All mistakes are my own.
All characters belong to S. Meyer.
Let The Games Begin - Anarbor
It's a game, she's to blame
But who's keeping score?
You can tell by my grin
That I've done this before
So let the games begin
"See that star, baby?" she lifts her hand, boney fingers pointing towards the sky. The thousands of stars winking back at her against their black velvet backdrop.
I shake my head, twisting my fingers in my lap. "There are billions of stars, Mom" I sigh and lean back against the rock, my legs swinging out over the edge.
Mom shakes out her hair, the fired red flowing down her boney shoulders. She chuckles before letting her hand drop back into her lap "No, Hun" she shakes her head "that one, the bright one" she jerks her head towards the stars again.
I press the heels of my palms into my eyes before looking back up. "They're all bright" I whine.
"No, honey, they aren't." She reaches over and takes my hand, grasping it tightly between both of hers. "The one beside that cluster of stars on the horizon" she rubs her hands over mine, staring out in the night. "Do you see it?"
I follow her line of sight out and away from the Dark City. "Just above the tallest peak" she whispers.
My eyes trace each edge, falling with the rock until I reach the middle. "You see it" she smiles to herself.
"Yes" I whisper watching as the little star twinkles above the white-d tip.
"Tell me about it" she says, her eyes flicking back and forth. "Please, baby."
"It's bright" I snort, shaking my head.
"Yes, it was" she smiles towards the sky.
"And...it's flickering" I say, frowning as it dims and brightens. "Did stars do that before, Mom?"
She shakes her head "No, Hun" she chuckles "Stars didn't flicker. They don't flicker."
"Mom?" I look back at her.
"Yes, baby?" she turns towards my voice, her eyes unfocused.
"Is it?"
"Is it what?" she smiles.
"Is it a star?"
Her white eyes stare ahead of her, just over my shoulder. "No, baby" she says, letting go of my hand and bringing hers to my face, tracing the lines of my cheeks. "It isn't a star."
"Then why would you—"
"Because things aren't always what they seem, Bella" her fingers trace my forehead. "Sometimes we only see what is in front of us, what is put there for us to see. Illusions are what keep us alive, honey, what protect us from what is truly there." Her finger tips trace to the tip of my nose. "You have to be careful in life, baby. Sometimes the things you thought you knew" she sighs "aren't always what you believed them to be."
"Okay "I sigh, dragging out the word. "That's enough fresh air for you tonight."
Her fingers trace my eyelids before dropping away. "You're more beautiful every time" she smiles blindly at nothing. "Just like your father."
I shake my head "My mother" I correct her.
"I don't remember the moon anymore, did you know that?" she asks. "Or the water, but I can still see your smile." she smiles to herself as she stares out in front of her.
"You're tired" I say, grabbing her hands "we should head back now." I push myself up off the sun-heated rock, pulling her with me.
"I think I'm going to stay here a while" she pulls her hands from mine. "Look at the stars."
"Mom, you can't—"
"Can't what, baby? See them?" she asks calmly, facing straight ahead.
"Mom I didn't think—"
"Of course you didn't, sweetie." she smiles "why would you worry about me?" she cocks her head, never turning back to me as she whispers "I'm already dead."
"Mom" I shake my head. "Why would you say that?" I whisper.
"You know it's true, sweetheart. You were there. Remember?"
Pictures flicker across my vision.
Mom and I watching the stars above the city.
Mom pointing blindly star shapes in the sky.
The crack of the gun.
The sickening sound as the bullet met flesh.
The blood staining the rock around her.
Her blind eyes looking out at the sky as the blood bloomed around the wound.
"No, no, that's not possible" I shake my head, pressing my back against the stone of the mountain.
"Now, Bella, don't tell me you don't believe in ghosts" she giggles into her hand. "You of all people should know I wouldn't go quietly."
"But you're here, I can touch you" I whisper, sliding down the rock, staring at my hands. "You're here."
"Bella" she snaps. "You have to listen to me." I look up from my hands. "You remember what I told you?" I nod my head slowly. "That nothing is what it seems?" I nod again. "Don't believe their illusions."
