AN: Thank you all so much for your replies! I love getting them!
I closed my eyes and waited for death to take me.
Let me tell you now – it was nothing like movies or books tell you. First off, I saw no bright light or angels or even dead family members. Nothing. All I saw was blackness. Second, there was no out of body experience, I didn't suddenly find myself floating above my own corpse. Nope. It was just agony for what seemed like eternity.
I could hear distant voices, they sounded panicked but I couldn't place them.
I can tell you now; I did not die – though at the time that sounded like a nice alternative to continuing on in this state. But what did happen was even better: suddenly, there a loud crash and I thought that maybe this was how death sounded, and then I realized that the horrible sucking feeling was gone, and I hadn't lost the feeling in my body. No one was drinking my blood. If I could've smiled for this tiny miracle, I would have. Instantly I heard the sounds of a struggle; there was screams of pain, rage and even surprise, I heard the low grunts of fighting all around me. Then I screamed.
Or should I say I tried to scream, what came out was more of a raw-panting-gurgling sound. It was like a nightmare, the miserably familiar pain in my arm was back. Only this time, it felt like my whole arm had been dipped in acid.
"Help." I tried to say, "Edward! My arm!" But all that came out was a low moan.
But then I was being held up and carried away. My arm muscles continued to tense and then loosen just when I thought my arm would shatter from the pain. I would have given anything to trade this pain for an entire body of broken bones. Then, except for two low voices there was quiet. I recognized the voices and they gave me a glimmer of hope.
"Will she be okay, Carlisle?" Edward asked frantically, I felt my heart jump at his voice, but this only caused me pain and I let out a small groan.
I was vaguely aware of someone – Edward– stroking my cheek, and someone else – Carlisle – touching points on my body and placing his head near my lungs to listen to my breathing. The wave of pain moved up to my shoulder and I heard the crunch of my bones being contorted.
"She's dying." Carlisle answered solemnly. The pain continued and I wished someone would stop it, I wished someone would please pull off my arm.
"From the poison?" Edward asked and I knew that was what he wanted to hear; that if he was able to suck the poison from me, I would get better, like last time.
"No. Can you hear her breathing? It's amazingly shallow and rasping. I'm guessing she punctured a lung. And from the beating she took, I wouldn't be surprised to find that she has severe internal damage. Besides, she's lost most of her blood." I heard a crash and a wail of fury. The pain jumped to my chest and I stopped breathing altogether.
"Edward." I tried to say, I wanted him near me.
"Bella, I'm sorry. Oh God, I'm sorry." He kept repeating and I struggled to inhale over the fire that had engulfed my lungs.
"I don't know…I don't know if she'll live through the change. Her body is in such bad shape. She could die before the venom has gone far enough through her body. Allowing her to change is the only possible way to save her." Carlisle said, his normally calm, cool voice sounded tortured.
Edward let out a wail of agony.
"Let me change." I wanted to say, though I was still having trouble breathing. Then all of my senses became acute as I felt the pain spread. This time it went to my other arm and down to my stomach. It was like someone was stuffing me through a meat grinder while I was on fire. Nothing can ever compare to the pain, even the word pain cannot begin to describe what it feels like. Never could I have imagined anything like this.
Soon enough the fire had consumed my entire body, and when it did I found my lungs.
I wanted to scream, or even yell, I wanted to do anything to release a little of the pain; to let it out of my body. But I couldn't do more than gasp and let out small grunting sounds. My body seemed to be rebelling against me. It bucked wildly as if it, too, wanted to escape. Everything in my body hurt, and the pain never dulled.
Never before in my life had I ever been so acutely aware of my body. Time seemed to stretch out forever, nothing ever faded, if anything the pain was fresher than ever. When I began to feel used to the torture, my eyes would suddenly feel like they were being boiled. Later, it felt like someone was jumping on my already broken fingers. Then, even my teeth began to protest. They screamed in misery and I felt as if they were being twisted in their place. Next something was stabbing my thighs, despite the fact that they were already on fire. Everything hurt and I felt it all.
Just when I began to wish for death instead of another minute of this anguish, my heart began to sear. I've had heart burn before, and that can hurt but this was like having my heart being ripped from its spot in my body and dipped in acid. Only then was I able to utter the screams I had been waiting for, only it didn't help; in fact, my vocal cords felt like they had been ripped from my body. I don't know how long I endured this misery, all I know is that one second it disappeared.
I opened my eyes and saw my perfect angel looking down at me. His beautiful face was rumpled and his hair was disheveled – yet he still looked amazing. It looked like he hadn't moved since I'd been here. I sat up and was amazed at the ease and gracefulness of my movements.
"Bella." He said and I noticed Carlisle come towards me and watching me carefully. I could hear the anguish in his voice as Edward said, under his breath, and in full vampire speed, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm like you now." I said, testing out my vocal cords. I was surprised to find that after the pain of screaming, my voice was smooth as silk. I gasped at the sound.
Edward buried his face in my hair and I saw his shoulders shuddering in quiet sobs.
"You can't be sad. Its fine, isn't it?" I said and stood up quickly and gracefully.
"Everything is fine, you are fine." He reassured me, sounding extremely relieved himself.
"Not me. What about everyone else? Are they okay? Oh God, was anyone hurt?" I looked at Edward and he shook his head quickly.
"Everyone is fine, Jasper and Alice got the worst of it. But don't worry they will be better in no time at all. I'm just …" He trailed off.
"What happened? All I remember is…" Then I trailed off, shuddering at the memory of having my blood sucked from my veins.
"I thought you were going to die. So did everyone else, we all fought against Victoria's coven, but they had us. Then Keith suddenly stopped Victoria and said something, but before she could jump up from you, Alice was here. She was behind us because she had a vision of you dying in this cabin with all of us trapped. So she went to get our friends from Alaska for help. Apparently, it took a little convincing but she got them to come, just in time. They saved you." He said.
I looked around the room, everything seemed clearer and brighter; I was amazed.
I smiled at Edward and I saw him looking me up and down.
"Edward." I whispered and was surprised when my face didn't heat up. It took me a second to realize that I would never blush again. I was taken aback, I was happy to be rid of the annoying trait, but sad that Edward would never get to see me blush again – I know how much he loved that.
His head snapped up and he gave me a confident grin that wasn't at all sheepish.
"Well, now that was a swift mood change." I teased him.
"Shall I escort you to a mirror?" he said raising his eyebrows, and I couldn't help but glance at Carlisle who had backed into a corner of the room, and was watching us with a small grin on his face.
I nodded, I wanted to see myself, and then I wanted to see everyone who had helped to save my life.
AN: Agh. I know, it's kind of short…Sorry everyone! I will try desperately to make the next chapter longer. I just seem to be having these short writing bursts which can be a little frustrating, but what can you do?
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