as these things do, with the children repeating what their parents had said in hushed whispers. However, seeing how adolescents are naturally somewhat sociopathic, things quickly went from bad to worse. It ultimately ended with Edward and Rosalie defending their sister, me, in a rather violent fashion, and Esme decided that the public education system wasn’t good enough for her children.
Now, if you're assuming that I was picked on for being the school dunce, I have to disappoint you.I wasn’t dumb or challenged in anyway. In fact, prior to my extrication from Forks High School, my grades had made me one of the best students in the school, followed closely by the love of my brother’s life-the kind, soft-spoken, Bella.
Bella and I had met through a buddy program in the seventh grade, and it had been friendship at first sight. We complimented each other in every way imaginable; Bella allowed me to dress her in whatever she liked, and I allowed Bella to sketch and write about me. We were also there for one another when life became too overwhelming and the only cure was a shoulder to cry on.
As I affixed the boots on my feet and continued on with my journey, I smiled when I thought about my friend. Bella would’ve joined me, but she had a difficult story that she needed to have completed by tonight if she was going to make her deadline. I also knew that Edward was planning on paying Bella a visit tonight. The two of them were so in love with one another, but were completely unaware of each other’s feelings. It had been like that for almost two years, and I was starting to get annoyed with them.
Climbing over the rocks was easy for me, since I’d been visiting this place for the past four years. Even if my father hadn’t insisted I take my boots, I still would have been able to scale the rocky hill without injury. However, I could move faster with the extra protection, so I was happy to oblige.
Once I passed the rocky terrain, I dusted off my boots and smiled when I spied the beginning of the fields belonging to the Denalis. They were a family of women-three sisters-who were kind, accepting, but a bit reclusive. Rosalie, my mother, and I had taken to baking cookies for them every holiday. Because of my kindness, and their fondness of my headstrong, airy spirit, I was allowed to wander through their land unattended. My father always said it was hard for anyone to deny me anything once they got to know me.
I moved through the thin, wispy plants and put a little hitch in my step as I came closer to my destination. Just beyond the southeastern part of the Denali wheat field was a tree house that the late Mr. Denali had made for his daughters. After his passing, the sisters tried to maintain it, but it grew difficult and soon fell to disrepair. That was until I came into their lives.
I had discovered the structure during one of my ventures into the wilderness, and had taken it upon myself to fix it up. It had taken me four trips to the hardware store, a few extra chores for more money, and some minor cuts and scrapes, but it had paid off. By the end of the summer, I had not only fixed it up but made it better.
The Denali sisters were tickled at what had occurred without their knowledge, and gave me permission to use the tree house in whatever way I saw fit. So far, I had used it for sleepovers with Rosalie and Bella, study sessions, a retreat when life got me down, and solo camping, which was why I was there. My parents had made me promise that I was to run to the Denalis’ home, should anything happen.
As I moved through the field, my eyes finally found what I was anticipating; the tree house. The stairs curled around the base of the thick tree trunk, giving access to the elaborate structure. I had painted the wood a deep mahogany color, so it would blend in during the night time. I stopped at the base and took a deep breath, marveling at the work I had done. It was only a temporary pause, and I promptly giggled and flew up the steps.
It was the same as it had been the week prior, when I’d come up with Bella. The two of us had spent the entire night talking about boys and nonsense. I had encouraged my friend to open up to Edward, to tell him how she really felt. Of course, Bella had given me her normal reply-stammering heavily and blushing feverishly.
As the sun started to trace its way down behind the trees, I started unpacking my satchel. I rolled out my sleeping bag, fluffed my pillow, changed into my pajamas, and arranged my schoolbooks nearby. My cell phone was flashing and I found my mother had texted me, asking if I had made it safely. I gave my mother a response before turning my phone off. I wanted the full experience of camping tonight.
