Horizon

by polin1416

"It's the safest time of day for us," he said, answering the unspoken question in my eyes. "The easiest time. But also the saddest, in a way... the end of another day, the return of the night. Darkness is so predictable, don't you think?" He smiled wistfully. ** "Edward," I said carefully, "you're being a pretentious, self-loathing dick again. We've talked about this. Stop that."

1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

I'd never given much thought to how I would die - which was nominally surprising, considering the turn my life had taken in the last few months. But despite my lack of attention to detail, I guess I'd never thought it would be like this.

I realized, as I stared into the rigid shards of glass and splintered floorboards burying the memories of a place I once knew, that in some ways it made sense. Or, at least, it was poetic. Sometimes that was the best you could ask for.

There were probably better ways to die - the way I had hastily planned for, in the place of someone I loved. Or some heroic death, one that was significant to a lot of people. Even surrounded by all the people I loved, ninety-three years old and barely sentient anymore, would probably be less pain.

I could admit that I was terrified; that this would be excruciating in every way; that if I had never gone to Forks, I would likely be sitting in the sun with a good book right now, completely unaware that there had been something worth missing.

The thought that I'd made the better decision calmed me. I raised my chin as the hunter sauntered forward to kill me.