11. Cult

Chapter Synopsis

Bella is getting frustrated because, first of all, she’s terrified about her encounter with Laurent and the wolves, and is just waiting for someone (or something) to come for her in the night. On top of that, Jacob still hasn’t contacted her. She’s going into full-out stalker mode, calling Jake’s house every half hour every day, and spending hours sitting in her truck contemplating whether she should risk going down to La Push (Victoria could show up at any moment, you know, and find her with Jacob!). Bella’s also worried about Charlie, and how she can keep him safe. She sure does worry a lot.

Charlie calls Harry that night on Bella’s behalf to see if the Blacks are out of town (since they aren’t answering the phone). He then tells Bella to settle down and leave Jacob alone.

Driving home from school one day, Bella has a sudden epiphany — Jacob must have gotten sucked into Sam Uley’s gang, and that’s why he’s avoiding her! Bella calls Charlie, mentioning her suspicions about Sam Uley. Charlie brushes this off, saying everyone on the reservation loves the Uley kid. Then Bella calls the Balcks, and Billy answers, feeding Bella the same “Jake’s not here” story. But Bella ascertains that Jacob is out with Sam Uley and his gang. Since Sam Uley is more terrifying than any blood-sucking sparklers, Bella decides to risk a trip to La Push to try to save Jacob. An intervention, just like one she saw one time on PBS.

She heads to the reservation. Along the way, she comes across Quil, moseying broodingly along the roadside. He confirms that Jacob has been sucked into Sam’s “cult,” and admits that he’s afriad he’ll be next. This, of course, unnerves Bella exponentially. She gives Quil a ride home, and then parks herself outside Jacob’s house to wait.

She doesn’t have long to wait, though, because a couple of minutes later, there’s a tap on her window. And it’s Jacob. He’s pissed and upset and all, “WTF, Bella, why are you here?” Bella notes that Jacob looks really different. He’s cut off all his hair, has gotten muscular and graceful, and has lost that carefree smile — now his eyes look mean and hostile. Bella demands to talk to Jacob — alone. Sam Uley (who of course is there, too) allows it, and the two stalk off into the trees together. Bella notes that Jacob is graceful now — just like Eddie.

Jacob tells Bella to leave him alone, and that they can’t be friends anymore. Hmm… sound familiar? He tells her that he was wrong about Sam. And he seems very angry this whole time. Bella is confused. (She’s good at that.) Jacob tells her not to blame Sam for this, and when Bella asks who she can blame, he says she can blame those “reeking bloodsuckers” that she loves. The Cullens. Bella is astounded, and tries to joke around that Jake’s let Billy and his superstitions get to him. She tries to argue, but then Edward’s voice is back in her ear, warning her to let Jacob settle down. She doesn’t understand this, because Jake is her friend! Bella tries to get Jacob to talk more by telling him about her run-in with the frightened Quil. Jacob does seem upset, and accidentally breaks a tree. But he still won’t tell Bella the whole story. Bella asks him if he’s “breaking up” with her. Jacob tells her, “It’s not you, it’s me,” and that she has to forget about him. He finally stalks off into the house.

Bella stands outside as it starts to rain. And keeps standing there. Billy eventually rolls out and tells her to go home. Bella drives home, all the while trying to convince herself that this newest blow is “not as bad” as the last one. But she realizes Jacob has just torn another hole in her — now she’s like Swiss cheese.

Charlie is clearly worried when Bella gets home, and Bella tells him that Sam Uley has forbideen Jacob to be friends with her anymore. Charlie finds this hard to believe, but the look on Bella’s face is pretty serious. He calls Billy, and the two have an argument, of which Bella only hears one side. Billy is clearly blaming Bella for leading Jacob on. And Charlie threatens that if Bella gets all depressed and mopey again, it’ll all be Billy and Jacob’s fault. Bella decides she’s heard enough, and goes to cry herself to sleep.

She has a new dream this night — she’s walking with the new Jacob through the forest, but, suddenly, he starts changing into Edward, and eventually vanishes. She’s awoken suddenly in the middle of the night, not because of her dream, but because something is squealing against her window… (Dun dun dunnn.)

Best Worst Lines

“Each time that I opened my eyes to the morning light and realized I’d lived through another night was a surprise to me.”

“Holy crow, I knew exactly what was going on with Jacob.”

“This was a rescue mission. I was going to talk to Jacob — kidnap him if I had to. I’d once seen a PBS show on deprogramming the brainwashed. There had to be some kind of cure.”   (Since when does Bella watch PBS?)

“What was with these Quileute boys? Were they feeding them experimental growth hormones?” (259)

“I wanted to take a swing at him. No, I wanted to do more than that. More than anything, I wanted to be fierce and deadly, someone no one would dare mess with. Someone who would scare Sam Uley silly.

I wanted to be a vampire.

The violent desire caught me off guard and knocked the wind out of me.” (263)

“I scrambled to gain control of myself while the hole in my chest ached hollowly.”   (Note: It doesn’t just ache. It aches hollowly. Oooh, nice adjective, SMeyer. You want a cookie?)

“It hurt with a surprising intensity — a physical pain, a stabbing in my head.”   (So… like a headache?)

“‘Let’s get this over with,’ he said in a hard, husky voice.

I waited. He knew what I wanted.”   (That’s what she said!)

“Was it a gang of vampire-haters?”

“Loneliness choked in my throat.”   (Yeah, it was just hanging out there, and it’s drink went down the wrong pipe.)

“I’d been wrong. He’d just been carving out his own hole, so that I was now riddled through like Swiss cheese. I wondered why I didn’t crumble into pieces.” (273)

Things That Really Irk Us

The continual use of positive adjectives to describe negative, or evil things. It’s a favorite device of Stephenie Meyer’s, and it’s really getting on our nerves.

We’re tired of Bella feeling so sorry for herself. The only reason she doesn’t have friends is because she refuses to be social, and she feels like she’s better than basically everyone else.

We’re annoyed that Bella is so depressed by Jacob “dumping” her. You were leading him on, dumbass. You got what you deserved.

Charlie also annoys us. He needs to slap some sense into Bella, instead of just letting her be all emo whenever she feels like it. Come on, dude, we know you probably have a Taser you could put to good use.

We don’t know anyone who dreams this much, either.

Final Thoughts

We really hope the vampires (the “bad” ones) are coming for Bella at last.

Go to Chapter 12.