The next hour was filled with me pouring through my textbooks, making sure the notes I’d taken were accurate. I had finished going over my math and history when my stomach started to grumble. Without skipping a beat, I unpacked the meal I had brought with me-baked chicken, potatoes, some fresh vegetables, and a side of apple pie for dessert. Esme had set aside some of their meal from the previous night for me; she didn’t want me to wake up hungry in the middle of the night.
After practically inhaling my meal, and washing it down with water from my canteen, I had just enough time to flip through a few fashion magazines before having to switch on my flashlight. I sprawled out on my sleeping bag and listened to the forest come alive. There were the calls of the cicadas, shrill and sporadic, as well as the screeches of the night birds, fleeting and haunting.
As the song of the forest grew stronger, I felt my eyelids grow heavy and I soon fell fast asleep.
A few hours later, I was awakened and stared curiously around the tree house. In all the times I had stayed here, I had never awoken during the night. I scanned the inside of my dwelling and was relieved to find that no one had intruded during my slumber, but I was confused why I had woken up. I sat up and wondered if I should peek outside when I noticed something strange. The woods had fallen silent.
Seeing how I’d never been awake while in the tree house, I couldn’t decide if this was normal or not. As I sat up and rubbed my eyes, I immediately noticed that something was not right. Instead of the blackness that normally engulfed Forks at night, there was a soft blue glow coming from outside.
I debated momentarily on what I should do. There was no way I would be able to go back to sleep, but investigating might lead to trouble. The light from outside seemed like it was pulsating, and it was starting to make me a little nervous. However, regardless of my trepidations, I got on all fours and crawled to one of the openings. I deftly pulled back the curtains a tiny bit, moving slowly so as not to attract attention, and glanced out the window.
What I saw made me gasp.
The Denalis’ wheat field was littered with multiple orbs of light, each one a different size and color. They hovered at random distances above the crops, but didn’t appear to be moving much. As I raised my eyes, I noticed the sky above was covered with them as well, and I caught myself sighing at the splendor of the sight. It was breathtaking.
This revelry was short lived, though. The reality of the situation set in, and I felt myself panic a bit. What were these lights? Was it an optical illusion, or something else? Was it a good omen, or a terrible warning? My skin erupted into goose flesh as I internally questioned what I was seeing, and an errant thought suggested I make a run for it. However, I had never been a coward and resolved to stay put.
As the seconds ticked by, I noticed that the lights had started to change; they were all pulsating and appeared to be gravitating towards one another. They ghosted over the field and unified to create a giant ball of light, brilliant and near blinding. I tried to continue watching it, but, after awhile, it became too bright and I was forced to close my eyes.
Even behind my eyelids, I could see the light growing in its luminosity, and could hear a slight hum floating through the air. The bumps on my arms had spread exponentially, encompassing my entire body, and with it came a sharp tingle. The unknown had always excited me.
And then it was over.
I opened my eyes and noticed that the lights had vanished completely, and the humming in the air had ceased. The forest was still silent however, and I knew that this was a sign that the wildlife was still on alert. As I let my eyes scour the field, I spied movement in the center of the corn stalks.
I tensed up, but only temporarily. Realizing it must be a mouse, or possibly the Denalis’ house cat, I relaxed and shook my head. I had no explanation for what I had just seen, and wasn’t sure that I wanted one. What I had just witnessed had been magical and spectacular; I didn’t need any scientific reasoning ruining the beauty of it.
I shifted away from the window and was about to lay back down, when the rustling sound caught my attention. I was immediately back glancing out the window, peeking out of the curtains at the stirring foliage in the field, and noticed that something was heading in my direction. My stomach knotted and I mentally started coming up with contingency plans of escape. I had a baseball bat with me, so I was definitely prepared should I encounter violence, but I had never travelled through these woods at night.
I glanced back at my cell phone and wondered if I should call my parents, or Edward. However, none of them knew the forest as well as I did, so they would probably end up getting lost. I considered calling Emmett, my sister’s boyfriend who lived two farms down from the Denalis, but remembered Rosalie saying that not even an earthquake could wake him up.
