Chapter Number: Twenty
Chapter Name: Impatience
Page Numbers: 405-422 (Hardcover)
Date of Chapter: March 14 – 15, 2005
Summary: When Bella wakes up in a Phoenix hotel, she is confused. Although she has vague memories of the journey from Forks, she has no real grasp of the time either of day or for how long they were travelling.
The hotel is close to the airport, just in case they need to leave Phoenix in a hurry.
After looking out of the window to discover whether it was three in the morning or the afternoon, (it was morning), Bella discovers her duffel bag and goes to change. Before she can, however, Alice comes in and informs her that they’ve ordered her food.
In the living room, Jasper and Alice sit staring at the television while Bella eats. As she eats, Bella realises that Jasper and Alice are sitting far too still and she worries that there is something wrong – despite Alice’s rather dubious reassurances.
Sensing the fear in Bella’s voice, Jasper tries to calm her by reminding her that she’s safe with them. However, it’s not fears for her own safety that terrify Bella. She’s worried that James will hurt Carlisle, Emmett, Edward or Esme, and feels as though she could not live with herself if any of them are hurt because of her.
Alice and Jasper try to reassure Bella that she has no reason to worry – their only concern is protecting her and the rest of their family will be safe. Alice continues to explain that Bella is so important to the family because of what she means to Edward and the changes she’s made in him – even if Bella can’t see them herself.
None of them leaves the room all day. Jasper and Alice sat rigidly, only their eyes following Bella’s every move. When Bella eventually decides to go into the bedroom by way of a change, Alice even follows her there, making Bella wonder exactly what instructions she’d been given by Edward before they left.
In the bedroom, Bella realises that she’s unable to sleep as she’d planned to. Instead, she questions Alice about the possible actions of Carlisle and the others before asking Alice the one question that is really important to her: how do you become a vampire.
Although Alice says that Edward has forbidden her to tell Bella, she reluctantly agrees to explain after Bella asks her to tell her as her friend – for they are friends now.
Alice explains that as well as having superior strength and speed to humans, they are also attractive to their prey and have venom that will cause so much pain their prey cannot escape. She goes onto to tell Bella that although the venom does not kill, if left in the body it will slowly turn the human into a vampire – a process that can take a number of days, depending on how close to the heart the venom entered the blood stream. It is a very painful process.
In response to Bella’s query about why Edward said it was hard to change a human, Alice explains that it’s because Vampires are like sharks, once they have tasted, or even just scented blood, it becomes almost impossible to resist.
Despite the pain she had just described people going through when the venom is in their blood, Alice admits that she has no memories of ever being human.
The silence that follows this conversation is broken by Alice leaping to her feet. In response to Jasper’s gentle prompting, Alice describes a vision. She saw a long room with mirrors everywhere and a wooden floor. She also describes James in another room watching a video. Although the timing of the visions is unclear as there are still decisions left to made, Alice is confident that James will be in the mirrored room either that day or the next.
Despite not knowing where the rooms are, Alice and Jasper do know that the visions meant hat James would elude the rest of the Cullens.
As Bella asks if they should call the others, the phone rings; it’s Carlisle. After speaking to Carlisle for a moment, Alice passes the phone to Bella and she is able to speak to Edward.
Edward apologises for having lost James and explains that Victoria is being closely watched by Esme and Rosalie. He also reassures Bella that Charlie is safe and that, although she’d been to the Swan’s house, Victoria has not been near him.
On hanging up the phone, Bella turns to find Alice sketching an image from her recent vision. Bella recognises it as a Ballet studio – like the one she used to go to when she lived in Phoenix. Although Bella says it could be any studio, she realises, with dread that the one she used to attend was just round the corner from her mother’s house.
Knowing that James had escaped from the vampires tracking him, Bella is afraid for her mother’s safety and realises that she has to keep her from returning to Phoenix at the present time. She rings and rings her mother’s house, and leaves a message asking her mother to ring her as soon as she receives it.
Following this phone call, Bella tries to stay calm, despite her concerns for her parents and Edward. Eventually she falls asleep while still waiting for the phone to ring.
Characters involved: Bella Swan, Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale, Edward Cullen
Characters Mentioned: Charlie Swan, Rosalie Hale, Carlisle Cullen, Laurent, James, Emmett Cullen, Esme Cullen, Victoria.
Places visited: The I-10 through California to Phoenix, a hotel near the airport in Phoenix.
Memorable quotes:
“Do you think any of us want to look into his eyes for the next hundred years if he loses you?”
~ Alice to Bella about how they will protect her.
“I will always tell you the truth.”
~ Alice to Bella.
“Edward doesn’t want me to tell you that.”
~ Alice’s response to Bella asking how someone becomes a vampire.
“We are also venomous.”
~ Alice reveals some secrets.
Important Information Learned:
Vampires are venomous.
The venom has the power to heal and change a human body in a very painful process. It is the spreading of the venom which transforms a human into a vampire.
It can take a number of days for a person to become a vampire – depending on how close to the heart the venom has entered the body.
In a vision, Alice sees an image of a ballet studio like the one Bella used to go to.
Victoria has been to Bella’s house and school in Forks so will know of her mother’s address in Phoenix.
Follow Us!