After Dawn Broke

Chapter Nineteen: Awakening (Edward's Point of View)

The sound of Esme's piercing scream sent a shock throughout my tense body. I needed to get out of the house to find her, so I could help in any possible way. What could be so terrifying that it would make make my mother scream? She may look fragile on the outside, but she was a strong woman who had been through a lot in her life. Esme had been abused by her husband and ran away from him when she became pregnant, and her baby had been all she had left, but he died shortly after he was born. Carlisle found her nearly dead in a hospital morgue-she was so close to death after her attempted suicide that none of the doctors had made an effort to save her.

"Who was that!?" Taylor shrieked, even though she knew it was Esme. I could hear the name in her thoughts.

"It almost sounded like Esme..." I groaned. Deep down I was still hoping it was someone else, but I knew it had to be her. "I have no idea what's happening right now, but I'm going to help!" With that, I ran from the room and flew down the stairs, passing Jasper, Carlisle, and Emmett on the way out. "Bella, stay with Taylor!" I called out to her as I kept running, knowing she would hear.

I followed Esme's scent all the way out to her flourishing garden next to our garage, and I found her sitting around the corner with her knees up to her chest, shaking uncontrollably. She seemed absolutely petrified, so I frantically sat beside her, taking her unsteady hand and trying to provide some comfort. "Esme, please tell me what's wrong..." I coaxed her, trying not to sound too demanding. "It's okay," I said, not knowing if that was true. I tried to search her thoughts for anything to explain this reaction, but everything was jumbled and unclear.

She looked down at the ground to avoid my eyes. "Charles... my baby... cliff... pain... Volturi..." She was dry sobbing and hyperventilating between each word.

When Carlisle arrived and took Esme's other hand, I stood up, and we helped her to her feet. I released her hand, and she fell into Carlisle, who easily supported her weight. "Charles... my baby... cliff... pain... Volturi..." she repeated to him.

"Esme, shhh..." he whispered, placing one finger under her chin and tilting her head up so that he could look into her eyes. "It's fine. Just tell me what happened so we can take care of it for you."

She calmed down and was finally able to form a few coherent sentences. "It's just... so painful... Someone was here... I think it was the Volturi... I saw things... Charles was back... He tried to take my son... He killed my baby!" She started shaking again and hugged Carlisle closer.

"Esme, he's gone. Charles has been gone for a long time. You're safe," he reminded her. I slowly realized that the words she had said to me were about her human life-the one she tried so hard to forget. Charles Evenson was her abusive husband who died long ago, she ran away from him because she was scared he would abuse their baby too, and her son died shortly after he was born, causing her to commit suicide by jumping off a cliff. The only rational conclusion I could come to was that the Volturi must have gained a new member- one who could show people their greatest fears... or something to that effect.

A few minutes later, I received a mental message from Taylor. (Grandpa are you okay?) She sounded worried, and her thoughts were scattered. I started to panic because in them I saw a gun, Lizzie, and most alarmingly-the Volturi.

(I'm okay. Are you?) I replied quickly, anxiously awaiting an answer. I tried to calm myself. She's okay. She just talked to me. Alice went to help. Bella is there. They are all okay.

(Yeah, we're fine. What about everyone else? Who screamed?) She asked in a way that made it sound almost as if she didn't really want an answer.

I tried to warn her without making it sound too worrisome, but I assumed, from her thoughts, that they already knew the Volturi were here. The thought horrified me. (It was Esme... and she's okay. Something's wrong though. Someone is here.)