Alone in the Universe

AN: This is my first ever fanfiction! *squeal* I've had this idea in my head for a really long time now, but have never gotten round to actually writing it. I quite excited to where it will lead and I hope you enjoy it!

Disclaimer: All recognisable characters are property of Stephaney Meyer. No infringement intended.


Prologue

Standing solitary among the destruction, I felt both relief and guilt to be safe from danger. I knew it was already too late; the surrounding area was testament to that. The unidentifiable rumble was all that remains of all that I knew.

My home.

At least that was what I came to call it in these past months. With a situation such as mine, it was as good a home as I was ever going to get. I may have resented it at first; despised the overly cheerful wall paint, compulsive cleanliness of every available surface and tenuous schedule that had to be followed from sun rise 'til sun set – but in the end, it was where I spent 24 hours a day in, seven days a week. I made some of the best friends imaginable in that place and ultimately, it was where I finally discovered the truth... about everything.

That's got to count for something, right?

Towards the end I truly believed in that place – its purpose and results. It gave me hope in life – hell, it gave all of us hope for a better future: the hope that someday we'll get better enough to put everything bad in our lives behind us. To live a normal life.

That hope was now gone.

I wished to God that everyone got out safely. When I was able to escape, chaos was already underway. As the smoke filling up the corridors, all that was identifiable where the tear stained faces and light extruding from the windows that teasingly presented out escape, yet frustratingly were still bolted shut. In all the confusion, people didn't know who to turn to, or what to do. It was unlikely that they all got out. There are definite victims in this terrible accident, the only question is who and how many.

I felt sick to my stomach. It may have been the stench of what I only hope is melting linoleum in the air or the sick fact that I knew it was going to happen – okay, well I didn't really know this was going to happen, but the warning was there and I didn't listen. Why didn't I listen?

And I was just standing there, facing the perfect ending to what was otherwise and then furthermore the worse night of my life, unable to do anything but watch as the nightmare unfurls.

Even more disturbing yet, is even as instinct tells me to turn away, my legs take a deliberate step forward. The crunch of leaves under my feet is drowned out by the roar of the flames and my presence seems insignificant in the existence of such mayhem.

As I get closer, my vision slowly turned to a horrific two-tone of the blackest grey and the brightest yellow: a collision of colours in the scene before me. My eyes began to water from being exposed to the smoke and blinding light. My breaths become quicker with each step and my limbs were shaking uncontrollably.

Come on Bella, turn around! Run!

No, you need to get closer...

It was madness, yet my feet kept on moving further into the path of the flames.

I was so close now, the heat was overwhelming. Each lick of fire seemed to scold my skin. I closed my eyes at the brightness, yet even behind my lids I could still see the angry flicker of the inferno. It was seeping into my mind and invading my body. Cleansing me.

This is good. The fire will burn away all the evil inside of you...

Evil. Yes, there is still evil inside me. I thought perhaps... no. It is still there. I can feel it.

The fire is the answer. It is the only way...

The only way.

Why didn't I see it before? Of course it made sense for this to be its weakness. It was true once for... them, so why not this?

You know what you have to do...

This was what I was meant to do. Everything had led me to that point and all it took was a few more steps to end it all – all the suffering, all the heartbreak.

Just do it.

And finally my body stopped vibrating, my breathing mellowed out to even intervals and I felt an overwhelming sense of calm that seemed peculiar after months of agitation and confusion. It was never going to get better, I knew that now. This is the answer. This is how I could finally forget everything.

Yet just as I took the first step towards my destiny, I suddenly I felt I was not alone. Whoever it was made no sudden movement, didn't speak or made any noticeable indication that they were there. Yet for some reason I knew, I knew someone is behind me and that they were watching.

Ignore them.

My body was already turned halfway around. The hairs on the back of my neck were standing on end and gone was my once calm breathing.

Danger... there was danger behind me.

Turning slowly all the way round, I faced my observer.

And what I saw made me want to run straight for the flames.

"Bella."

His voice was hesitant like he was scared of my reaction. It was rough, not as I remembered it. Too rough to come out of such a perfect mouth. But at that moment, that mouth was pulled into a devastated expression, reflecting his total horror of what he was witnessing. His whole face was sullen and filled with shadows of fear. His eyes – too, not like I remembered – had lost their light. There was still overwhelming love deep within his expression, but other – darker – emotions seemed to be overruling him.

His appearance was completely different from the last time I saw him. His clothes were in disarray, hanging off his limbs in places, ripped in others like he's recently been in a fight. His hair was of a darker shade and had grown out to his jaw line. For some reason I notice he had no shoes on.

This whole image was a cruel joke to how I remember him. His stance represents someone who was completely lost and he no longer conveyed the sense of fearlessness and power; he was now a shadow of his former self. Wild... too wild, almost as harsh and as deadly as the creature he represents.

He took my hesitation as an opportunity to step forward slowly. His movements promoted trust. He wanted me to trust him.

Something, deep within my heart urged me to step forward and rush into his arms. I know him. My soul knows him.

Yet my brain insisted on accepting the truth.

I took a step back. The action stops him in his tracks. His brows lower and disbelief flashes across his eyes.

"No." I said breaking the silence. The word was final and echoed surprisingly loud in the surrounding landscape. It had gone on for long enough; this was how it must end.

"Edward..." I said, his name wasn't as hard to pronounce as it once was, "you're not supposed to be here."

If I thought his expression couldn't get any more complex, I was wrong. His brows lowered even more at my statement and he took two more quick steps forward.

I couldn't have that.

"No," I almost shout in reply to his actions. I turn my body halfway towards the fire with my right hand outstretched, palm flattened in his direction, "Don't come any closer."

His expression is heartbreaking as his interprets my movements: a warning of what I intended to do.

It had finally come to this. It was perhaps both the start and end towards my long awaited recovery. I suppose I should have anticipated it – it started with him, so it must end with him.

"Edward," I tried again, "I don't... I don't want..."

Here came the hard part.

"I don't want you here."

Wow, it was finally out in the open. But this was good. It was acceptance, or growth... whatever. I understood that it had to happen.

His eyes widened in horror. "Bella..." his voice cracked, "Please..."

This was wrong... he wasn't suppose to act like this.

I took another step back. I had to do this. "Stop. Stop... all of this! I want you gone! I wanted you gone a long time ago!" My vision was getting blurry as my eyes filled up. Great, now was getting all blubbery. I'm supposed to be the strong one in this conversation.

I quickly wiped my face and held my head up high with arms to the side and my fists clenched. No longer would I be the victim.

I let my features fall into an uncharacteristic fierce expression before I continued, "You don't belong here anymore. Don't you get it; I finally understand what you are!"

"Bella," he replied, his posture mirrored mine – he too would not give up. "Whatever they did to you in that place... whatever happened... I am so, so sorry. I understand that it is my entire fault." He took a large – unneeded – breath before continuing, "But, Bella I–"

"Stop." I interrupt him. "This has gone on for far too long, don't you understand that I need to be rid of you... that it's because of you that they put me in that place?"

He recoils at my words. "Bella, I don't... I don't understand."

Of course not.

"Edward..." I said, my voice was surprisingly steady despite being unable to meet his gaze. "You are not real. You never were. I finally understand that now. It was never real – what we had – because you never existed. You don't exist. And for me to get better, like I was finally getting in that hospital... you have to get out of my head!"

And without looking back one last time, I did the only thing I could do: I ran into the flames.


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... So that was the Prologue! Please review and tell me what you think! xx