Chapter Number: 28
Chapter Name: The Future
Page Numbers: 540-553
Date of Chapter: Dec. 14, 2006
Summary:
The chapter opens with the news that Carlisle and Edward weren’t able to locate Irina, thus concern is still running rampant about her reaction and intent after seeing Renesmee. The family is also worried that Irina’s irrational mourning is preventing Alice from getting a lock on what her plans will be.
At first, Bella is still planning for the family and Jacob to head to South America in hopes of finding out some information about hybrid vampires: if they are unsuccessful, Carlisle will contact some other friends.
The family was excited about the trip; Jasper and Emmett were looking forward to tracking some different prey and strategizing about best methods to use; Esme and Rosalie were planning what to pack. Alice, on the other hand was acting distracted and downright bizarre. It wasn’t until she dropped a crystal vase that everyone started to clue into why she was so uncharacteristically quiet and distant. Edward gasps when he catches a glance at her vision and Bella becomes scared first, by the look in Alice’s eyes, then by what she saw: that the entire Volturi would be coming, including the guard and the wives. She saw Irina going to them, acting as the catalyst for their decision to pay the Cullens a visit.
Bella, tries to make sense of the reason why Irina would go to the Volturi. She realizes that it probably wasn’t just grief over losing Laurent to the werewolves, with whom the Cullens are now allies, but she saw Renesmee and probably assumed that she was an immortal child. Bella surmises that because Irina might still be grieving over the loss of her own mother for creating immortal children, this would be retribution, even though Renesmee is nothing like them as she isn’t frozen, she doesn’t need blood to survive, she doesn’t seek out human blood, and she grows and gains intelligence at a much higher rate.
When Edward states the obvious—that the Volturi have made their decision and they’ll be coming to destroy, not to be reasoned with, the family tries to come up with a plan, their collective trip to South America is quickly pushed aside. Jasper and Emmett both agree that although they can’t run (Demetri would have no trouble tracking them down) and they will probably lose, they will still fight.
Emmett comes up with the idea to fortify their numbers by asking their vampire friends to stand with them, to bear witness to Renesmee being a unique human/vampire hybrid and not an immortal child. They will present their case to their friends and hopefully, with a large number present, the Volturi might stop to consider their case. They discuss whom they can ask and whom they think will or won’t help them.
Alice’s peculiar behavior continues; she is snappy, distant and panicked. When she loses sight of everything and realizes Jacob is on his way back, she and Jasper leave.
Jacob senses there is something seriously wrong and after he determines that Renesmee is okay, Bella tells him that they are all going to die.
Characters Involved: Bella Cullen, Edward Cullen, Renesmee Cullen, Alice Cullen, Jasper Hale, Rosalie Hale, Emmett Cullen, Carlisle Cullen, Esme Cullen, Jacob Black
Character Mentioned: Irina, Tanya, Kate, Aro, Caius, Marcus, The Volturi Guard, The Volturi Wives, Laurent, Demetri, Siobhan, Amun, Garrett, Mary, Alistair, Peter, Charlotte, Kachiri, Zafrina, Senna, Eleazar, Sam Uley, Charlie Swan, Sue Clearwater
Places Visited: The Cullen house
Memorable Quotes:
“They’re all coming – Aro, Caius, Marcus, every member of the guard, even the wives.” ~ Alice to the family—page 545
“Irina decided to go to the Volturi. And then they will decide…. It’s as if they’re waiting for her. Like their decision was already made, and just waiting on her…” ~ Alice to the family—page 546
“Think of what she saw that afternoon…To someone who’d lost a mother because of the immortal children, what would Renesmee look like?” ~ Bella to the family—page 548
“It’s not the kind of crime they hold a trial for, love…Aro’s seen Irina’s proof in her thoughts. They come to destroy, not to be reasoned with.” ~ Edward to Bella—page 548
“All we need is for the Volturi to pause for one moment. Just long enough to listen.” ~ Esme to Emmett—page 550
“It’s over. We’ve all been sentenced to die.” ~ Bella to Jacob—page 553
Important Information learned:
Irina has gone to the Volturi to tell them of the immortal child thus prompting Alice to have a vision that the entire Volturi coven will be descending upon them in about a month.
Plans for everyone to go to South America have been scrapped.
Alice’s vision of the Volturi shocks both her and Edward. Her inability to see things clearly prompts her to retreat with Jasper to try to figure things out.
Based on Alice’s vision and the obvious fact that the Volturi are intent on killing them, they decide to ask their friends and acquaintances to bear witness to the fact that Renesmee is unique and not a typical immortal child.
They decide to fight, and give their friends the option to join in.
Chapter Prepared By: Oleander
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