"Wait. What? Who's 'they'?"
"It's time for you to wake up now, baby" she says, leaning back against the rock. "They're going to want to move soon" she sighs.
I shake my head; "I don't want to leave you" I look out over the ledge, the tops of the trees swaying lightly in the breeze.
"I'm already dead, baby" she chuckles, like she can see what I was looking at "I can't die again."
"I don't want to leave" my throat tightens. "I miss you."
"I miss you too, sweetie, but it's time for me to go, and time for you to wake up."I shake my head. "Wake up, Bella."
"Wake up."
"Wake up" snaps a voice above me, their hands shaking my shoulders, and shattering the last fragments of my mother from my mind. Pain flares along my spin, paralyzing my body as the flames engulf me. I moan and press my face against my shoulder.
I can feel the heat of the sun as it beats against my bare skin, licking up my pale flesh.
It's morning.
My eyelids bleed orange as the sun shines against the side of my face.
"Looky here, she survived the night!" shouts someone to my right.
"That is" I swallow against the lump in my throat "painfully obvious, don't you think?"
"Stand up" snaps Edward, his fingers curling around my shoulder and jerking me to my feet. I hiss as the metal cuffs dig into my wrists as he drags me up.
I grit my teeth against the pain that pushes against my lips, working my jaw back and forth, grinding my teeth.
"Get her ready" says Edward, shoving my shoulder away from his voice and walking away, his feet crunching on the dirt. "We leave in ten and blindfold her" his voice farther away "she doesn't need to see anymore."
"Righty-oh Captain" mutters Jake, his rancid breath washing over my face, and coating my skin.
His fingers work quickly on the first cuff, fumbling before clicking it off. He snaps his fingers and I feel someone grab my wrist and hold it over my head as Jake works on the other.
Jake's fingers dig into my shoulder, ghosting the tender flesh where Edward's hand had just been as he hauls be up onto my feet. My body feels heavy like I swallowed stones, weighing down my limbs stone by stone.
Someone grabs my hands from behind me, twisting them into one of their hands while Jake stands in front of me. Something hot and scratchy presses against my eyes, the fabric rough against my pale skin as it he drapes it over my eyes.
Jake leans over my shoulder, coating my body in the smell of spoiled meat and moulding hay as he tries to try the fabric behind my head.
I wince as the knot collects strands of my hair, weaving them in with the fabric and ripping them from my skull as he pulls it tight.
"Tie her wrists" he says to the boy behind me before stepping away from me. I blink behind the fabric finding it doesn't block out all the light, only dims it down. My eyes water with the light and I close them again.
Cord is wrapped around my wrists, the frayed rope rubbing the scabbed areas again and pulling at the healing skin. They pull it tight, causing me to yelp as it bites into my skin.
"Would you two, hurry the fuck up?" yells Edward "we have a lot of ground to cover if we're going to make it there by dark."
They knot the rope and step away before I hear their footsteps as they walk away from me.
"Move" someone says behind me, their hand pushing between my shoulder blades and making me stumble forwards.
"Keep up" shouts Edward from somewhere ahead of me. "Fall behind, and you get left behind."
"Cheery" I mumble.
"Just keep up" says the guy behind me.
"Aye, Aye Capy-tain" I turn my head to where his voice is coming from "lead the way."
xxx
"You aren't listening, are you?" he chuckles, fumbling with the moulding pages of the book, carefully closing the cover and smoothing his bone-like fingers over it, tracing the indented title.
"I'm sorry" I mumble, watching as he smiles at me, pulling at his musty jacket he wears when we meet "I've been distracted lately" I don't look him in the eyes.
"That's an understatement" he snorts and sets the book on top of one of the many piles around him "you've got your head topside, my girl. Care to share your thoughts?"
I chew on my lip "I've been thinking of Mother" I confess and he frowns "how she died."
"Ah" he rubs his jaw, covering his mouth "and you've kept this from the council?"he leaves on the implied 'and me?'
I shrug "They don't ask."