Whatever was moving in the field was almost to the tree house, and I was getting genuinely frightened. What if it was a drifter? Or a bear? I realized that a bear would be the best case scenario, seeing as the door had a lock on it.
The lock!
I quickly jumped up, rushed to the heavy door, and padlocked it. Carlisle had purchased the most expensive lock imaginable for me, after it was apparent that I wanted to spend nights alone in the tree house. Although I thought it was silly at the time, I told myself to hug my daddy later…if I saw him again.
Meanwhile, the rustling outside had stopped, and I moved as quietly as possible to look out the window. Just as my eye found a crack in the drapes, the strands of wheat parted and a solid form stepped out. I pulled back a little, trying to hide my face in the shadows, and gasped when the figure moved into the moonlight.
Although he was on the ground, he was close enough that I could make out the majority of his features. His hair fell to his shoulders-blonde, given the way it shone under the moonlight-and his skin glowed iridescently blue. While it was difficult to truly gauge his measurements from where I sat, I could tell he was tall by comparing him to the size of the crops; he had to be at least six feet in height.
However, the most shocking part about him was that he was naked.
I caught myself blushing as I traced the contour and shadows of his nude, lithe form. Even though he was partially masked by the night, I could tell his body was pleasing to look at. I averted my eyes quickly when he shifted to the side, revealing the outline of his back and front side, and stifled a giggle. While other seventeen year old girls had some level of experience with naked men, I was definitely not one of them. The only exposure I’d had to male genitals was through the text books in middle school.
When my gaze returned to him, I was relieved that he had shifted again and was facing the Denalis’ home. The stranger began to stretch out his arms and legs, bending at the waist as a runner would before a big sprint. I knew that it was rude to stare, but I couldn’t help it. I was fascinated by this man who had come out of nowhere.
No. I shook her head and frowned. He came with the lights.
After a few minutes, the man stopped stretching and lifted his hand to the sky. A small orb of light appeared before him, similar to the ones I had seen earlier. I squinted at the brightness, and could hear the man begin to speak. His voice was deep and melodious, bringing a tickle to my stomach that could only be described as butterflies. I smiled and let her eyes close, hoping to catch a bit of what he was saying.
However, there was something off about his speech; he wasn’t speaking English.
Now, I knew better than to assume that every person on Earth spoke my language, but I had a deep love for foreign movies and was familiar with many different languages. This didn’t sound like French, Italian, or any others I’d encountered. In fact, it sounded more like pairings of hisses and squawks than a normal language. The man’s jargon almost reminded me of tree squirrels chattering, only deeper and more pleasing to the ear-if that made sense.
What was stranger was that the orb of light appeared to be responding to his bizarre sounds. The same meaningless noise came in rapid procession from the illuminated ball, which blinked when it made a sound. Despite my vast linguist placement skills, I was at a loss as to what language this was.
After a few minutes, the luminescent ball disappeared and the man vanished back into the fields. I followed him with my eyes, watching for the movement and disruption of the plants, and breathed a deep sigh when I decided he was far enough. Without stopping myself, I fell backwards and wrapped both arms around my knees.
Once again, I briefly considered heading home, but knew I wouldn’t be able to make it on my own. I glanced back at my cell phone and considered calling someone, but the list of people was short and problematic. Bella would get lost, or hurt herself, Edward would get lost and upset, Rosalie would get lost, or break a nail, Carlisle was working a night shift at the hospital, and Esme would get lost, and forbid me to come out here again. So, without stopping to think if he’d wake or not, I called Emmett.
It rang three times before a very groggy voice said, “Mphfello?”
“Emmett?” His voice was so muffled that I had to make sure I had dialed the right number. “Is that you?”
“Yeah,” he confirmed and I could hear him groan. “What’s up, Ally?”
“I’m sorry for calling,” I said and softened my voice, realizing that the stranger may have doubled back and be listening. “Could you do me a huge, amazing favor?”
“Depends,” Emmett said, yawning. “What is it?”
“I’m at the tree house,” I said meekly, feeling guilty for waking him up at three in the morning. “Is there any way you could pick me up and drive me home?”
