『 Six Years Earlier... 』
Nell's eyes had caught the bright red headline on the screen; it was already burned into her psyche. A collection of words that would forever alter life as she knew it:
ALTOONA TEEN MISSING.
She remembers thinking, "Missing from where?" She figured maybe she'd gotten lost. That was the most rational explanation since most of the area was covered in swamps and forests. But she never turned up. And three weeks later, another young woman disappeared.
By the end of the summer, four girls had vanished. They had disappeared without a trace. And a town so small that it leaves a void too big to bear, was a disgrace that weighed in the air in a way that made her bones vibrate.
Even with her gloves on, it was possible to feel it, taste it, see it in the eyes of every person, wondering: «Who will be next?»
Curfews kept them safe, secure. Though Nell couldn't help but wonder if she would be next. The anticipation was always there, always present, always suffocating.
—You'll be okay, Nell. You have nothing to worry about. —Luke reassured her while she was paralyzed with fear. She didn't want to go to school, cross that dark and uninhabited path of the swamp that so many later ended up being news on television.
—She does have something to worry about, Luke—Steve contradicted him—. And so do you.
—And so do you—Luke replied—We're only thirteen years old. The guy likes teenagers, remember?
If Nell were to analyze it, the reality was that the three of them were teenagers. Some bigger than others, but teenagers after all. So each and every one of them had a noose around their necks.
But what if the evil was actually in the house? In those strong arms that were not only good for cutting down trees, but also for surrounding them on the necks of children? Strangling them, burying them and washing their hands?
What happened then?.
Although she would have liked to say that all this was nothing more than conjecture, it was not so, because the night arrived. THAT night. The night when he was arrested and that Nell and her brothers would remember as the most traumatic of their lives.
The red and blue lights illuminated the entire living room. Nell cried next to Luke, and the body of her older brother was in front, ready to protect them, although shocked by the situation. Her mother was lying on the carpet; with blood gushing out; her husband pressed the knife into her chest again, and again, and again. With eyes as dark as if something were consuming him.
The armed men broke in, throwing the door down. Her father didn't bother to raise his head and look at the men. But she remembered how they took him away: they took him by both arms to move him away and it took them great effort because he couldn't stop.
And for a moment, his eyes were fixed on hers, unwavering and focused. In Nell's and then in her brothers'. He did nothing, nor did he say anything. He was just there looking, silently, and without expression. But Nell perceived it. Her father was enveloped in an aura of pure evil.
And with that knowledge in her head, the police dragged him away and put him in the patrol car while the three of them stood there, alone and with their mother's body in front of them.
『 Present Day... 』
NELL'S EYES FLEW OPEN. A tribal drum was vibrating the room. It was the sound of the alarm clock. She rolled off the floor to turn it off. When she had the courage to stand up, a stabbing pain ran through her shoulder and neck. Everything hurt completely. She couldn't imagine sleeping without her bed another day.
Before leaving the room, she took a look in the mirror. The person on the other side was her, but at the same time she seemed not to be; as if she were another version of herself. One that she still couldn't recognize.
She closed her eyes and suddenly relived everything: the grotesque sound of the knife coming out and entering her mother's body; the anger on her father's face; the crying - her crying - drowning her and preventing her from breathing; the cold, bloodless and unwavering eyes of a corpse.
She felt like throwing up.
She opened her eyes and found her father's face on the other side of the room. He was serious, silent and watching her. Just like that day. Nelly screamed with a force that made Steve go up the stairs violently and burst in.
—What's wrong? What's wrong?—He came closer worried. He inspected her from top to bottom, looking for signs of something, but her sight was fixed on the wall. He took her jaw and turned it in his direction—Nell, what happened?
Nell blinked. As if she were trying to get out of a trance.
«He wasn't there. He never was.» she thought, relaxing her breathing. Then she looked at Steve - who seemed tremendously worried - so she reassured him:
—Nothing. I'm fine.
Of course. He didn't swallow that tale.
—Then why did you scream?
—I saw a rat.
Steve raised an eyebrow.
—Uh-huh— He narrowed his eyes—You were looking at the wall. As far as I know, rats don't climb.
Nell closed the closet and slung her bag over her shoulder.
—This one does.
Steve rolled his eyes.
—Come on, Nell...
She stretched out her arms, tired.
—What do you want to know for? You won't believe me anyway.
Steve didn't answer, and she let out a choked sigh.
—I'm going to change. I'm going to be late for school —Nell warned, passing by his side and bumping his shoulder.
—Nell...
She didn't even let him continue. She took the bathroom door and locked herself tightly inside it.
●●●
In the parking lot she recognized some of her classmates. They were leaning on their cars while laughing and chatting. Except for the Cullens. They were serious; quiet. And of all of them, only Emmett stared at her and smiled at her.
Nell was about to turn her face and enter the building to ignore him. However, she returned the gesture and raised her hand in a greeting.
She was confused and everything was spinning. What had she just done? She shook her head; as if in that way her thoughts were rearranged, each in its place, without going over the limit. However, there was no way for that to happen.
At least Emmett was happy to see her. And Mike too:
—You came! —he shouted delighted.
—Why wouldn't I? —she asked him, not understanding.
—Because most excursions are in the forests. And many parents do not accept that their children enter dangerous areas.
That caught her attention.
—Is Forks a dangerous area?
—Not really. We're fine here. Although some areas of the forest are prohibited.
—And that's because?
—Bears—Mike faced her—They killed many hikers or adventurers who passed through there.
Nell opened and closed her mouth. Impacted.
—That's... terrible.
—Yes it is. —Mike made a move with his head—But they're already taking care of that, so you have nothing to worry about.—he said confidently.
