Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Your turn, Bella! Do a swan dive!"

"Har har. No fucking way, Cullen!"

Edward lingered near the edge of the pool at the bottom of the ladder. I stood shaking, ten feet high in the air, being a complete chicken shit. Dad had our new pool remodeled, with the base of the pool going deeper and a higher platform to jump off of.

He should have installed a baby pool for me.

"It's a little high, don't you think?"

Edward's once chunky legs had become muscular, and I enjoyed the heightened view of his soaking wet body dripping from the chlorine water.

"Quit being a pussy!" It was the first day of summer after tenth grade, and I wanted to make every day count. Having Cullen rescue me from being submerged was not the carpe diem I had in mind.

"Hold on. I'm coming up. We'll do it together." Edward, in his blue swimming trunks, climbed up behind me. The board shook under the added weight, and I grabbed tightly onto him.

"Wait! Not yet!"

"You're right. We'll just stand here while I fondle you." Edward moved his hands under my white ruffled bikini top, but I slapped them away.

"Cut it out! You are not gonna cop a feel before I die," I warned him. "That's not how I wanna end my last day on this earth."

Edward laughed and gripped my hand. "Quit being so dramatic. It's easy. We jump together, and you'll rise back to the top. Besides, I know CPR, remember?"

Yes, only too clearly. My previous adventure in the river never strayed far from my mind.

"You won't let me drown?" I asked, quivering.

"Never, baby. Now... One, two, three!"

Edward never paused as he pulled me down into the water with him. It fell on all sides, surrounding me. I opened my eyes, struggling to find leverage, but there was none, just the cold waves filling my lungs. I clawed desperately at the water, forgetting all of the swimming strategies taught to me during lessons.

I wanted to gasp for air, but strong arms wrapped around me. They lifted me to the surface, where I finally welcomed oxygen with gratitude.

I choked a few times, but I was grateful I'd made it out alive.

"See?" Edward heaved and kissed me on the lips. "Wasn't so bad."

I coughed once more. "I forgot how to swim. I need floaties!"

Edward laughed, bobbing in the water as I clutched onto the side of the pool. "What do you need those for?"

He released my hands from the side and wrapped them around him. His green eyes peered into mine, loving me in spite of my faults. Leaning forward, I molded his lips around mine. He tasted of salt and chlorine, but it was warm.

It was him, not the lack of air, that took my breath away.

"I was going under," I gasped. "I didn't think I would come back up."

"I promised I wouldn't let you drown. I love you, baby."

Edward smoothed back my wet hair.

"The water is shallow. If you think that's deep, then you haven't been paying attention."


I could smell Billy's acrid odor as he leaned over me.

Cigarettes and dirt.

Old leather and desperation.

I continued to whimper as I laid face down, not wanting a single scruff from his face to touch my skin.

I kept my eyes on Edward, my anchor in the ocean of misery I so frantically tried to escape from.

"You're so pretty, princess," the monster huffed.

Pay attention, Edward's eyes told me. Focus on me and pay attention.

I fought to keep my heart from thundering aloud in my chest as I stared at my lifeline. The explosion of pain seared through my body, the added weight seeming infinite. Tears poured from my eyes as I gasped for breath. I dared not move, as any small feat would mean certain death.

My fingertips reached in a frenzy toward Edward, the small miracle as rough hands stretched over my back. I would welcome the end right now. That was for certain. I would embrace the completion of my life if I could, without ever returning to this nightmare.

Edward nodded at me, sliding a single finger across his lips.

His hands! He was free!

I wanted to cry out, but I refused, heeding his directions. Billy began to lift up my shirt, exposing skin when Edward yanked both arms in front of him.

He drove his fists downward, with Billy being knocked to the side. He screamed in agony, falling to the side. He clutched his bloody head, howling in severe pain.

"You fucking bastard!" Billy screeched in an animalistic rage. His knife slid across the floor to the other side of the room.

"Bella, help! You have to untie me!" Edward yelled for my help, to unbind his legs. I clawed at the rope, struggling to untangle the knots. They came undone just as Billy pushed me against the railing with great force.

