(no subject)
title: abstract familiarity
rating: g
pairing: bella/edward
time frame: new moon
word count: 2,115
summary: deep in the tropical forest of south america, the air was constantly dense and swelteringly hot in the sun that barely peeked through the canopies of trees.
special note: written for the weathering heights challenge at part_of_him
abstract familiarity
- - - - - - - -
Dense and heavy fog covered the rainforest in a thick blanket of moist discomfort. As I crouched in the undergrowth, damp dirt stuck to my legs and palms. It created a second layer of clothing that mirrored my soiled outfit. I felt as though I’d been rolling in filth; there were no means of removing it in a jungle such as this. I could feel every twig that scraped against my limbs, invisible scars of past decisions left in their wake. Leaves and ferns adorned with water droplets brushed my body, furthering to glue the grime. Wetness beaded on the nape of my neck; to anyone who was unfamiliar with my hidden realities, they would guess that I was merely perspiring heavily.
But there were no other occupants in the area other than myself, and it wasn’t sweat that plastered my body. Deep in the tropical forest of South America, the air was constantly dense and swelteringly hot in the sun that barely peeked through the canopies of trees. The moisture was thick enough to blob and solidify itself to my body. During nighttime, the temperature decreased, which led the atmosphere to clear out and thin. I found evening a much easier time of day to ponder.
I often thought of Bella-that was the only way I could see her, talk to her…almost literally be with her. “Out of sight, out of mind” may apply to humans-as I very much hoped it would for dearest Bella-but not for vampires, and most definitely not for me. I found myself constantly picturing her image in my mind; my photographic memory retained it perfectly. Her vivid brown eyes, gazing at me with an impossible amount of love; the vast expanse of her smooth neck, aching to be fondled and kissed; the way her plump pink lips broke into a smile…a smile I desperately wished was reserved for me, and me only.
But my thoughts would soon slip and transform into possibilities, unattainable fantasies, within which I would return to her and hold her slim form in my arms, her warm body pressed flush against my own. I would beg for forgiveness, reassuring my absolute and unchanging love for her. She would be kind, excusing my horrendous behavior and grasping my face in her adoring hands, eagerly but tenderly drawing her lips to mine…
And I’d have to stop my thoughts from progressing, for fear of leaving my current predicament and causing my dreams to come true.
As night sank in, the moon peered upon me from above the trees’ highest peaks, casting vivid shadows over everything in sight. The forest looked more ghostly in the darkest hour, with silhouettes of molehills appearing to be mountains. I crawled to a nearby log and sat atop it, stretching my legs out before me. Another day had passed…another unsuccessful twenty-four hours. I felt as though I was living the same day over and over again, a dismal repetition of my vain attempt at tracking. The problem wasn’t that I was unable to hunt; I easily understood the fundamentals and execution of the sport-if the gruesome act could be classified as a “sport” in the first place.
No, the issue was Victoria. She was quick and tricky, luring me close to her, deceiving the trust I had in myself, and then taking off in the opposite direction. When I had encountered her only months ago, when she accompanied Laurent and James-my lips curled back at the thought of the latter-never would I have imagined that she was so incredibly cunning.
I caught the scent of Victoria a couple weeks ago and eagerly followed it. Her aroma was easy to distinguish due to its sourness-because of the filthy country through which she was running, or because of my biased opinion toward her, I could not be sure. But now, she was nowhere to be found; I hadn’t caught of a whiff of her in days. It was utterly useless, trying to trail someone who had so much more experience at tracking than me.
At this point, I was fighting to survive every minute-fighting to spend another second-away from Bella. I glanced up at the sky, the blackness blending easily with the tops of the rainforest, and thought of her. Her words flashed through my mind; it seemed as though they had been spoken years ago, but in actuality, it had only been a matter of months. “Without the dark, we’d never see the stars.” How right she was. Each twinkling star that caught my eye reminded me of another aspect of Bella, one that was remotely her. The way her round face came to a finish at her slender chin; her wide and thick cheekbones, so contradictory to her thin and pointed nose; how her chest rose and fell, slowly and lightly, as she slept; her glorious lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed out in a fashion that matched her heartbeat…thump, breath in, thump, breath out, thump.
