Chapter 9: What am I?
Bella opened her eyes to the greatest commotion she had ever seen. Fire, endless fire, raged all around her. Panic surged through her as she tried to make sense of the chaos. She felt an intense heat rolling over her as she seemed to be fully engulfed in flames that lapped against her body. There were no words to describe the sight around her. The fire was so blinding that she had to close her eyes, unable to handle the overwhelming sight. The bright orange and yellow flames continued to dance behind her eyelids, leaving ghostly afterimages.
She felt a strange, unsettling awareness within her, an acute sensitivity to every sound and movement around her. The crackling of the fire, the roar of the flames, and the occasional crash of collapsing debris assaulted her ears, adding to her growing sense of terror.
With her eyes shut tight, she tried to think about what was happening to her. Her mind seemed to be going haywire, branching out in so many desperate directions that she was having a hard time making sense of anything. Thoughts and images flashed through her head at lightning speed, too quick for her to grasp.
Soon, though, the deafening sound ceased, leaving an eerie silence that seemed to press down on everything. When Bella dared to open one eye, she was met with a scene of utter devastation. Her breath caught in her throat, and she gasped in disbelief. It felt as though she had been thrust into the epicenter of an explosion. Could that really be what had happened? The question buzzed in her mind, mingling with the disbelief of her own survival.
She appeared to be in a forest, or what was left of one. The once towering trees were now nothing more than splintered stumps or charred remnants. The air was thick with the acrid smell of burnt wood and something else she couldn't identify. The ground beneath her feet was blackened and looked like it had partially melted, hardened into grotesque, misshapen forms.
Bella's gaze drifted further out, where she could see the remnants of trees, their trunks snapped like toothpicks, all pointing away from her as if she had been at the epicenter of the blast. She took a hesitant step forward, her foot crunching on the brittle remains of what might have been leafy undergrowth. Her mind raced with questions. How had she survived such destruction? What had caused this cataclysmic event? As she moved, she could feel the heat still radiating from the ground beneath her.
It was then that Bella remembered James… and that crazy woman. Panic flared anew as she spun around, her eyes scanning the devastated landscape. She turned in a full circle but saw no sign of either of them. She was alone. A wave of relief washed over her as she remembered the terror she had felt listening to the woman's maniacal ranting, her threats of unspeakable harm echoing in Bella's mind.
"Thank God," she muttered, her voice barely a whisper. Her relief was palpable, but it was quickly replaced by more questions. Where had they gone? And what on earth had happened here?
Bella's gaze lowered, wanting to make sure she was okay. But the sight that greeted her sent a fresh shock through her system. She was completely naked.
Bella quickly put one hand over her privates and the other over her breasts, her eyes darting around frantically. The realization that she was still alone brought a small measure of relief. The terrifying thought crossed her mind—had they molested her? She didn't feel like she had been touched, but the chaos of her memories made it hard to be certain. She lifted her hands to inspect herself. As she carefully examined her body, she was relieved to find no signs of abuse or unwanted attention.
But as she continued to look, a creeping sense of unease began to take hold. Something was different. What the hell? Her eyes fell on her breasts first. They looked fuller, perkier. Had they given her a boob job? Not that she would complain, as damn... but this was wrong.
Her gaze traveled down the rest of her body, and the changes became even more apparent. Her physique had somehow transformed. Her muscles were more defined, her body more athletic-looking. She flexed her arms and legs experimentally, feeling a strength and tone that hadn't been there before. It was like she had spent months training intensely, sculpting her body into something new.
Bella lifted her hand and studied it closely. Her skin was paler than she remembered, an almost ethereal pallor that seemed impossible. She had always been pale, but her skin had never looked like this. How was any of this even possible?
As Bella admired her newfound lean muscles, her eyes caught something that made her pause. The large scar on her arm, the one she had gotten from breaking it in the second grade, was gone. Her mind raced. She quickly examined her other arm and then her legs. Every scar, every mark that had once marred her skin, and there had been many, had all disappeared without a trace.
A knot of anxiety tightened in her stomach. Nothing about this made sense. Her gaze shifted from her transformed body to the devastation around her. Small fires flickered in scattered pockets, the remnants of trees smoldering from the explosion.
But then Bella noticed something else. She was seeing too much; every detail was in sharp focus, even at distances that should have been impossible. She blinked several times, her mind struggling to process the anomaly. It hit her then—she wasn't even wearing her contacts. How could it be that she now had perfect vision? She looked up into the clear night sky and shook her head. It was nighttime... How was she seeing anything at all?
It was then that Bella remembered her leg. That crazy woman had snapped it in two, the memory of the bone jutting out through her pants clear in her mind.
She hesitantly looked down at her leg, half-expecting to see the gruesome injury still there. But her leg looked perfect, unmarred, as if nothing had ever happened. Tentatively, she put some weight on it, bracing for the sharp sting of pain. Instead, it felt strong and stable, as if it had never been broken at all. She lifted her leg, bending it at the knee, then straightened it again. Perfect.