"You make it sound like it's their fault" he observes, pushing up his glasses that managed to slide down his slender nose.
"Don't do that" I look at him, eyeing the hundreds of books that he surrounds himself with, his replacement for people. "Don't diagnose me, not about this."
"Isabella" he sighs, leaning forward and folding his hands together in front of him on his knees. "It's my job" he reminds me "I'm here to help you, with whatever is going on with you."
"You're also my grandfather" I spit at him "but that 'job' seems to have been put on hold for your more important one or have you forgotten that we're blood?"
"I am first and foremost you're family" he insists "and when it comes to your well being I am fully invested, no matter my profession" he leans back in his chair, crossing his legs.
"That's very beautiful" I wipe away a fake tear "and to think, if I hadn't seen the very generous lump of coin that the council gave you for taking my case, I might have actually believed you. But bravo on the acting, really Grandpa, if this gig doesn't work out, you should really consider the theatre."
"Are you quite finished?" he raises an eyebrow at me.
"Are we?"
"Hardly, you haven't even begun to deal with your grief, and until you come to terms with her death, you can never move on" he pulls out the pad of paper from his breast pocket, licking his finger and thumbing through the pages.
"Like you have?"I spit, clenching my teeth against my anger.
He sighs "it's been six months Isabella."
"Time has nothing to do with it!" I exclaim "she was you're daughter, how can you just forget her like that?"
"You can't live your life if you hold onto those things that have already gone."
"I am living my life."I look down at my hands, picking at my filthy fingernails.
"But are you happy?"
"No."
"And that doesn't strike you as odd?"
"Not here, it doesn't."
"What makes you say that?" he asks, his pencil scratching on the paper, noting my mental satiability.
"Don't you know, Grandpa?" I look up at him, cocking my head. "Things aren't always what they seem."
"Maybe once upon a time, Isabella, that was true, but not now, not here" he rubs at his temples, angry at my disobedience "Everything is as it seems."
I shake my head "People hide in the dark" I argue.
"And we see in the dark" he counters.
"Only what we want to see."I push myself to the edge of my seat, my hands clenching around the stone edge.
"And what do you see, Isabella?"
I tap my chin, looking up at the low rock ceiling before looking him square in the eyes "I see a pathetic excuse for a man, who is trying to tell me that I need to get over my mother's murder." I tilt my head a little and sigh "You're right Grandpa."
He's frowning, his forehead creased with annoyance "About what, my dear?"
"Everything is exactly as it seems."
My brain is thrown from my thoughts as a hand meets the flesh of my cheek, sending my body reeling to the left. Pain blooms along my jaw, crawling along my skin like insects as my teeth clamp together at the blow. A shrills ringing vibrates through my skull.
My arms jerk back against my fall, my momentum pulling at my limbs as my feet trip from underneath me. Pain rips against my vocal cords as a scream claws at my throat, I inhale through my nose, shallow breaths escape my body as I pant, my legs going limp under my weight.
The person behind me pulls on my arms again, yanking as my tendons scream.
I yelp as I'm lifted back onto my feet, my knees shaking underneath me.
"I told you to keep up" sneers the voice behind me "now move" his knee collides with the small of my back sending me forwards, my feet stumbling underneath me as I try to catch myself.
The ropes bite into my wrists, tearing away what little was left of the scabs my body managed to heal over night.
A metallic tang slides along my tongue as I bite the inside my cheek against the pain. I swallow against the sandpaper that has become my throat, my tongue heavy against my teeth. My lips chapped as the wind presses against my hooded face.
My feet feel heavy as I move along the uneven pathway, like wadding through honey; I push my legs to take each step.
Hours sit on my shoulder, cramping them tightly together behind my back. I push my chest out slightly trying to crack the knot that has taken up a life in the middle of my spine.
I press my eyes together tightly before slowly cracking them open against the bag insides. No light shines through the woven strands, the outside barely illuminated around us.
The sounds of boots pounding fills my head, the rhythmic sounds synchronizing with my heart beat as we move.