I was at a stalemate. I wanted, needed, to think of Bella. It was the only way I stayed grounded and kept on task, no matter how futile my efforts seemed to be. But, at the same time, it was almost painful to picture her and not be able to truly hold her. It was the most exquisite form of torture. Oh, how I wished to touch and kiss her, hear and feel the way her silvery voice ran through my ears…
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t go on much longer. I wouldn’t be able to last; the temptation to see her, breathe her scent, feel her against me…it was far too strong a lure. She was my drug, just as she pointed out in my…our…meadow. She was my heroin, and I was but a hopeless addict, counting down the hours until my next fix, desperately waiting for the drug to come into grasp…
And all of the images and memories spat back at me simultaneously, each one strong and unable to resist or forget, and it was far too much for me to handle.
I pounded a fist against the tree I was sitting upon with a strong determination, and stood abruptly. This could not go on. I had to leave. I had to find her.
And perhaps she wouldn’t accept me back; my self-depreciating side battled against my forgiveness. Perhaps she had fallen for another, or maybe wouldn’t take me back, regardless.
But I had to see her. I had to see her in person. It didn’t matter if she had stopped loving me. After all, that had been my exact intention, in the first place. But my legs ached to run to her window, my eyes desired to gaze through the glass, to watch her sleeping form once more. I had to.
I began running through the forest, weaving through trees blindingly fast, my legs blazing with a purpose. And it was as my feet moved faster that I noticed it.
The atmosphere of the rainforest…it felt different than it should at this time, nearly midnight. The air was still humid and warm, as though it had retained the sun’s heat far after the glowing orb had set. My arms and legs became glazed in the moistness, every step coating my body even further, as vines and twigs slapped my running form. The feeling was so incredibly familiar…I was warm, but not as hot as during the day, with the sun bearing down upon my back. It was a comfortable heat, almost soothing and relaxing…
I slowed to a stop as I recognized the familiarity. It felt like Bella. It felt like her arms were wrapped around me, constricting, her warmth flowing through my pores, filling my core with residual fire…
The realization urged me onward, and I began running faster, the balmy temperature tempting me. This was how Bella would feel in my arms. This was what could be waiting for me when I arrived back in Forks. My feet flew; I was almost airborne.
That was when the first crack hit. A flash of lightning burst into the sky, a bright light illuminating into the darkness. The branches of trees chopped the brilliant outburst, cutting holes and slashing lines through it, but even then, the monstrosity of its light revealed more than the moon could: every tree, every stone, every vein on every leaf. My eyes caught each clear observation; my head swiveled from side to side, taking in every detail that was lit. Every dew drop that surfaced upon the ferns; each insect that infested fallen branches; the way wet, muddy puddles would splash beneath my feet as I ran through them, furthering to soak my pant legs.
As quickly as the flare unearthed the blanket of night, it faded. I blinked and my eyes were left with the shadow of light, a ghost of surprise haunting my pupils.
And the familiarity struck me once more.
It reminded me of how Bella’s eyes would literally flash with emotion: intuition, when she caught a whispered word or a hidden glance; desire, when I used to kiss her, just beneath the jaw, running my lips over the hot veins that pounded with her life source; anger, when I refused to change her, transform her into the beast I truly was; contentedness, when I told her we were to spend the day at the meadow, or merely relax in her room all evening.
The comparison of lightning and Bella’s chocolate brown eyes burned inside me. It became one more thing to push me forward, to run even faster toward Bella’s home.
Another crash; another beam; another peer, even farther into the rainforest; another opportunity to find my way out. Each crack of lightning provided another chance to see Bella, in the most abstract way.
