Chapter 7

Pain. It was endless and Bella didn't know what she had done to deserve this. It was like nothing she had ever experienced before. It was all-consuming and never-ending. She had lost the ability to think rationally, and as her transition into a vampire ended Bella could only rationalize that she was in hell. The pain seemed to have focused in her heart now and Bella was certain her heart was being ripped in two. The pain became so blinding that her body moved involuntarily and she screamed to the heavens for someone to make it stop. Someone must have heard her plea as the pain stopped instantly. Bella opened her eyes to a brand new hell.

All she saw was fire and destruction and she seemed to be right in the middle of it. Bella could not make sense of what was happening. It seemed she had traded one hell for another and while the pain had stopped her senses were going crazy so Bella closed her eyes in the hopes of making that stop too.

Soon Bella heard a voice which sounded familiar but also different to her ears. Her head moved on its own accord as she opened her eyes and focused on the voice. It was Edward, and somehow Bella seemed to be getting closer to him. Once Bella had stopped moving towards Edward she decided it was best to stay still.

Bella's senses were going haywire and had heightened to a degree that was hard for her to comprehend. The world around her seemed to be bombarding her from all sides with stimuli that she had never experienced before. Bella's vision had become sharper than she ever thought possible. Every detail, no matter how small or far away, was in sharp focus, and she could see with incredible precision. The world around her seemed to come alive with vivid colors and sharp lines. She could see the individual veins on a leaf a hundred yards away, as if it were right in front of her. Even Edward, who had always seemed perfect to her, now had an otherworldly level of detail that she had never seen before.

Bella's hearing had become incredibly acute. The noise around her was deafening, and every sound seemed to be amplified. She could hear every shift in the wind, every rustle of leaves, and every movement of animals. Even the slightest creaking of branches seemed to echo in her ears. Behind her, she could hear the sound of fires raging, and she could feel the heat emanating from them.

Bella's sense of smell was now so heightened that she found it overwhelming. She could distinguish between every individual scent of the plants and animals around her, and it was difficult to separate one from another. Each of the Cullens had their own distinctive scent, which she could pick out with ease. However, amidst all the smells, there was an acrid, burning scent that caught her attention. It was a smell that she had never experienced before, and it made her feel uneasy. She couldn't help but wonder what it was and where it was coming from. The smell seemed to be behind her, and she could feel the heat of the fire on her back. She knew that it was something that she needed to investigate, but at the same time, she was afraid of what she might find.

All of this sensory input came at her in less than a second, and Bella knew that she needed to remain calm and not overreact to anything, as she could sense the fear in her family's faces. She took a deep breath, trying to get used to her new perceptions, and hoped that she would gain control over them quickly.

All of a sudden Edward rushed towards her with such incredible speed that it was hard for Bella to comprehend. But at the same time, she could see every movement with crystal-clear precision, almost as if time had slowed down. She felt a surge of fear as her instincts told her to protect herself, but before she could react, Edward was gone in an instant. The sound of a loud bang echoed in her ears, but she couldn't determine its source. Bella was left feeling disoriented and confused, struggling to make sense of what had just happened.

Then she heard Jasper's calming voice and as he talked to her, she listened intently. She did as Jasper asked and slowly she took stock of herself and where she was. When she felt ready to speak again she greeted everyone. As they talked and Bella answered Jasper's questions she looked around and realized where she was and that the Cullens house was destroyed.

When she found out she was the cause Bella started to get very nervous again, what had happened to her? This was not right. Nothing like this had happened to any other members of her family when they became vampires. Before Bella could have a true panic attack, Esme came and calmed her down. Carlisle suggested they hunt and while Bella didn't feel hungry she knew it was best to follow Carlisle instructions.

They all took off and Bella was amazed at how fast she was going expecting herself to trip any second. The speed was exhilarating, and she could feel the wind whipping through her hair. She couldn't believe how effortless it was to move at vampire speeds. Each step was smooth and effortless, and she had to remind herself to take in the sights around her. The trees blurred past her, but at the same time, she could see every detail in crystal clarity. She could make out the intricate patterns on the leaves and the textures of the bark on the trees they flew past. They ran over rocky terrain, leaping over boulders and streams with ease. It was a thrilling experience, and Bella couldn't help but let out a whoop of joy. She felt like she could run like this forever and never tire. This was a whole new world of freedom and wonder that she had never imagined possible.

That was when Bella heard it for the first time. A heartbeat. She hoped it was an animal as she felt her instincts take over as she ran towards it with all her speed, her body moving with the grace and agility of a predator. She found the source of the sound, a deer, and with increasing speed and a hunger that she had never felt before, she slammed into it, feeling its body give way beneath her. She could smell the warm, scent of the deer's blood as she sank her teeth into its neck, and it was like nothing she had ever experienced before. The blood was rich and satisfying, and she drank deeply without any hesitation or disgust. It was like nothing she had ever tasted before, and she felt a sense of rightness as she fed. As she drank, she felt her body come alive, the power and strength of the blood coursing through her veins. When she could not get anymore blood from the deer, she dropped the lifeless body and stood over it, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. She was a true vampire now, a hunter, now truly a part of the Cullen family.