I close my eyes again, trying to push the memories down that have started to crawl up again, their fingers pushing themselves into my brain, forcing me to relive the moments.
The days after her death.
I press my lips together as their voice echo through my thoughts, pulling my conscience away from the present pain and back to an older one.
"Sit please" they say together, their voices running together like a mindless hum "we only wish to ask you questions" they pause, their fingers tapping against the wooden table they sit at "it'll help find who did this."
I push my legs to move away from the arching doorway and towards to high back chair that faces the council.
The one in the middle runs his fingers along the ridged paper, reading the bumps as I would read words. His blank eyes staring ahead of him.
"Isabella" he states "nineteen winters old, currently living in Complex G. Father unknown. Living relatives: one, Aro Volturi, Complex G's therapist and your grandfather" his fingers still "this is correct?"
My throat has tightened, making my words hoarse as I whisper "yes."
He leans back against his chair, folding his hands on top of his rounded stomach.
The woman on his left sits forward and picks up where he left off, her voice clipped as her fingers run along the papers in front of her, her white eyes completely blinded along with them all. "Tell us what happened, Isabella" her words softened, trying to mask the irritated edge in her voice.
I shake my head, the tears I had pushed away finally breaking the walls I had built. Things blur as I stare at them through the layer of water. "T-t-they killed h-her" my breath leaves my lungs to fast, my chest raising and falling as I pant over the words. "They shot her" I whisper as I blink, the tears slipping from my lids and tumbling down my cheeks.
"We are aware of that, yes" says the woman, her words growing harder.
She's tired of this already.
"We need details" she waves her hand in my general direction.
"What is this helping with?" I look at the six council members in front of me "she's gone, and so are they."
"We can catch them, Isabella" says a man at the end of the table, his bald head
"We can't even leave the City" I spit at them.
"You misunderstand" says the woman again, her voice bouncing off the stone walls.
I turn to look at her, my eyebrows raised, even though they don't see it.
"We do not need to leave to find out who did this."
I laugh without humour at the thought "who else could it have been?" I raise an eyebrow in question.
"There are still the possibilities that it was another clan in a different City" she says but I shake my head.
"Day Walkers did this."
"Yes, that is a possibility but —"
"It was Day Walkers!" I yell, my fists clenching around the arms of the chair "what proof do you people need?"
"The proof that we have is not stable enough to raise against them" says a fat man that sits beside the woman, his shirt straining over his stomach.
"So, what then? You'll do nothing?"
"There is nothing we can do if you can't give us details" says the man in the middle.
"I told you everything I remember!" I shout "she was talking and then she wasn't!"
"You're blocking things out" says the front man.
"You're damn right I am!" my arms tremble with the anger that burns within me "I watched her die, I don't ever want to remember that!"
"But you must if we are to —"
I scoff "You aren't going to do anything even if I told everything, you'll sit here and do nothing, just like you've been doing for the last six months, you're all cowards, so don't act like warriors."
Silence pushes down on me as I breathe deeply through my nose, trying to calm my racing heart.
"You're grandfather writes in his notes that you've been seeing each other for four months, yes?" says the woman.
"What does this have to do with anything?"
"Just answer the question, Isabella."
I sigh, rubbing my face with my hands "yes, that's true."
"And during those months, you have had nothing whatsoever of what he calls in a 'break through', yes?"
"You're point?"
"He has written of your violent outbursts" I balk at her, my mouth hanging open.
"Violent outbursts!" I shout, my legs readying to spring me forwards before two guards clamp muscled hands around my arms.
"And unstable mental behaviour" her fingers feel each bump of the words.
"This is ridiculous!" I cry as they lift me from my seat.
"His recommendation: three months solitary lock down" says the woman before smiling at me, her yellowed teeth flashing "goodbye Isabella."
I scream as the guards drag me away from the table "you can't do this! He's lying!" I thrash against the guards grips. "He's lying!"
No one comes to my rescue as my words echo through the City.
"We're here!" shouts Edward and the rest of the boys whoop in excitement as I feel the ground slowly begin to decline as he move towards their city.