“The tree house?” His voice became a little clearer, and I could tell he was a little miffed. Emmett thought of me as his baby sister and had never liked the idea of me camping alone. There had been one occasion where he had camped in a tent a few yards away, after hearing about an escaped convict on the loose. He took no chances in regards to me. “Is everything all right?”
“Um, kind of,” I hedged, not wanting to divulge what I had seen. “I just think it’s best if I head home-maybe try for another day.”
“How about with someone else next time?” Emmett suggested, clearly disapproving of me being there alone. However, as he sighed heavily, I could hear the squeak of his mattress as he got out of bed. “All right, I’ll be there in about ten or fifteen minutes-don’t leave the tree house until I get there, okay?”
“Okay,” I agreed, nodding. “Thanks, Emmett-I owe you one.”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said before disconnecting the line.
I knew that if I was idle for too long I’d start getting nervous again. So, I immediately started packing up everything I’d brought with me. I had just thrown everything into my backpack when I heard Emmett’s unmistakable grumbling from below. I giggled and listened to him.
“I can’t believe I’m marching through the forest at three in the morning,” he griped, and I could hear him start to climb the steps. “I’m glad she called but, damn. If she does this again, I’m going to set her tree house on fire.”
A knock came at the bottom of the tree house and I climbed down, shivering when I saw the spot where the man had been standing. I followed Emmett down the stairs after locking the door behind me, and we started through the woods. There was a road not far from where we were, and, after about five minutes of walking, we were climbing into Emmett’s old jeep.
“So,” he said as we drove towards my house. “You’ve spent many nights out there before-what was different about tonight.”
I debated internally about whether or not to tell Emmett what I had seen. The town had pretty much written me off as a kook, and I couldn’t stand the idea of my sister’s boyfriend thinking the same about me. Even though I knew he was different, I couldn’t bring down my wall enough to open up fully.
“I don’t know,” I responded with a shrug. “I guess I just got spooked or something.”
“So, you’re not going to tell me, then?” He grinned when I gave him a semi shocked look. “All right, keep your secrets, Ally-just know that I’m always here for you.”
“Thanks Emmy,” I said and leaned my head on my broad shoulder.
We stayed like that for the duration of our trip, and hugged each other when he dropped me off at my front door. Emmett was very protective over me, had been since the day we’d first met. Sometimes I wondered if it was odd that he felt a stronger bond with me than with Rose. It wasn’t a sexual or romantic feeling whatsoever, but he did tend to look out for me more. According to him, Rosalie was a strong woman and capable of taking care of herself.
Everyone was fast asleep when I got in, and I was able to slip up to my room without waking anyone. I briefly thought about checking in on Edward-especially when I noticed his bedside lamp was still on-and finding out what happened with him and Bella. However, I decided that was best saved for the next day and headed upstairs.
My family’s home was an ornate, three story house, which Esme, mom, had restored prior to Rosalie being born. Esme and Carlisle’s room was on the first floor, Rosalie and Edward on the second, and me on the third floor.
The third floor used to be the attic, however, when I had turned fourteen, I had wanted a larger space. So, Esme had commissioned to have the attic altered for her youngest daughter. The room was large, with a massive skylight-so I could sleep under the stars-as well as my own bathroom. After only a day or two of being up there, I had transformed it into my own personal haven. While I did have light fixtures, I preferred to light the space with discarded Christmas lights, and Bella had painted a mural on one of the walls for my sixteenth birthday.
The mural was something that I had drawn once; a collage of images I’d collected from my own dreams. Everyone had been skeptical, because it was so bizarre and eclectic, but somehow I had known it would come out lovely, and so it did. In fact, Bella had taken a picture of it to use for her portfolio when applying to art school.
I decided I’d unpack my backpack in the morning, and, after changing into a new set of pajamas, I curled up in my bed and fell asleep. That night, the only subject of my dreams was the strange man that had come with the lights.
They were very good dreams.