I ripped through the dark forest, running full speed! Edward was after me. I could feel his cold breath on the back of my neck, as if he were at my very heels. My heart pounded like a drum in my ears, my blood pumped anxiously through my body. Even as I ran it seemed that I came in contact with every branch there was. Almost as if the forest were against me, trying to slow my pace as much as it could.
"I will catch you Bella, you belong to me" I heard his voice echo through the forest.
"NO!" I cried. Tears spilling down my checks. I pushed my body even harder to run more rapidly. I was exhausted. I had only been running for a few minutes, but it felt like an eternity. My head was spinning, my legs, with every step, felt as if they would just shatter into a million pieces. My breathing became shallower, as my eyes became blurred with the salty water that ran endlessly down my face.
"Why do run Bella? Tell me, what good will it do you? You know as well as I that I will find you" His voice seemed to be everywhere, no mater how far I ran. It sounded off every tree.
"Please leave me alone!!" I cried even louder.
"You know I can't do that."
I could feel my feet slowing down, quickly giving out. It was hard to breath. I felt like I had an elephant on my chest, as I heaved in as much air as I could. My legs were numb, but none the less I pushed them further.
It was now that I started to regret running away. How could I have been so stupid to think that I could have escaped from Edward? This time he would surly make me pay for it. He had been lenient that last time when he had denied me food and bath for a week, but I am sure by now his patience has grown a lot thinner. Especially considering the fact that this time he had to track me down. I could only imagin what he would do to me this time.
"AAAAAh" I screamed as finally my legs gave out. My foot had caught on a tree root, and I went plummeting to the cold muddy ground. I could feel the wet ground soaking into my thin white nightgown.
I laid there trying to regain control of my erratic breathing, as gobs of sweat rolled down my body. The forest was now silent, not even a cricket was heard. Now I was scared. He would surly kill me.
"Bella?" The devil called me to hell. It was Edward. I closed my eyes, tight, telling myself that I would awake any moment from this nightmare. I refused to answer him.
"Beeeelllaaaaaaa." He was getting closer. "I can smell you Bella."
I would not give up. I started to crawl, using my arms to pull me across the lake of mud. I was surprised I as actually getting somewhere. My sprit and hope was rekindled as I began to crawl faster. 'This is it, I'm doing it, I'm doing it, I'm doing it-thump'
I froze, as my arm now rested on the front of a pair of black shoes. No need to wonder who's they were, I already knew, Edward's. 'Great, so much for all that work'
"Honestly Bella, games I like, hunting I like, but this I find to be quite a waste of my time." He didn't sound mad, but more amused and thrilled.
He was now in a squatting position. "Look at you, crawling in the mud. You look ridiculous. And to know that you could have avoided all this trouble if you had just stayed home." He let out a long sigh. "Bella, Bella, Bella, what am I going to do with you?"
I was at a lost for words. I had no idea what to say to him. For fear I would say something and then he would be mad.
And then I did the most unthinkable thing I could have done. I don't know why I did it, or how I got the courage to do it, but I rolled my body to the side of Edward, got up, and ran full speed.
I had not even been running for a second, before I felt Edward grab my waist pulling down to the ground with him. As if a parent were picking up their child who was throwing a tantrum, he picked me up with ease, and set me in his lap. He was cross legged. I struggled against his grip, but it held firm. Which made me feel even more like a two year old. With one hand held my wrists together, the other free. I then resorted to the only other hope I had. I began to kick my legs up, squirming in his lap.
He had a board look on his face as he slowly uncrossed one leg and put it down over both mine. Now I was trapped. Knowing Edward, I didn't like knowing the fact that he had a free hand, and I was powerless to stop him.
"I hope now we can have a civilized conversation." His voice was as velvet, which was now glazed over with sheer amusement.
"You call this civilized?!" I shouted, trying once again to loosen his grip, which proved in vain.
"Come come Bella, you know I don't like treating you this way. Holding you hostile as if you were a two year old." Every word dripped with sarcasm. The bastard!
"Maybe if you released me you would not have to go on midnight runs through the forest!"
"I will do no such thing!" He growled through gritted teeth, showing his two sharp fangs. He hated when I talked about him letting me go. "You belong to me, and it will stay that way!"
I just looked away.
"Besides, I find our midnight runs to be rather refreshing at times. You know how much I love to hunt, especially when it's you. I've grown rather fond of our nightly date –runs. Even if they are a waste of my time"
He remained silent now. I could tell my silence was angering him by the minute. "Say something!" I refused to speak, just keep my head turned.
"Fine, don't talk." This startled me. Edward never gave up, at least not that easily! I turned to his gorgeous face.
"Very well, I can always pay a visit to your father, after all it would only take a moment to undo what I've already done.
"STOP!" I yelled.
"Stop what?" he said in an innocent voice
"Stop it, stop it, stop it!" I cried.
"Stop what!?" He yelled back, trying maintain a straight face.
"What your doing!!"
"Oh, so you can talk. Well, that's a relief I was beginning to worry for a moment. Tell you what, how about you ask me nicely and then I'll stop." He said continuing his process.
"Please will you stop?" I said in an innocent voice. He stopped, but had a disappointed look, that I have given in so quickly.
"We are going back home now" he said in a serious tone. He did this quite often, one moment he was in a playful mood, then the next he was serious.
I was so tired I did not argue, or even struggle when he picked me up in his muscular arms bridal style, with my mud stained gown and carried me off back to his home. I just knew that this was not the last time. I would not give up.