Fear clenches at my throat as my feet slide down the hill as we move forwards.
The ground becomes smoother as the hill slowly evens out underneath me. I hear someone knock, their fist thundering on wood before I hear the squeal of rusted hinges.
"Edward!" says a female voice, excited, the sound high pitched "welcome back" I can hear her smile.
"Thank you, Tan" his voice lifts slightly, happier "won't you open the door now?" he chuckles and she giggles.
"Of course" I hear the hinges squeak as she closes the peep hole and the massive groan as the gates open for us.
Air gusts up and smacks against my bare arms as the heavy wooden doors open wide.
The boy behind me pushes me again, forcing me to move through the gates into the city.
Their feet march as they move, like soldiers returning from war, cheers sound from all around me, laughter echoing against the stone walls, they scream with joy as they watch their children return from a weekend of hunting.
Bile rises in my throat as they congratulate the murder of my people. I yelp as things are pelt against my sun burnt flesh, stones raining against my skin as we move.
I duck my head towards my chest, huddling into myself as we move forwards.
The suns heat left the ground scorched, burning my feet through my shoes. Dust kicks up around us, whipping sand along my skin as we walk deeper into the city.
The sounds of life fill every crack here, people talking to one another, trading goods or sharing stories as they bustle through their lives.
I feel the ground smoothen out and my toes hit a step. I lift my legs carefully as we take the steps one by one.
Once the little bit of sun left leaves my skin I know we're inside a building.
The smell of clove is heavy in the air, the sickly sweet scent clinging to my lungs as I breathe through my nose along with the smoke that hangs above our heads, a thick layer of burnt wood and burning spices.
I notice our footsteps echo as we walk farther into the smoke before stopping. The boy behind me drops my hand as soon as we stop, like I've burned him and walks around me, untying the bag from my head and pulling it off, dropping it to the floor.
I press my eyes together before opening them, squinting against the sunlight that has managed to follow us inside.
I watch most of the boys disappear through stone columns that stand parallel to each other on either side of us, massive stone trunks line to sides of the room, one placed beside each other.
Twisting vines craved deeply into the stone wind up from the floor like beautiful fingers they crawl along the stone, tiny flowers craved along with tiny unopened blossoms sprout from the stone plants, reaching towards the roof and away from us.
"Edward" echoes a voice against the arched ceiling of the building and I turn.
A man sits upon a stone throne, his legs twisted to the side as he lies sideways against the marble of the chair's arms.
The high arching back of the chair reaches towards the ceiling, hundreds of tiny pictures carved into the shinning stone behind him.
His blonde hair has been pulled away from his face and braided down his back in a think rope of gold, shinning in one of the beams of light that pour through one of the massive holes in the ceiling, deliberate areas to let light in. Deep crimson robes hang on his bulky frame as he brings a green fruit to his mouth. Juice slips from between his lips and I grimace as he doesn't even bother to clean himself.
"Father" says Edward his voice slightly tight as he watches his father gorge himself.
"I trust everything went as planned" he doesn't look away from his food.
"One survived" he says, his feet planted behind him, his hands clasped behind his back.
"A survivor?" he looks up from his food and towards his son and Edward nods before grabbing my arm and pulling me to stand beside him. "Interesting" he says before swinging his legs over, twisting his body to face us. He stands and walks down the steps to where we stand.
Edward says nothing as his father approaches us, his eyes staring ahead of him.
His father walks takes a step towards me, his head cocking to the side, he runs a finger down my cheek. I clench my jaw against the urge to bite him and stare ahead the same as Edward.
"She's not much, is she" he says, chuckling, walking around me.
"She's a fighter" says Edward stiffly.
His father scoffs "obviously, or she wouldn't be here" he comes to stand in front of me again, looking at his son.
"She'll do."
Edward's eyes widen "you can't be serious."
"When have I ever joked about this?" his father raises an eyebrow at him.
"She won't last a round" Edward argues.
"I guess we'll have to wait and see, won't we."
"Father" Edward says, his voice hard "She isn't worth it, just kill her."
