One: Darkness

The night is dark and cold. There is ice on the roads, but Mom is confident. Mom has convinced Tom to come looking at Christmas lights with Mom, Andrea, and I. Finally!

We are in Old-Town Burleson. The streets are empty 'cept the late night rigs. We were telling small funny stories to each other, things that had happened to each other over the years. It's making me so happy. The radio is low, Slipped Away by Avril Lavigne playing slowly. We were talking about the time Andrea had tripped up the stairs at school, her pants falling down. Andrea just sang along pretending not to hear us, growing tired of us talking about how clumsy she is.

I laughed along and came to her defense, saying that Tom had once slammed himself against a wall in a power wheelchair, purposely messing up the story so he'll re-tell it and get off Andrea's back. Andrea turned to me and smiled, grateful for me doing that. Her and I were extremely close, which is odd in this family, considering that every pair of siblings tortures each other. I think it is because we are exactly alike, even in looks, although we're four years apart.

Even though we are so much alike, Andrea is the angel. When she smiles at me, she is suddenly glowing.

Then I hear the horn and the squeal of tires.

It happened so fast that I didn't have time to react. There was a squeal, someone screaming, cursing, and the car spinning, jolting and jerking. Glass breaking, metal protesting, more screaming. The earth shutters under me, the seat belt breaks and slaps me on the nape of my neck. I fall, the floorboard is hard and it slams against me, something lands on my back it hurts.

I shut my eyes tight.

And then the earth stood still. I lie there for what seams forever until I smell it.

Smoke and metal and blood. The sound suddenly blares to life, like taking off earmuffs, or turning on the stereo, already on maximum. I hear flames and coughing and the roar of the engine. I count the coughing. Three. I am coughing. My eyes tear up, and I refuse to open them, afraid of what I might see.

There were four of us.

The next thing I knew, I heard metal scraping metal and my eyes shoot open, a mistake. The earth is in flames, my eyes burn on fire, the fire spreading throughout my body, the excruciating pain was all that was me, my whole body crying out for mercy and there was none.

Darkness came, but it only penetrated my sight. I felt my body, engulfed in pain; something was squeezing the life out of me. It all faded until all there was only pain, and, eventually, it ceased too.

The last thing I remember is the weight on top of me lifted, the pressure was still there. Coolness draped itself across my body.

Silence and nothingness followed the darkness.

Nothing. Dark. Alone. Silent. No temperature. No feelings. No thoughts. Just Nothing. I greeted it happily.

Only one thought entered my vast, empty mind. It echoed, but did not fade. Which one?

I awoke to darkness. I heard the beeps of a heart monitor, and the bustling of a busy hospital. I smelt bleach and roses and my mother's perfume. I lay there for a little bit, just inhaling and remembering and waiting for the horrible news of which one. I felt the thick, comfortable plush blanks and mattress and pillows under and around me, the scratchy cotton of the hospital gown, and the IV in my arm. I fingered the ring on my right ring finger. It spins, the one ring I always wear, but had forgotten that day. I spun it a few times, the motion relaxing to me. Mom must have brought it. Which means she's okay. I hope. I hope I was just confused by the circumstances, and heard wrong. Yeah, I heard wrong. The coughs were hard to tell difference, off sync and sounding the same as the last.

That's it.

"Chris? Christabel? Oh, honey!" I felt a hand on my cheek and opened my eyes. Darkness. I closed them again, and opened. Darkness. I blinked several times, and then held my eyes open for a long time, until they watered. Darkness. Pitch black darkness. Oh hell no.

"Mom?" I asked my mother, knowing it was she. "Mom, why can't I see? Are the lights out or something? Why is it so dark? Mom? Are you okay?" They slipped out one by one, so quickly that she didn't have time to answer properly.

"I'm-I'm fine, dear." Her voice wavered, and stuck. Almost weary. Like she was afraid to tell me something.

"Who?" I could feel hot tears trail down my cheeks and a lump build in my throat. No. It can't be. Not her.

"Andrea."

Silence met the darkness once again.

D/C: Stephenie Meyer has published Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, and The Host. I have published nothing, zip, zero, nada. And no, those are not names of books. I can't take back what's been published, and I can't make myself alter the stories already told. I can only add on. That's what I'm doing here. In honor of the great S.M., I have named my main-man (woman) Christabel Meyer. Her brother is Stephen. Happy? Christabel/Jasper.

Alice will be explained later on, and no she didn't run off with anybody, as I know Alice wouldn't do that. Jasper and Christabel will not rush into the relationship, because of course Jasper still loves Alice. I'll try not to OCC, honorably try my very best.

Hope you enjoy.