Bonnie's lashes fluttered and her breathing quickened, like a sleeper having a bad dream. Elena resolutely kept her eyes on the flame, but when Bonnie broke the silence a chill went up her spine.
At first it was just a moan, the sound of someone in pain. Then, as Bonnie tossed her head, breath coming in short bursts, it became words.
"Alone..." she said, and stopped. Elena's nails bit into her hand. "Alone... in the dark," said Bonnie. Her voice was distant and tortured.
There was another silence, and then Bonnie began to speak quickly.
"It's dark and cold. And I'm alone. There's something behind me... jagged and hard. Rocks. They used to hurt - but not now. I'm numb now, from the cold. So cold..." Bonnie twisted, as if trying to get away from something, and then she laughed, a dreadful laugh almost like a sob. "That's... funny. I never thought I'd want to see the sun so much. But it's always dark here. And cold. Water up to my neck, like ice. That's funny, too. Water everywhere - and me dying of thirst. So thirsty... hurts..."
Elena felt something tighten around her heart. Bonnie was inside Stefan's thoughts, and who knew what she might discover there? Stefan, tell us where you are, she thought desperately. Look around; tell me what you see.
""Thirsty. I need... life?" Bonnie's voice was doubtful, as if not sure how to translate some concept. "I'm weak. He said I'll always be the weak one. He's strong... a killer. But that's what I am, too. I killed Katherine; maybe I deserve to die. Why not just let go?..."
"No!" said Elena before she could stop herself. In that instant, she forgot everything but Stefan's pain. "Stefan - "
"Elena!" Meredith cried sharply at the same time. But Bonnie's head fell forward, the flow of words cut off. Horrified, Elena realized what she had done.
"Bonnie, are you all right? Can you find him again? I didn't mean to..."
Bonnie's head lifted. Her eyes were open now, but they looked at neither the candle nor Elena. They
"Elena," the voice said, "don't go to the bridge. It's Death, Elena. Your death is waiting there." Then Bonnie slumped forward.
Elena grabbed her shoulders and shook. "Bonnie!" she almost screamed. "Bonnie!"
"What... oh, don't. Let go." Bonnie's voice was weak and shaken, but it was her own. Still bent over, she put a hand to her forehead.
"Bonnie, are you all right?"
"I think so... yes. But it was so strange." Her tone sharpened and she looked up, blinking. "What was that, Elena, about being a killer?"
"You remember that?"
"I remember everything. I can't describe it; it was awful. But what did that mean?"
"Nothing," said Elena. "He's hallucinating, that's all."
Meredith broke in. "He? Then you really think she tuned in to Stefan?"
Elena nodded, her eyes sore and burning as she looked away. "Yes. I think that was Stefan. It had to be. And I think she even told us where he is. Under Wickery Bridge, in the water."
Chapter Three
Bonnie stared. "I don't remember anything about the bridge. It didn't feel like a bridge."
"But you said it yourself, at the end. I thought you remembered..." Elena's voice died away. "You don't remember that part," she said flatly. It was not a question.
"I remember being alone, somewhere cold and dark, and feeling weak... and thirsty. Or was it hungry? I don't know, but I needed... something. And I almost wanted to die. And then you woke me up."
Elena and Meredith exchanged a glance. "And after that," Elena said to Bonnie, "you said one more thing, in a strange voice. You said not to go near the bridge."
"She toldyou not to go near the bridge."
Meredith corrected. "You in particular, Elena. She said Death was waiting."
"I don't care what's waiting," said Elena. "If that's where Stefan is, that's where I'm going."
"Then that's where we're all going," said Meredith.
Elena hesitated. "I can't ask you to do that," she said slowly. "There might be danger - of a kind you don't know about. It might be best for me to go alone."
"Don't," said Elena quickly. "You were the one who said it wasn't a game."
"And not for Stefan, either," Meredith reminded them. "We're not doing him much good standing around here."
Elena was already shrugging out of her kimono, moving toward the closet. "We'd better all bundle up. Borrow anything you want to keep warm," she said.
When they were more or less dressed for the weather, Elena turned to the door. Then she stopped.
"Robert," she said. "There's no way we can get past him to the front door, even if he's asleep."
Simultaneously, the three of them turned to look at the window.
"Oh, wonderful," said Bonnie.
As they climbed out into the quince tree, Elena realized that it had stopped snowing. But the bite of the air on her cheek made her remember Damon's words. Winter is an unforgiving season, she thought, and shivered.
All the lights in the house were out, including those in the living room. Robert must have gone to sleep already. Even so, Elena held her breath as they crept past the darkened windows. Meredith's car was a little way down the street. At the last minute, Elena decided to get some rope, and she soundlessly opened the back door to the garage. There was a swift current in Drowning Creek, and wading would be dangerous.
The drive to the end of town was tense. As they passed the outskirts of the woods, Elena remembered the way the leaves had blown at her in the cemetery. Particularly oak leaves.