Rumbles of thunder coursed through the air. The ground beneath me trembled as my feet moved with impossible speed. The vibrations slithered into my legs, filling my core and sliding out my arms. Caught up in a tornado of emotions and feelings, the thunder could have easily been compared to an earthquake.
I reminisced that this was how it felt as Bella spoke when I held her, when she laughed in my arms…when her thundering heart beat against my body. The vocal chords reverberated a solid tune as she talked with me, her throat shuddering against my lips as I kissed it. Laughter would shake her body, a warm quake in my grip; the physical feeling of her mirth was so incredibly intoxicating, it was virtually impossible not to join in. And her heart, thumping a pattern against my cheek as it pressed onto her breastbone.
I whipped through the trees now, faster than I had ever run before, every accent of the forest only reminding me of what waited at the end of my journey. With every clash of lightning, Bella’s eyes swam behind my own; each moist patch of fog I dashed through felt like the arms of Bella, hugging and grasping me, as I dared to imagine that she would still want me; every growl of thunder was a memory of holding Bella in my arms as she giggled, her bright smile piercing my scattered thoughts…
The clearing of the rainforest was becoming apparent in the distance, and it pushed me over the edge. The temptations, the motivations, the drive for Bella was so strong, I was sure I would collapse from the entirety of it.
A totally other vibration, though, startled me from inside my pants pocket. For a brief moment, I contemplated simply ignoring the call and continuing with my purpose. But after a second’s thought, I slowed and withdrew the cellular phone. Extremely irritated at who the caller ID presented, I snapped it open. “What do you want, Rosalie?”
- - - - - - - - - -
I glanced out the window as I rode the plane to Volterra. The sun peered through the white puffs of cloud, its golden rays sneaking through the pane. I was so far from the ground, soaring so high in the sky…I could practically touch the heavens themselves.
The heavens. Would they hold the promise-the gift-which I so desperately wanted them to? Would I be with her, as she so willingly believed and attempted to convince of me? Was that fantasy even a possibility?
- - - - - - - - - -
Dearest Bella, I believe you now. Wait only a little while longer…
I’m coming for you.
rating: g
pairing: bella/edward
time frame: new moon
word count: 2,115
summary: deep in the tropical forest of south america, the air was constantly dense and swelteringly hot in the sun that barely peeked through the canopies of trees.
special note: written for the weathering heights challenge at part_of_him
abstract familiarity
- - - - - - - -
Dense and heavy fog covered the rainforest in a thick blanket of moist discomfort. As I crouched in the undergrowth, damp dirt stuck to my legs and palms. It created a second layer of clothing that mirrored my soiled outfit. I felt as though I’d been rolling in filth; there were no means of removing it in a jungle such as this. I could feel every twig that scraped against my limbs, invisible scars of past decisions left in their wake. Leaves and ferns adorned with water droplets brushed my body, furthering to glue the grime. Wetness beaded on the nape of my neck; to anyone who was unfamiliar with my hidden realities, they would guess that I was merely perspiring heavily.
But there were no other occupants in the area other than myself, and it wasn’t sweat that plastered my body. Deep in the tropical forest of South America, the air was constantly dense and swelteringly hot in the sun that barely peeked through the canopies of trees. The moisture was thick enough to blob and solidify itself to my body. During nighttime, the temperature decreased, which led the atmosphere to clear out and thin. I found evening a much easier time of day to ponder.
I often thought of Bella-that was the only way I could see her, talk to her…almost literally be with her. “Out of sight, out of mind” may apply to humans-as I very much hoped it would for dearest Bella-but not for vampires, and most definitely not for me. I found myself constantly picturing her image in my mind; my photographic memory retained it perfectly. Her vivid brown eyes, gazing at me with an impossible amount of love; the vast expanse of her smooth neck, aching to be fondled and kissed; the way her plump pink lips broke into a smile…a smile I desperately wished was reserved for me, and me only.
