I felt like I was staring through a thick wall of ice, my breath fogging up on the misty surface. I felt like I was underwater, alone in murky silence- but all of the water was frozen. Surprisingly, I did not feel cold, I felt calm- peaceful.

With a sudden crack, the ice broke, and my serenity evaporated. The ice chipped away, and I was pulled through the small, rough, jagged hole in the ice. Now I felt cold- bitterly cold. So cold that it hurt. The edges of the ice scratched me, covering me in scrapes and cuts. I felt pain all over me, but the cold was making me forget about the injuries. It was freezing, awful…

And then the cold was gone, replaced with an awful burning sensation. I could feel the flames licking across my bones. I felt my skin searing and peeling. I tried to scream, but only swallowed a mouthful of the terrible flames, scorching my aching teeth and destroying my tongue and gums. The flames traveled towards my throat, choking me- I swallowed, and the burn intensified. Every cell of my body was screaming in agony. I couldn't think- my brain was inflamed. Everything was heat and flame…

Then, through the horror, a fraction of the fire was extinguished. Something cold and calming traced across my surely blackened and charred skin. Thin lines of relief branched across my body. Slowly, I began to feel better. There was still heat, and static, like electric fire was storming through my veins, but the worst of the conflagration was gone.

"What's happening?" asked a familiar, worried voice.

"I don't know, Alice," replied Carlisle. "I really don't know."

Edward's POV

I tromped through the darkening forest, infuriated with myself. How could I lose my control like that? The taste, though, it was excruciating. Perhaps it was because I had been caught off guard. I hadn't expected some dry, disgusting human food would be better than anything I'd ever experienced.

I shook myself. That wasn't true. She was Bella, my Bella, and no flavor could change how I felt. What I really needed to do was calm down, control myself, and hurry back to my house. She was probably scared. I hated myself for leaving her alone in the car, when clearly something strange was going on. I should have protected her. I felt horrible for deserting her, horrible…

I sighed. If Bella were here, I knew what she would say. "You're not horrible, Edward, you're the most wonderful person I've ever met."

"I'm not a person!" I yelled, scaring off a few birds. In stopped walking, realizing that I had just responded to an imaginary conversation. It was time to go home. I turned and sprinted towards the general direction of the road.

My stomach felt strange. After a minute, I realized that it was nausea. Whatever had been in that bread was strong enough to affect an intestinal system that hadn't moved in almost a century. I would ask Carlisle when I got home. Carlisle would know…Carlisle…

I saw Bella lying in the forest, broken…her dead eyes stared up at me…the ground was cold and hard, leaves caught in her hair, in my hair… Bella stared up at the empty sky, and I was staring up at the sky…

I sat up suddenly. I was lying on the ground. When had I fallen? I felt weak- Maybe I needed to hunt. Hunting… blood…

Pain sliced through my crazed thoughts. I twitched, hearing something crackling around me. Dead leaves? Or my own bones? My skin itched all over, but from the inside, like I was wearing an irritating wool sweater… but that didn't make sense. I felt, in horror, my flesh bubbling up and peeling away, like a snake shedding its skin. I clawed frantically at the ground. I felt so vulnerable.

"Bella!" I cried futilely before I was dragged under.

A/N: Edward's POV reads awesomely if you read it while listening to Cyclops Rock by They Might Be Giants… at least, that's how it was when I typed it.