Chapter 1 – Underwater
Bella stood on the edge of the cliff, looking down at the water's foam kissing the rocks that were scattered at the base. Am I insane, she thought. She lingered, the wind running its invisible fingers through her loose mousy tendrils. Rubble buckled underneath her sole and disappeared into the churning water. Bella breathed deeply and closed her eyes. The trees rustled, the birds whistled, and the sun kissed her cheeks. Bella swallowed and her lips pressed together firmly.
She peeled off her sweater and kicked off her sandals. It was now or never, she thought. Her stomach bounced and somersaulted. Stepping back, she thought of him. She grew cold and felt distant from everything. Her body felt limp and her heart felt as if it dropped to her knees. A small gasp escaped her throat as her back felt hit by something heavy and her body left its resting position. Her weight dragged her through the empty space quickly which did not give her a lot of time to inhale. The salty water course up her nose and burned. The currents sucked her downward.
She thought of Edward, but she couldn't hear him. The voice that had come to her earlier was absent. Her despair grew as she struggled to reach the surface. The salt water filled her lungs quickly, burning. Bella clutched her throat and kicked as hard as she could. However, a darkness began to invade her and she lost connection with herself.
Red tendrils wiggled around Bella as an ivory white hand tugged the back of Bella's shirt. Bella's body laid limp, floating like seaweed on the ocean's surface. Victoria looked down on Bella's face it grew pale; the ruddy red of her lips began to change to a violet-tinged blue. Victoria dragged Bella's body to the shore and she performed CPR. She wasn't going to let Bella get away with an easy death. She wanted Bella to experience her agony. A loud gurgle escaped Bella's throat as her lungs expelled the water. Her eyes flickered and she coughed violently. Victoria watched silently. A thin red line turned slightly upward and her eyes warmed with delight. Bella focused on what she thought was a figment of her imagination. Victoria's hand silenced the oncoming plea for help.
"There's no one here to save you." Victoria paused as she smiled widely, exposing her pearly whites. Her eyes were black and full. "I intend to have fun with you." Victoria pulled a roll of duct tape out of her pocket and tore of a large square. "There! I can't have you calling for the fur balls."
Victoria picked Bella up and slung her across her shoulder. She sped off towards the woods. She realized that she had to get out of the area to avoid the same fate that Laurent met at the hands of Bella's friends. Victoria settled on crossing over into Canada. As they were nearing the border, Bella shut her eyes and succumbed to a deep sleep.