Twilight: Chapter 22 Summary & Analysis

Bella is on edge. Jasper isn’t back from checking out yet, and Bella is terrified that Alice will figure out what’s going on. Presently, Alice bends over and grips the bed. Jasper appears and runs to her, demanding to know what she sees. Alice says “Bella,” and Bella realizes Alice now knows that Bella is going to meet James. When Jasper makes Bella feel calm, Bella welcomes it. Alice recovers a moment later, says everything is fine, and asks Bella if she wants breakfast. Bella insists on waiting until they head to the airport. She showers, sure that Alice is going to tell Jasper what she saw in her vision.

Finally, Alice, Jasper, and Bella leave for the airport. On the drive, Bella asks how Alice’s visions work; Edward mentioned that things change. Alice says that’s true. The weather is easy, but people change their minds all the time and every decision changes the future. Bella nods; this, she says, is why Alice couldn’t see James in Phoenix until he decided to come. Privately, Bella knows that this is also why Alice only saw Bella in the dance studio with James once Bella made her choice.

At the airport, Bella feels extremely lucky: Edward’s plane is landing in the biggest, most confusing terminal. Bella leads Jasper and Alice through the airport, and they find a seat. She gives Alice her letter, and then, with 30 minutes until Edward’s flight arrives, Bella says she’s hungry. She asks if Jasper will go with her, since she’s feeling anxious. Alice doesn’t seem concerned—clearly, she thinks James is going to outsmart them, not that Bella is going to betray them. Jasper walks with Bella toward a café, but Bella says that she has to use the restroom. She slips into the bathroom—and darts out the bathroom’s other door.

Bella runs for the elevators, squeezes into one, and races out of the airport. She leaps onto a hotel shuttle and imagines Edward standing on the curb, frustrated by the end of her scent trail. At the hotel, Bella gets into a cab as an older couple gets out. The driver agrees to drive her to Mom’s house for $80. On the drive, Bella sits back and tries to compose her thoughts. She thinks of Edward and imagines meeting him at the airport. Perhaps they would’ve gone somewhere in the far north so he could be outside—or maybe they’d have gone somewhere tropical but remote, so he didn’t have to hide. Bella daydreams until the cab driver asks for Mom’s house number.

At the house, Bella lets herself in and finds a phone number written on Mom’s whiteboard. She dials carefully, and James answers on the first ring. James assures Bella that Mom is fine—assuming Bella is alone—and then tells her to come to the ballet studio around the corner. Bella agrees and hangs up. As she leaves the house, Bella can see in her mind’s eye Mom and a young version of herself everywhere. She feels like she’s leaving everything behind. It feels to Bella like she is running through quicksand, since the day is so hot—and Bella wishes she was home, in Forks. 

Finally, Bella crosses the parking lot and lets herself into the unlocked building. The lobby is empty, so Bella walks through into the brightly lit studio. She’s terrified—and then she hears Mom’s voice. But Mom isn’t talking to Bella. Bella turns and sees that Mom is actually on the TV screen. The video is from Thanksgiving five years ago, which is when Bella almost fell off a pier in California. Turning slowly, Bella sees James behind her with the remote.

Bella realizes that Mom is safe—and that she never even got Bella’s message. Bella is so relieved that she feels giddy and strangely confident. Soon, everything will be over, and both Charlie and Mom will be fine. James is surprised that Bella isn’t mad, and Bella notices that his eyes are black. He’s thirsty. James remarks that some humans have no sense of self-preservation, and he comes close to Bella. Up close, she finds him  unremarkable—save for the pale skin and eye color. He asks if Edward is going to avenge her death, but Bella says she asked Edward not to in a letter.

James seems disappointed. He says this was too easy and asks if he can leave Edward a letter of his own. James fiddles with a small video camera and says that after seeing this video, Edward won’t be able to resist coming after him. James then insists that this has happened before, and he’s surprised Edward didn’t pick up on it. Years ago, a vampire was fond of a “little victim,” just as Edward is fond of Bella. But when James set his sights on the girl, the vampire stole her from the asylum and turned her into a vampire. The girl didn’t notice the pain; she’d been stuck in a dark cell for a long time. It was the 1920s, so she was in an asylum undergoing shock treatments. Bella realizes James is talking about Alice. James says he destroyed Alice’s maker.

James approaches until he’s inches away and says that Alice smelled even better than Bella does. Then, with a sigh, James says they should get on with it. Bella feels ill; she knows this isn’t going to be a quick death. James circles her and crouches. Bella can’t help but run, though she knows it’s useless. James blocks her and strikes her across the chest. She flies into the mirrors, and James steps on her leg, snapping it. Bella hears a sound and doesn’t even realize she’s the one screaming. James throws her into the mirrors again, and the glass cuts into her scalp. Bella bleeds and feels nauseous and dizzy. She watches James’s expression change; he’s clearly hungry. She hopes that what happens next will be fast.