But my thoughts would soon slip and transform into possibilities, unattainable fantasies, within which I would return to her and hold her slim form in my arms, her warm body pressed flush against my own. I would beg for forgiveness, reassuring my absolute and unchanging love for her. She would be kind, excusing my horrendous behavior and grasping my face in her adoring hands, eagerly but tenderly drawing her lips to mine…
And I’d have to stop my thoughts from progressing, for fear of leaving my current predicament and causing my dreams to come true.
As night sank in, the moon peered upon me from above the trees’ highest peaks, casting vivid shadows over everything in sight. The forest looked more ghostly in the darkest hour, with silhouettes of molehills appearing to be mountains. I crawled to a nearby log and sat atop it, stretching my legs out before me. Another day had passed…another unsuccessful twenty-four hours. I felt as though I was living the same day over and over again, a dismal repetition of my vain attempt at tracking. The problem wasn’t that I was unable to hunt; I easily understood the fundamentals and execution of the sport-if the gruesome act could be classified as a “sport” in the first place.
No, the issue was Victoria. She was quick and tricky, luring me close to her, deceiving the trust I had in myself, and then taking off in the opposite direction. When I had encountered her only months ago, when she accompanied Laurent and James-my lips curled back at the thought of the latter-never would I have imagined that she was so incredibly cunning.
I caught the scent of Victoria a couple weeks ago and eagerly followed it. Her aroma was easy to distinguish due to its sourness-because of the filthy country through which she was running, or because of my biased opinion toward her, I could not be sure. But now, she was nowhere to be found; I hadn’t caught of a whiff of her in days. It was utterly useless, trying to trail someone who had so much more experience at tracking than me.
At this point, I was fighting to survive every minute-fighting to spend another second-away from Bella. I glanced up at the sky, the blackness blending easily with the tops of the rainforest, and thought of her. Her words flashed through my mind; it seemed as though they had been spoken years ago, but in actuality, it had only been a matter of months. “Without the dark, we’d never see the stars.” How right she was. Each twinkling star that caught my eye reminded me of another aspect of Bella, one that was remotely her. The way her round face came to a finish at her slender chin; her wide and thick cheekbones, so contradictory to her thin and pointed nose; how her chest rose and fell, slowly and lightly, as she slept; her glorious lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed out in a fashion that matched her heartbeat…thump, breath in, thump, breath out, thump.
I was at a stalemate. I wanted, needed, to think of Bella. It was the only way I stayed grounded and kept on task, no matter how futile my efforts seemed to be. But, at the same time, it was almost painful to picture her and not be able to truly hold her. It was the most exquisite form of torture. Oh, how I wished to touch and kiss her, hear and feel the way her silvery voice ran through my ears…
I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t go on much longer. I wouldn’t be able to last; the temptation to see her, breathe her scent, feel her against me…it was far too strong a lure. She was my drug, just as she pointed out in my…our…meadow. She was my heroin, and I was but a hopeless addict, counting down the hours until my next fix, desperately waiting for the drug to come into grasp…
And all of the images and memories spat back at me simultaneously, each one strong and unable to resist or forget, and it was far too much for me to handle.
I pounded a fist against the tree I was sitting upon with a strong determination, and stood abruptly. This could not go on. I had to leave. I had to find her.
And perhaps she wouldn’t accept me back; my self-depreciating side battled against my forgiveness. Perhaps she had fallen for another, or maybe wouldn’t take me back, regardless.
But I had to see her. I had to see her in person. It didn’t matter if she had stopped loving me. After all, that had been my exact intention, in the first place. But my legs ached to run to her window, my eyes desired to gaze through the glass, to watch her sleeping form once more. I had to.
I began running through the forest, weaving through trees blindingly fast, my legs blazing with a purpose. And it was as my feet moved faster that I noticed it.