My throat burns with the fear I haven't been able to shake since I was taken. It clutches at my wind pipe and tightens as I watch them argue over my life.
"It isn't your decision, it's mine, and I have already decided."
"With all due respect, I do not believe she is fit for this" he says.
"I suppose it's a good thing I didn't ask for your opinion" says his father, before looking back at me. "You speak?" I frown at him.
"Obviously" I mutter.
I see Edward shaking his head of out the corner of my eye and I frown at him, my hatred for him building as he fights for me to die right this moment.
"Ah, yes, she is perfect" says his father, giddy and Edward tenses further. "Take her to the compound, she'll need to be checked by the doctor, don't need her collapsing as soon as she enters" Edward's father chuckles slightly before turning away from us and back up to his throne.
Edward stands still, his jaw working, the muscles jumping "Now, Edward" his father commands and he turns on his heels, grabbing my arm and pulling me through the pillars where the other went.
We walk down a narrow corridor, lit with nothing but flickering candles all resting in massive candelabra along the walls.
Our steps echo as I try to keep up with Edward's long stride.
"Will you slow down?" I irate, trying to pull my arm from his grasp.
"Shut up" he says, never turning to look at me.
"Who pissed in your breakfast?" I quip.
Edward's jaw works, something I find he does a lot but he says nothing more.
"Nice talking with you" I mutter and focus on keeping my feet moving.
Edward turns me to the left and we walk down another hall towards a door at the end. He knocks twice and waits, his foot tapping on the stone floor.
A lock twists from behind the door, a heavy click as the door opens inwards.
Edward pulls me through and turns to shut the door, locking it behind him.
The room is brightly lit making my eyes water as I look around. Hundreds of candles line the walls, some lay imbedded in heaping piles of wax, dripping towards the stone floor.
Beds line the wall farthest away from us, simple wooden frames pushed up against the stone, the mattresses bare of any sort of comfort.
I twist in Edward's grip looking around the room. Buckets of water hang on pegs hang on a wall away from the bed; People stand side by side as they help to pour the water on each other. A small hole is drilled into the ground away from the bathers, the stones slopping slightly down towards it as the water rolls down through the hole and away from the feet of the people using the buckets.
The smell of body odor assaults my nostrils and I have to bite back the bile that rises in my throat. It hangs heavy in the air along with the smell of blood and dirt, mixing together to create a smell that chokes me on the inside.
There are no windows.
"Welcome to your new home" mutters Edward as he pulls me away from the door.
Edward looks at one of the four guards that line the wall near the door and says "check her." He pushes me towards a towering man and leans against the wall, waiting.
The big guy turns me around and runs his hands down my shoulders, patting at my body as he looks for weapons. He presses his fingers to my thigh and I hiss as his massive fingers probe at the arrow hole but he doesn't stop.
He stands up after he finishes with my feet and says "she's clean" he steps back against the wall again.
Edward comes up to my again and pulls me further into the room.
People turn to look at me and I stare wide back at them.
Hundreds of white-d eyes look back at me.
Darkie.
My breathing becomes shallow as I watch them watch me.
I stare at their hollow faces, their shrunken eyes and boney frames, clothed in nothing but a white tunic, most now brown from the filth of the room.
Edward pulls me through the only other door in the room and locks it behind him.
The room is small; with nothing but a bed and a tiny window so high from the ground I can't see anything but the darkening blue of the sky. Candles flicker in the room like the others, illuminating the small space in a small amount of light.
A man turns around from a small table and he smiles at Edward.
"Edward, ,my boy, you're back" he stands up, his back cracking and he twists his torso back and forth to release the tension.
"Carlisle" says Edward, his stone face cracking as he smiles at the older man.
Carlisle walks over and give Edward a one armed hug before pulling away and placing both hands on his shoulders "you didn't eat" he accuses him and Edward chuckles.
"We were busy" he says and Carlisle sighs.
"Ah yes" he looks at me and smiles slightly. "Hello, my dear" he moves towards me and I step back. Carlisle looks at Edward then back at me "I'm not going to hurt you, the very opposite actually" he laugh slightly, the skin around his eyes crinkling.
