Chapter-by-Chapter: Twilight, Chapter 21

This is the post which should have gone live last week. If I'd actually got it typed up and posted properly. I don't want to fall too far behind now as we're so close to the end now. Things are getting really dramatic now.

In the last chapter we saw Bella hanging out in a hotel room with Alice and Jasper, waiting to hear from Edward. When he does call it's not with good news. Also in the not good news category is the vision that Alice has of Bella's old dance studio; turned out the tracker was going to make for Bella's mum.

Next up is Chapter 21: Phone Call.

What Happens?

Edward prepares to hop on a place to catch up with Bella since the tracker is planning to go to Renee's house. The tracker gets there first and calls to let Bella know she has to do whatever he wants, otherwise Renee's going to get it.

Thoughts as I read:

I'm going to guess that in this chapter someone will call Bella. Or perhaps Bella will call someone. Perhaps her mum will make contact. Whoever it is, it's not a long chapter so I'm guessing it won't be a long call.

Can anyone guess how this chapter begins?

I could feel it was too early again when I woke, and I knew I was getting the schedule of my days and nights slowly reversed. I lay in my bed and listened to the quiet voices of Alice and Jasper in the other room.

Yup, that's right. Bella has just woken up.

Once up Bella learns Alice has had another vision. This time the tracker turned on the lights in the room so she was able to get a better look at the place. It's the room with the VCR so she sets to sketching what she's seen. I'd suck at this since I can't draw to save my life, it could end up looking like anything!

Luckily this is not the case with Alice. Bella watches as her mum's house takes shape. This is a worrying development.

Side note, how weird is the line:

Two pairs of eternal eyes stared at me.

I can't put my finger on exactly what is weird about it. I think it's the 'eternal eyes' thing, it just seems like an odd description.

Alice promptly calls Edward. That'd be our phone call then. Update: Edward is coming for Bella. I'm sure this is important but I'm distracted by more weird wording:

Uncharacteristically, Jasper slid closer to me. He lightly touched his hand to my shoulder, and the physical contact seemed to make his calming influence stronger.

I'm not even sure why this reads as odd for me. It seems like something I would write during NaNoWriMo, when I'm trying to get extra words; why not just say 'he lightly touched my shoulder'?

While I've been wondering about the writing, the guys in the book have been formulating a new plan. That is, Carlisle, Emmett and Edward are going to hide Bella somewhere. Will they hide Charlie and Renee too? It sure doesn't sound like they're safe either. Ah, they half answer my question, Jasper and Alice are staying here to keep Renee safe. I'm not entirely sure that that's going to work.

Bella's figured out that the tracker is after people she loves. That'll draw her out so he can get her. Why do they keep calling him 'the tracker'? I keep having to check back what his name actually is. It's James. I just checked. Is it because having Jasper and James getting mentioned in the one chapter will be confusing for readers?

When Bella protested too much they try to psychically force her to sleep. Vampires really have no idea about boundaries, do they? Bella is able to resist it and heads back into her room in a strop. She doesn't come out until Edward announces he's boarding the plane. That'd be another phone call.

I can't help but wonder if this isn't all a big trap being laid by the tracker (gah, they've got me at it now!) Perhaps he wants to make them think that's where he's going, but he's actually going to draw Bella out and get her that way.

And now it's another phone call. Perhaps this chapter should have been called 'Phone calls'. This time it's Renee. Unsurprisingly, she's a little worried. A major reason for this is probably the fact that the tracker has already got to her. I'd say that's a reason to worry. He feeds Bella lines to keep anyone who's listening to her side of the conversation from becoming suspicious. Of course if anyone was listening in on another line, this would all be pointless, luckily for him they don't have another line. Also luckily for him, Jasper is out so he can't do his emotion sensing thing.

The tracker fills Bella in. Renee got back sooner than planned so he wants Bella to get away from her minders so he can meet up with her. Ooh, this book is finally getting interesting!

Bella's given instructions to go to her mother's house. Alone. He'll leave a number by the phone for her to call. He's apparently planning on taking her to the dance studio, which is where she's going to end up dying. And look, he's actually mentioned by name. At last, presumably because Jasper is currently out of the hotel, so we can't get confused.

And as I guessed, Jasper is out because otherwise he'd sense that something was wrong with Bella. At least this way she just has to fool Alice. She gets down to formulating a plan straight away, asking if Alice can leave a note at the house for Renee. She actually writes the note to Edward. We get to see that in a funky font; Bella has curlier handwriting than I imagined.

In the note Bella apologises to Edward, tells him to thank Alice and Jasper for her, and begs him not to come after her because this is the only way she can save her mum.

I folded the letter carefully, and sealed it in the envelope. Eventually he would find it. I only hoped he would understand, and listen to me just this once.
And then I carefully sealed away my heart.

Aww.

I think we are finally getting to the meat of the story. I kind of like this twist and I'm actually looking forward to seeing what happens next. And I've learnt some things since I began this book, so I'm also kind of expecting to be disappointed.

Just a few questions raised in this chapter:

• Is is just me or is the writing slightly clunky in this chapter?
• Are Charlie and Renee going to be hidden as well as Bella?
• Why do they keep calling the tracker 'the tracker' instead of his actual name?