Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight or any of its characters.

Chapter 1: Escape Hatch

I stared into the mirror, eyes wild and wet. I didn't look like myself anymore and hadn't in such a long time. My fingers brushed the fresh gash beneath my left eye, smearing the blood across my face.

"I'll never hurt you again, Bella," he had promised me. "I'll go get treatment. I'll do anything to make this work. I love you." His icy blue eyes had been so convincing. But that was about 6 months ago.

The rain pounded on the window sill as I grabbed a few more essentials and stuffed them into a beat-up duffel bag. I didn't have enough time to get all of my things, and probably never would. But I didn't care. This was my one and only opportunity to do what I needed to. And if I didn't get out now, I knew deep down I wouldn't survive this.

Clutching the red-eye plane tickets in my jacket pocket, I took a deep breath. My ribs ached, and I was sure some of them were cracked. I wasn't much for praying, but I was sure as hell begging whatever God would listen to keep Allyn from waking up.

Allyn's snores were a comfort as I crept down the hallway, my heart racing. The smell of liquor burned my nose as I neared the living room. He was in a kneeling position, knees on the floor and upper body on the couch. He had tripped over the coffee table while attempting to take another drunken swing at me. He must have passed out as soon as his head had hit the cushions.

I took another deep breath and continued to creep towards the back door. Just an hour ago, I had tripped and sent Allyn's last beer flying into the grass. He was so preoccupied with beating me that he didn't know he had knocked it right off its hinges. He also had no idea that he had given me an escape hatch.

I had tried to run a few times before, sure that his excessive drinking would knock him into a deep enough sleep that he wouldn't hear a window opening or a creak of a door as it opened. Much to my dismay, his eyes would snap open, and the fists would resume their swinging.

My right foot crossed the threshold, then my left. I was finally outside. My heart was beating in my ears as the rain pounded my aching body. I guess I had better get used to a near constant downpour.

I glanced back for a brief moment at the man I used to love so deeply. The corner of his mouth was glistening as he drooled. His once blemish free face was flushed. The brown hair that was once shiny and thick was now dull and lifeless. The deep purple circles under his eyes were as prominent as ever. Despite his frequent naps after ingesting too much liquor, he never appeared well-rested anymore.

"What have you done to yourself, Allyn?" I used to ask him. He would always just roll his eyes, take another swig of alcohol, and throw an insult my way. I knew for sure now that I would never learn the answer.

I closed my eyes, a strange energy washing over me. I realized that feeling was freedom. I sprinted as fast as my body would allow. I slipped in the mud once or twice but kept launching myself towards the taxi parked a couple of houses down. The headlights were off, just as I had instructed over the phone.

I practically dove into the backseat. "Drive," I begged, slamming the door shut.

The cab driver cleared his throat, his eyes full of concern as he stared at me through the rearview mirror. "Where to, miss?"

"The airport. I have a flight in 30 minutes." My voice cracked. I was still shaking, my breath coming out in wild gasps.

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you to a hospital?" he asked, obviously uncomfortable. I couldn't imagine how I looked to him. Bruises, black eyes, and gashes had become the norm lately.

"You'll be helping me more by just getting me to the airport as fast as you can". I hoped that was enough to keep him from prying further.

Thankfully, it was. The street lights began to blur as he picked up the speed. I had been clutching the straps to my duffel bag so tightly that my knuckles were stiff and white. It was over. I watched as the place I used to call my home disappeared through the sheen of the rain, never to be seen again.

I used to despise Forks, but I now wished more than anything that I had just moved there during my junior year. I loved the sun, the heat, the busy city of Phoenix too much and changed my mind last minute. Forks didn't have any of those things to offer me.

But now, I would rather spend the rest of my life in eternal darkness than spend another minute here.