The atmosphere of the rainforest…it felt different than it should at this time, nearly midnight. The air was still humid and warm, as though it had retained the sun’s heat far after the glowing orb had set. My arms and legs became glazed in the moistness, every step coating my body even further, as vines and twigs slapped my running form. The feeling was so incredibly familiar…I was warm, but not as hot as during the day, with the sun bearing down upon my back. It was a comfortable heat, almost soothing and relaxing…
I slowed to a stop as I recognized the familiarity. It felt like Bella. It felt like her arms were wrapped around me, constricting, her warmth flowing through my pores, filling my core with residual fire…
The realization urged me onward, and I began running faster, the balmy temperature tempting me. This was how Bella would feel in my arms. This was what could be waiting for me when I arrived back in Forks. My feet flew; I was almost airborne.
That was when the first crack hit. A flash of lightning burst into the sky, a bright light illuminating into the darkness. The branches of trees chopped the brilliant outburst, cutting holes and slashing lines through it, but even then, the monstrosity of its light revealed more than the moon could: every tree, every stone, every vein on every leaf. My eyes caught each clear observation; my head swiveled from side to side, taking in every detail that was lit. Every dew drop that surfaced upon the ferns; each insect that infested fallen branches; the way wet, muddy puddles would splash beneath my feet as I ran through them, furthering to soak my pant legs.
As quickly as the flare unearthed the blanket of night, it faded. I blinked and my eyes were left with the shadow of light, a ghost of surprise haunting my pupils.
And the familiarity struck me once more.
It reminded me of how Bella’s eyes would literally flash with emotion: intuition, when she caught a whispered word or a hidden glance; desire, when I used to kiss her, just beneath the jaw, running my lips over the hot veins that pounded with her life source; anger, when I refused to change her, transform her into the beast I truly was; contentedness, when I told her we were to spend the day at the meadow, or merely relax in her room all evening.
The comparison of lightning and Bella’s chocolate brown eyes burned inside me. It became one more thing to push me forward, to run even faster toward Bella’s home.
Another crash; another beam; another peer, even farther into the rainforest; another opportunity to find my way out. Each crack of lightning provided another chance to see Bella, in the most abstract way.
Rumbles of thunder coursed through the air. The ground beneath me trembled as my feet moved with impossible speed. The vibrations slithered into my legs, filling my core and sliding out my arms. Caught up in a tornado of emotions and feelings, the thunder could have easily been compared to an earthquake.
I reminisced that this was how it felt as Bella spoke when I held her, when she laughed in my arms…when her thundering heart beat against my body. The vocal chords reverberated a solid tune as she talked with me, her throat shuddering against my lips as I kissed it. Laughter would shake her body, a warm quake in my grip; the physical feeling of her mirth was so incredibly intoxicating, it was virtually impossible not to join in. And her heart, thumping a pattern against my cheek as it pressed onto her breastbone.
I whipped through the trees now, faster than I had ever run before, every accent of the forest only reminding me of what waited at the end of my journey. With every clash of lightning, Bella’s eyes swam behind my own; each moist patch of fog I dashed through felt like the arms of Bella, hugging and grasping me, as I dared to imagine that she would still want me; every growl of thunder was a memory of holding Bella in my arms as she giggled, her bright smile piercing my scattered thoughts…
The clearing of the rainforest was becoming apparent in the distance, and it pushed me over the edge. The temptations, the motivations, the drive for Bella was so strong, I was sure I would collapse from the entirety of it.
A totally other vibration, though, startled me from inside my pants pocket. For a brief moment, I contemplated simply ignoring the call and continuing with my purpose. But after a second’s thought, I slowed and withdrew the cellular phone. Extremely irritated at who the caller ID presented, I snapped it open. “What do you want, Rosalie?”
- - - - - - - - - -
I glanced out the window as I rode the plane to Volterra. The sun peered through the white puffs of cloud, its golden rays sneaking through the pane. I was so far from the ground, soaring so high in the sky…I could practically touch the heavens themselves.
The heavens. Would they hold the promise-the gift-which I so desperately wanted them to? Would I be with her, as she so willingly believed and attempted to convince of me? Was that fantasy even a possibility?
- - - - - - - - - -
Dearest Bella, I believe you now. Wait only a little while longer…
I’m coming for you.