Nell didn't say anything. She doubted that was completely true.
On the bus, she put on her headphones and looked out the window; hoping everyone would understand the message she wanted to convey. Her plan from the beginning was to sleep the whole trip. But she couldn't do it. Not when Emmett Cullen's gaze was drilling into the back of her neck. And she was willing not to turn around. She wouldn't do it, no sir.
Luckily, the landscape stole her attention. At times you could see the mighty Quillayute River that divided La Push with Forks. And lush forests that surrounded it. The walk calmed her, but it didn't last long. Less than fifteen minutes passed before the driver slowed down and parked on a gravel road. In the distance, you could see a glass dome.
The teacher lined them up to be able to enter. The task was to tour the place, observe each of the plants, choose one and make a report on it.
Nell took her notebook out of her bag, and began to walk incredibly interested. For her, gardening was a contemplative activity, because when her hands touched the earth, the branches and the leaves, she could feel everything. To see it all. How it grew, bloomed and withered. She only used her gift for that. Also, it was the only thing she could control.
—Hey, partner.
She looked up and saw him showing off a mocking smile so captivating that she could only contemplate him like a fool for a few seconds.
—Hi.—She turned her gaze towards the plants.
Emmett smiled and followed her.
—Have you found something you like?— he asked.
It seemed to Nell that he was trying hard to converse with her.
—Actually, yes.—she answered him sincerely. She pointed to the other end of the place. The winding red lines on the white petals of a flower resembled the typical candy canes—The California Versicolor.
He seemed surprised.
—I thought it was called Candy Cane.
Nell wrinkled her forehead slightly before asking:
—Is that what they call it here?
—I guess so. I've always known it by that name...until now—his gaze was intense.
She lowered her eyes and there was a moment of silence.
—So why are you here if you already know which one you want?— insisted curiously.
She didn't understand his interest, but even less did she understand why he didn't walk away.
—I like plants—she confessed—Each one has a story to tell.—she pointed with her finger to a fuchsia-colored plant—For example, the Mimosa is very sensitive, it contracts its leaves when they touch it.— Then she turned her hand and pointed to another—. And the Orchid likes humid and dimly lit places to bloom.
Emmett's face showed immense curiosity. He did not expect that this girl would like gardening. She didn't give the punch. But rather, she seemed like a city angel lost in the middle of the countryside.
—You see plants as a living being. —he said.
It was not a question.
Nell raised her chin and laughed without joy.
—It's that they are. They fulfill the three vital functions of nature: they reproduce, they nourish and they communicate with other plants.
Emmett denied.
—I mean that you see them differently. As if they were something to protect, to care for—He pointed out.
—And? —She asked in a challenging voice.
He smiled smugly.
—Nothing. I just think you're interesting.
Nell raised an eyebrow and said to him:
—I'm sure you won't think that when the charm of "The new girl in town" passes you by.
Emmett came a little closer and, for a moment, Nell froze.
—Believe me. That won't happen.
She frowned. But before she could say anything, the teacher called everyone to let them know that they had five minutes left to return to the bus.
—Any recommendations? —he asked with a sly smile.
She looked at him in disbelief.
—Are you serious you want to know my opinion?
—Absolutely. —There was no hesitation. Nor did he hesitate.
Nell looked around.
—Dracula plant— she pointed to the black flower near them.
—Are you serious?—he questioned amused.
—You asked me.
Emmett felt fascinated. Every thing she said only made him want to know more about her.
—Okay. Why that one?
—They grow in cold climates like this one, which makes them easier to analyze.
—Just for that?
—What else do you want to know?
Emmett didn't think too much about it.
—Why is it called Dracula?
—Because it attracts insects and feeds on them.
—Like a vampire.
It was again a statement, not a question. Nell saw an expression on his face that she couldn't guess.
—Don't be confused.—she put her notebook in her bag— That it's called Dracula and it feeds on insects, doesn't mean that its name is referred to that. But rather to the mouth of a dragon.
—That doesn't make sense.
—It does to me. — she contradicted, and indicated that he should come closer. Nell stretched out her hand and touched the plant—The leaves are long and have a bite shape. If I do this...— she touched her inside and all the petals closed—she will think I'm an insect and she will want to eat me.
—Then it's a carnivorous plant?
For the first time, he heard her laugh. It was soft and musical.
—Not with us— She fixed her gaze on him—We're safe.
He held her gaze, noting that she was prettier than he had thought. And intelligent, too, which was even better. But then he noticed something that, until now, had not been brought up:
—Can I ask you a question?
—I'm not sure I can stop you, so go ahead.
—What are you hiding in there?—he pointed to the gloves.
In the silence, she visibly tensed. No one had asked her that, not as directly and imperiously as him.
—What do you mean?
—It's just that, since you arrived, I've never seen you take them off.
Nell moistened her lips and spoke in a low tone.
—I have a phobia of germs.
Emmett studied her. Her gestures told him that she was lying and that she didn't want to talk about it either, so he changed the subject.
—Can I tell you something about the Orchids?
She frowned.
—What thing?
He showed a quick smile.
—They are able to survive in any type of climate, no matter which one. It is not a seasonal flower, it is an eternal flower.
Nell raised an eyebrow.
—What are you trying to say?
—That you look like her.
With his answer, she had the feeling that he was trying to flirt with her, but she didn't know why. It didn't make sense, Nell knew she wasn't his type, and, frankly, he wasn't hers either. She looked at him and again she asked him without thinking:
—How so?
—You'll have to find that out for yourself. —He showed perfect white teeth.
And with that, he turned around and left her alone while he got lost among the students to get on the bus, leaving her completely confused.