My legs were dragged back towards him, and the hardwood floor scraped my burning cheek. I struggled against his strength, slapping at whatever skin I could make contact with. Edward dove overtop of me, banging his father's body against the charcoaled wall.

"Leave her the fuck alone!" He hammered Billy's head repeatedly, each bang sounding like the beat of a drum. I grabbed the edge of the bed, trying to raise myself up. Twice, my weak legs pulled me back down, but with much effort, I sat up.

My head and lungs pounded as Billy and Edward grappled. In that moment, I felt so helpless. Soon, Carlisle would come in here to finish us both off. A small object glimmered from the light underneath the bed. I fumbled, feeling the odd shaped object.

Pulling it out, I recognized it immediately.

Our Field Day trophy! The same one Edward had smashed through the window on the day of the fire was now in my hands.

"Edward!" I yelled, tossing the small object through the air. He fumbled, barely catching it.

Billy looked to his son. "What? Are you gonna kill me hero? You don't have the fucking balls!"

Edward stared at his father. "I have more than you."

He spoke quietly before driving it into Billy's head.

He struck him again and again, leaving nothing to chance. Soon, Billy's yelling became silence. As the blood pooled onto the floor, I screamed Edward's name. He seemed to be in a violent trance, unwilling to stop gouging the metal through his father's skull.

"Edward, we have to go!" I begged. Billy's body slumped over, and Edward stood, searching the floor for Billy's knife. He grabbed it immediately, then reached down to pick me up. He could barely stand with the added weight. His knees buckled twice, and I sobbed.

"Leave me here!" I begged. "Go get help! You can't carry me."

"No!" Edward adjusted my weight as I wrapped my arms tighter around him.

"I'm not going anywhere without you."

He turned the doorknob, careful to peek through the crack before walking through.

Carlisle was nowhere to be found.

Edward half-jogged, shifting me as we ran through the living room and out the front door. The moonlight gleamed above us. A white van sat parked in the driveway, unmoved.

Nodding towards the right, Edward huffed through his words. "There's a house right through the woods there. We just have to go a little further, baby. Just a little further."

The tears trickled down my face as I gripped Edward tighter.

"Can you make it?" I asked, my voice cracking.

"We have to," he answered firmly.

He rushed through the trees, branches thrashing us along the way. An owl hooted through the stiff night air, unknowing of our circumstances. We rushed feet by feet, each yard seeming to stretch the distance.

A red house appeared through the forest, and I smiled with relief.

"We're almost there!" Edward breathed.

Life was like that.

You see a dream right in front of you, and destiny tries to tear you apart.

It rips through every lovely faction of imagination you ever visualized and shreds apart your fantasy.

The bitter taste of reality crashed down on us as a large object crushed Edward's back.

I had been so busy idealizing the prospect of hope, I never saw the nightmare following behind us.

We fell to the ground easily, and Carlisle smiled over us, a rifle in his hand.

Edward hollered from the blow, and I felt wet leaves stick to my face. I knew this was the end.

"Go," Edward mumbled. "He wants me. You can make it."

I shook my head as Carlisle aimed his weapon. Even if I could run, it was never an option.

"You think I could leave you?" I coughed out. "It's you who hasn't been paying attention."

"I love you, Bella Swan," Edward whispered.

"I love you, too, Cullen."

I entangled my fingers with his.

Flashes of our childhood through adolescence flickered through my mind.

Symmetry. Watermelon popsicles. The willow tree. Bear meat. Hot wax. Animal crackers.

Fire. Surgery. Ice chips. Beaches. Trigonometry.

Together, we had lived. Endured. Suffered. Wept. Sustained. Loved.

And to die like this? It seemed so probable. Easy.

Life didn't revolve as it had seemed to.

It was death, the finality of the end that spun.

Round and Round.


Go ahead. You know you want to sing it...

MariahajilE isn't talking to me until this story is over and Blueeyedcherry has a therapy license (written in crayon). I think I'm hiring...

READERS- I wanted to see how many of you made past yesterday's chapter. Good job. You all stuck with me. My evilness has SOME boundaries, ya know. Is anyone mourning Billy's death? I'm trying to figure out whether to hold a memorial service or not. :P