Characters belong to Stephenie Meyer.

11. Forget

In darkness did I see truth. In darkness did I belong. In darkness, I saw nothing.

I didn't know where I or my body was. I was still sleeping. No longer conscious of what I felt—I'd become numb the minute I left—allowed me to have a somewhat peaceful retire.

So momentarily stuck in this limbo, I tried to clear my mind—one source of my problems.

What had happened to me?

Aro had been tearing apart my body. He was gnashing... I saw parts of my body a mess... Guards were outside...

A flash of Leah's face appeared.

Had she been there?

No. She couldn't possibly have gone to Volterra. I may have talked to her about them, but she knew it was forbidden for her to know. Leah wouldn't be that stupid just to get killed.

Realization dawned.

Leah wanted this. In all my explanation of planned suicide, she'd picked up on the idea. She went to Volterra, knowing the vampires, with added hatred to her kind, would instantly kill her. I was just her ride to get there.

Manipulative... bitch! Leah had been hiding her real thoughts from me, when I had foolishly told her everything. Because of my emotions, I'd been oblivious to what Leah was planning. I trusted her; I underestimated her.

What was happening? I was panicking, but nothing else was appropriate.

Then I woke. A clear blue sky, soft winds, and green trees greeted me.

I was in a meadow. Not in the meadow, a foreign one.

Groaning, I sat up. My body was intact. Now, how did that happen? Either Aro had not completed with his task, and my body repaired itself, or some holy force put me back together. I hoped it was the former.

My clothes, a black button down shirt and brown pants, had become dirty. There were grass stains and dried blood.

Who's blood? I wondered.

If I was right, and Leah had gone to Italy, then what did that mean?

Leah would be dead right now. The Volterra might just have to kill me.

Wait, what! Then what am I doing here, away from all signs of civilization, living?

I rolled over. There was a crinkling sound in my pocket. A note.

It said:

"I found myself falling in love with you. Pathetic, I know, but there was nothing I could do—I couldn't betray Sam, and you're still not over Bella. I'm pretty sure Aro knows the most punishing sentence for you. I may love you, but I can still watch you suffer."

"I hate you!" I roared, rolling over my knees. Leah had taken my escape, and left no room for me to follow. Aro clearly knew what I wanted the most, and what would torture me to no end. I doubt I can ever die.

When the cloudless ceiling didn't answer, I fell back on the cool, dewy grass. Closing my eyes, I breathed in everything that came and went. The wind rustled the leaves, brushed on my pale cold skin, and filled my mind with memories. The feeling was unreal.

In the foreign meadow, I stayed, setting Edward Cullen free. Alone.

OK, well it's going to be difficult to go from here, realizing that there's no one left for Edward to share his misery with. And I'm not plenty fond of making new characters.