"Excuse me if I'm not so trusting" I snap, stepping away again.
"Of course, my dear" he steps back and turns back to his table.
"I'm not your dear" I mutter and look around the make shift hospital room.
Carlisle chuckles but doesn't turn around.
"This will be interesting" says Carlisle.
"I believe that is the point" says Edward and Carlisle turns around again.
"Ah yes, for entertainment" he says and frowns, matching Edward's scowl "have her sit please."
Edward moves towards me but I step back again "I can hear you know" I look at Carlisle "and if you think he's going to touch me, you're out of your fucking mind" I walk towards the bed and sit down.
Carlisle chuckles and Edward's frown deepens.
"Name?" he asks rummaging around his desk.
"Bella" I mutter.
"Hello, Bella" he says turning towards me "I'm Carlisle and I'm a doctor."
I roll my eyes "Whatever you say, buddy."
Carlisle pulls a small wooden stool and sits in front of me. He snaps on a pair of heavy gloves and probes at the now bleeding arrow wound on my thigh.
"Happen in the ruins?" and I nod.
"Arrow" I mumble.
"There isn't any infection yet" he takes a pair of scissors and cuts the fabric around the wound and gently pulls it away. I bite my lip against the pain and stare ahead. He lifts my leg and looks at the underside. "Through to the other side."
"I pulled it out" I hiss as he touches it again.
"You were lucky" he mutters.
"That's not what I'd call myself" I say and Carlisle shrugs and stands up.
"I'm going to clean the wound and wrap it" he walks over to the table grabs what he needs. "You'll need to take your pants off" he isn't looking at me.
I open my mouth and close it again "Um, no, I don't think so."
Carlisle eyes Edward standing near the door and he sighs and turns his back "better?"
I bite my lip and shake my head "I still don't want to" and he laughs.
"You'll have to eventually."
"Surprisingly, that isn't comforting" I mutter and stand up from the bed. "Um…" I look over my shoulder at my bound hands "little help?"
I hear Edward shuffle towards me and the whistle of a blade as he pulls it from his belt. He leans forward so his breath brushing against my ear. "Hold still" he says and sticks the tip underneath the tightened rope. I feel him press against it and the tension gives away as it slices through the cord.
Edward stands back and I hear him walk back to the wall.
I bring my hands in front of me and rub the raw skin of my wrists. The welts are angry and blistered, blood now dried around them tinting my skin a cherry colour.
I untie the cord that holds my pants up and let them fall to the ground. I kick them away and sit back down on the bed, folding my arms in front of my chest.
The arrow hole is ragged and bloody, the skin a sick looking colour contrasting against my skin.
Carlisle sits back down on the stool and grabs a bottle filled with clear liquid. He tips it into a cloth, soaking it through before placing against my leg.
I yelp and kick away from him. I feel someone grab my shoulders and hold me down. I look up at into Edward's eyes and I narrow mine at him.
"You must hold still" murmurs Carlisle as he daps at my leg again.
I grit my teeth against the pain as he cleans the entry and exit of my wound. Carlisle wraps a heavy white fabric around my leg twice before tying it off.
"Better?" asks Carlisle.
"No" I glare at Edward as he holds my shoulders.
Carlisle chuckles and waves him away.
"Are you sure?" asks Edward and Carlisle nods.
"I'll be fine." Edward's hands slip from my body as he walks away.
The rest of the exam goes on without a problem. He shines his candle in my eyes, watching my pupils dilate and block out the light. He murmurs his amazement and finishes, he's lucky I didn't blow the wax into his face.
Carlisle has me stripped fully. Removing the bindings on my chest and everything.
I'm weighted, examined, cleaned.
Carlisle hands me a white tunic and my chest bindings "get dressed, please" he says not looking up from his paper work.
I set to work on the tedious task of wrapping and dressing.
Once done I stand in front of both men and tap my foot.
Edward moves away from the wall and takes my arm again "is she cleared?' he asks.
