Here is another chapter for you. Its short, but I hope you like it. I'm hoping to have another one up tomorow, but I'm really busy (tests, blech) and on wednesday i'm at an audition for my school play (wish me luck :)) and then another stupid thing until 9 and then homework. So, obviously, no chapters that day. I'm sorry! I'm so happy people like this story so far! yay! This chapter isn't quite as dark as the last one. But, not light and fluffy. Anyways, I will get chapters out as sson as I can, but it may not be every day. ILY!

Time to disclaim:

My friend: What music are you listening to?

Me: A twilight fan band (go bella cullen project!)

my friend (who is cool cause she likes twilight): Awesome! I wanna hear!

(we jam out for 5 minutes)

Me: Pauses music Hey, do I own twilight?

My friend: No, no, no, and did I mention no? Haven't I told you this before? Now turn on the music!

(turns music back on)

My Mother: Ahhh! Enough with the freakin vampire stuff already! Listen to classical music!

(I turn on claire de lune)

My Mother: Thats better. No wait! Its talked about in the book! Ahhh! My daughter is obsessed!

Teehee, that was fun to write

I endured the torturous nights without complaint. For with complaints came beatings. And although these nights were worse than just beatings, the combination was the epitome of brutal torture.

One evening, right before the hell started, there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and a postman stood outside in the downpour.

"I am supposed to deliver this message directly into the hands of Charles Evenson." He stated simply.

"Charles, there is a letter for you!" I called.

He stormed to the door, yanked the letter out of the postman's hands and slammed the door. While the door closed, I thought I saw the postman send an apologetic glance in my direction.

Charles was in a bad mood, so I knew it would be worse tonight. But as he read the letter, I watched his expression turn from fury to shock.

"What is it?" I asked nervously.

"I've been drafted."

"Drafted?" I asked, partially confused, partially trying not to get my hopes up.

"Yes drafted! Into the army, idiot!"

I screamed with joy in my head. I would be free of the beating, free of the monster that attacked me every day. Maybe he wouldn't come home…..No, I wouldn't let myself think that bad of thoughts.

"When do you leave?"

"In the morning. But no worries, I plan to take full advantage of our last night together."

He smiled with that evil glint in his eyes that left my with no doubt as to what was coming.

I let out an audible gulp.

Charles had left the next morning. My parents stood with me as the army car drove him away. They assumed that the tears that streamed down my face were tears of sorrow. But, unlike at my wedding, they were tears of joy. I couldn't be happier.

I spent the first few days planting a garden. Or rather, turning our whole property into a garden. The new flowers represented my new found happiness, renewing the color in my life. I was no longer sad all the time.

I made friends with neighbors who I had never been allowed to speak to before. I wrote to my old friends who I hadn't seen in ages.

One day, I was feeling particularly free, so I went to one of my favorite childhood spots. The old tree. The one I broke my leg in. Surprisingly, breaking my leg was one of my fondest memories. Well, not so much breaking my leg, but the doctor who put it in a cast. I had pushed Dr. Cullen far back into the corners of my mind. He was still there, but I wouldn't let myself think about him to much. He had almost faded into a ghost or dream. The phantom doctor.

I went to the tree and found what I was looking for. The little mound of earth with my most prized possessions under it. Also, my most secret. Possessions I could not leave with my parents, for I was not supposed to own them, and possessions I could never bring into my life with Charles. I went through the pile of books, looking for something. I wasn't sure what. I figured it was a specific book. So I kept looking. But none of the books caught my eye. Then I saw it. At the bottom. A glint of gold. I picked it up. It was a pocket watch. My mind was flooded with memories.

I slipped the watch into my pocket and reburied the books.

I carried the watch everywhere with me from then on. It reminded me of the happiest time in my life, a time even happier than now.

I settled into my new life without suspicion. The tasks I took advantage of doing now that Charles wasn't there to tell me to do something else seemed like something anyone with a husband at war might do to distract themselves. I was distracting myself from the knowledge that he might come back. Every morning I scanned the names of the dead, secretly hoping Charles's name would be there somewhere. But it never was.

I now had a chance to say prayers every night before bed, something I had never had time to do before. I used to dread bed. Now I could sleep peacefully.

There was something else helping me sleep.

I had settled back into many old routines. One of them was to sleep with something tightly squeezed in my hand, held over my heart.

What I held was the pocket watch.