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Story contains graphic content including rape, violence, strong language and other non-suitable aspects not appropriate for minors or those sensitive to such content.

There were many logical ways to deal with stress, ways in which Bella Swan had usually taken. Now, as she followed highway signs to Seattle, she hoped she wasn't being too rash. Hell, she knew she was being rash, but there was a part of her that didn't care anymore. Being new to Forks, hadn't exactly been a walk in the park. Everyone had gravitated towards her and she wasn't used to the attention. The one person she did want to pay attention to her, hadn't had a conversation with her past hello and general introductions. Edward Cullen, hadn't left her thoughts since the moment she set eyes on him and it hurt her feelings at times how he obviously went out of his way to ignore her.

She didn't understand his unfriendliness and the way he stared at her whenever they were in the same room together. Mike Newton had told her that he's never seen Edward look at anyone the way he had looked at Bella and then, asked what she had done to piss him off.

Existing. Was all she could think of, because she hadn't done a damn thing.

There was a nagging desire for her to get out of that dreary town and she'd be damned if she admitted Edward Cullen was the main reason for this "vacation".

As she pulled up into the hotel, she ignored her phone that had been going off non-stop since she left school. It was Friday, so Charlie was home early. She left a message on the machine saying she was going out of town with new friends for the weekend. Only thing was she failed to mention where "out of town" was and that she was completely on her own. She'd deal with Charlie's repercussions later, right now, she just needed to get away.

The sun was still up in the sky, but would shortly set in a few hours. As she checked in, she spent her time unpacking her bags and exploring her semi-decent hotel room. It could have been cleaner, but for now it was her refuge and she refused to criticize it further than that. The television worked, there was a hair dryer and she had a killer view of the city. The view alone occupied a good hour of her time.

When she became bored, she decided to venture out to the restaurant across the street. With an empty stomach, she rushed to get ready, throwing on a green long sleeve shirt and a pair of jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a head band, her long dark locks hanging loosely along her shoulders and back.

She crossed the dismal street, not liking the way it looked when shadows cast across the pavement. Behind her, she had the feeling someone was watching her, but dared not look back. She'd heard stories about Seattle and knew it was a dangerous city, even in the better reputed spot where the hotel was. Next to the restaurant was an alleyway, where four men emerged from. There was a dangerous vibe to them as they snickered amongst themselves and made their way to her, which immediately made Bella tense. She kept her gaze to the ground as she hurried towards the restaurant.

When she was ready to reach for the handle of the door towards safety, the tallest of the men grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.

"Where do you think you're going?" The man hissed as his friends laughed behind him. Bella dared to look up at the man, whose dark eyes threatened to take something from her she wasn't ready to give.

"Let go of me!" She tried to shove him away, but was obviously powerless against her attacker. The streets were barely empty and the people who did pass, didn't bother to stop for her. In fact, they sped up their pace.

In the dark, against the cold stone wall he held her mercilessly against her will, her arms held down by his comrades who were eagerly touching her breasts and abdomen. Her shirt was ripped off in a matter of minutes, while dirtied and rough hands reached under her thin bra.

"Please...stop..." She pleaded as hot, frightened tears spilled down her flushed cheeks.

The sound of a zipper being pulled down and her jeans starting to get pulled from her caused Bella to scream consecutively for help. The blood curdling pitch bouncing off the vacant stone buildings.

"Keep screaming. We like it when you scream." One of them joked as the others chuckled, a hard and abusive slap hitting her across the face issuing another scream from her trembling lips. Blood spilled from the corner of her mouth and her vision started to go blurry from the unexpected blow. Just when she was ready to accept defeat and let the men take what they wanted, she was granted a reprieve. The assaulter who had been undressing her flew off her and hit the ground with a loud thud and snap. The sound of bones breaking was enough to make one nauseous, but Bella was too wrapped up in her own pain and fear to notice much.

The other men let her go and she slumped to the floor, where she struggled to stay alert and absorb what was happening. Each of her attackers were being thrown away from her by something that didn't seem human, yet it seemed to understand that these men were a threat to her safety. Powerlessly, she rolled from side to side, trying to gain some sort of footing or defensive stature to see what was happening.

Instead, she slipped into a deep sleep that her mind had forced her to take, unable to cope with the realities on what had happened to her.

**Note from the author**

It's only up from here, kids. I promise. Next chapter will be longer too. This is probably going to be the darkest chapter, the rest should be cherry pie in comparison.

x S. Scribbles