Carlisle nods "A full bill of health" he looks up at us "although I don't know how long that will last."
Edward nods his head and takes me away from Carlisle
"Good luck Bella" he says and I turn to look at him.
"What?" I ask, turning to look at Edward then back at Carlisle.
Edward pulls me out of the room without glancing back at the doctor.
He takes me to a bed between two Darkie and pushes me down.
"You know, I'm getting really tired of you manhandling" I glare up at him.
Edward ignores me and turns to look at the hulking guard that frisked me "Watch her" he points to me. "she doesn't leave the compound for anything, we clear?"
"She's scheduled for tomorrow" says the guard, his face void of emotion.
Edward's jaw clenches again "she just got here."
"Your father scheduled it" he says.
I watch Edward breathe deeply through his nose before turning away from everyone and walking out of the room, slamming the door shut a little harder then necessary.
"Tough luck, fighting on the first day, bad luck, very bad luck" says a woman to my left, her body is sideways on the bed, her head and legs hanging off each side. Her blonde hair is matted in places, hanging limply around her shoulders and sweeping the dingy ground. Her white-d eyes are tinted a fairest blue, and narrowed as they flicker around the room then back to me. High cheek bones are hollowed slightly when she turns away from me and a crooked nose with the tiniest bump at the top where it has been obviously broken.
"You're off to the arena, oh yes, oh yes, off to the arena to die" she sings and giggles. "Isn't she Ali? Dead she'll be oh so soon!" she exclaims and laughs again, her face turning red as the blood rushes to her head.
"Ignore her" says the girl or Ali on the other side of me. Her hair is chopped off at all different lengths and teased so it all stands on end. Her eyes are closed as she leans against the wall, her legs bent at the knee point towards the stone roof. "she's fucking crazy."
"Such bad luck" mumbles crazy girl "you won't come back! They never come back now!" she yells and springs up right "they kill them!" she screeches and turns to watch the guards advance on her and then she's laughing "can't catch me!" she squeals and takes off running "gotta kill me, gotta kill me!" I watch her jump away from the hulking guard and spring away from another, effortlessly dodging them.
"That's Rose" says Ali beside me, her head is still ducked, her eyes closed. "Her brother didn't come back after his fight."
"I-I don't understand" I say, watching Rose run through the water as people pour it over each other, dodging the guards as they try to close in on her.
"He died" she frowns and opens her eyes "what's not to get? His fight was unfair, sneaky bastards gave his opponent weapons so naturally, he didn't stand a chance" she shrugs "but it is what it is, most of us get that" she looks over at Rose, now struggling to escape the massive arms of the hulking guard as they wrap around her waist "I guess she didn't."
I pull myself back onto the mattress until my back hits the wall, pulling my legs up to my chest.
"Where did he die?" I whisper watching Rose scream, tearing running down her face.
"In the arena" she says and looks at me "you really don't know, do you?" and I shake my head.
Her eyes widen slightly before she turns to face all the other Darkie. Ali sweeps her hands over the room and says "welcome to the compound" she drops her voice, making her sound like a man, her voice broad and overzealous "the holding area for all Darkie fighters. The young, the old, and sick go up against the physically fit in a fight to the death. Only one will survive and the other will die, broadcasted live to over two thousands viewers. Sit back and pray you don't get scheduled because when that buzzer goes off you're as good as dead" she says, her speech too memorized.
Sounds above me make me look up, the sound of hundreds of feet pounding on the ground. Screams seem to leak from above and then I hear it.
A buzzer goes off from somewhere far away and a roar of people scream, like a wave it crashes over us in a ear piercing shrill.
"Let the games begin" says Ali as she leans back against the wall, closing her eyes.
I turn to look at Rose, her head lulled to the side against the hulking mans arm as Carlisle removes a needle. Her eyes find me and she slurs "You're going to die" right before the drug takes hold of her and she slips into blissful sleep, ignorant to the fight above our heads.
I wish I could be so lucky.
A/N: Hello to all of you!
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Massive hugs and happy readings.