Broken bones like that don't magically repair themselves. The impossibility of it all gnawed at her. What had happened to her? She crouched down, running her hands over her shin and calf, feeling the smooth, unblemished skin. Her fingers traced the spot where the bone had once protruded. There was nothing, not even a scar to mark the trauma.
It was then that she heard it. A faint whooshing noise, barely perceptible at first, but steadily growing louder. Bella turned around, honing in on the sound. She looked up and out into the night sky, her eyes piercing the darkness with unnatural clarity. Far in the distance, she saw the blinking lights of a helicopter approaching. Though it was still miles away, she could see it as if it were much closer, and she knew it was heading straight for her.
A smile spread across her face. She was saved. Relief washed over her, but it was quickly overshadowed by a surge of self-consciousness. She remembered she was naked, her vulnerability stark under the open sky. She instinctively covered her private areas with her hands, but it wasn't enough. She wanted better concealment, something to protect her modesty.
Her eyes scanned the surrounding destruction, quickly locking onto a giant tree that had been toppled by the explosion. Its massive trunk lay on its side, perfect. She could hide behind it and call out to her rescuers for clothes or a blanket.
Happy with her solution, Bella started to run towards the tree to hide behind it. But before she could fully grasp what was happening, she found herself barreling right towards the tree. Oh god, she thought, too shocked to stop her momentum. She crashed into the tree with immense force, and to her disbelief, she went straight through it. The tree splintered and exploded from the impact, pieces flying in all directions.
Bella came to a halt, utterly stunned. What had just happened? She looked around, taking in the massive sections of the tree still spinning from the force of her collision. The air was filled with the sound of cracking wood and the faint scent of sap, mingling with the acrid smell of the smoldering forest. She stood there, trying to comprehend the impossible.
What had she just done? None of this was possible. Bella's mind raced, the confusion deepening. She felt a growing concern as she realized she wasn't herself anymore. Her body had changed, her senses had heightened, and now this?
As she thought about it, she became aware of her brain cataloging not only her thoughts but everything around her. She could sense the small fires still burning, the distant sounds of nocturnal creatures, the exact trajectory of the helicopter approaching. How was she doing this? Her mind was processing too much information at once. This wasn't right.
She glanced up at the helicopter, which was still a ways away. But somehow, she had already determined it would be here in less than a minute.
Bella looked down at her naked body—different, but seemingly hers now. She scanned the area, the devastation around her resembling the aftermath of an atomic bomb. She looked at the tree she had just obliterated, which lay in splintered ruins. The surrealness of the situation weighed heavily on her mind.
The thought of being rescued no longer seemed like the best course of action. Something profound had happened to her, something she felt she should understand more fully before involving anyone else. Nodding to herself, Bella knew this was the right decision. The helicopter's whooshing blades grew louder, and she saw a searchlight turn on in the distance, sweeping over the land.
Yes, she should leave this place, she thought. Turning away from the helicopter, Bella took off once again.
As Bella ran, she realized she was moving at an incredible speed, yet she could see everything perfectly. Trees blurred past her, but every detail was sharp and clear, each branch and leaf illuminated in the moonlight. The sensation was exhilarating. She stopped only a few seconds later, amazed to find she had already left the blast zone and was back in the normal forest. She stood there in awe, her breathing steady. How was she not winded? How was any of this possible?
Curiosity piqued, Bella took off again, this time paying more attention to her surroundings. The forest came alive around her, each movement effortless and fluid. Oh my god, this is amazing, she thought. Even at this breakneck speed, she could avoid every obstacle with ease, weaving between trees and leaping over fallen branches as if it were second nature.
The sheer thrill of it all made her laugh, a joyous sound that echoed through the forest. She felt a rush of pleasure as she jumped, easily covering a distance of maybe 30 feet. It had felt like a small hop. She couldn't help but yell out in happiness and surprise, her laughter ringing out into the night.
This was amazing. Bella didn't even mind that she was naked as she ran; the sheer rush was the best feeling she had ever experienced. She whooped with joy, her voice resonating through the forest. The wind rushed past her, cool against her skin, and she marveled at the fact that the harsh terrain wasn't even harming her bare feet. Every step was effortless, every movement fluid and natural.
As she ran, her mind began to focus, determining what she needed to do. First and foremost, she needed to find clothes. The forest seemed to stretch endlessly, indicating she wasn't in a densely populated area. But maybe, she could find a house in the woods somewhere. Hopefully, there would be a woman she could ask to borrow something from. She glanced around, picking out every detail of her surroundings, scanning for any signs of habitation.
Next, she needed to find a phone so she could call her parents and her friends. She had no idea how much time had passed while she was enduring that unimaginable pain… She shivered, she had been trying not to think about that pain since she woke up. It had felt like she was burning alive. But now she was certain that her mom must be worried about her. She hadn't spoken to her on the night of her birthday.
It was then that she smelled it. Bella had been running through the forest, but suddenly the most delicious scent invaded her nose. It was intoxicating, irresistible. She had to have it. Instinctively, she changed course, somehow knowing exactly where to go. The scent clouded her judgment, driving her to move even faster, a blur of motion through the trees. She needed to get to whatever was producing that smell.
Bella was beyond reason by the time she crashed into something. Oh god, that taste. Her mouth latched onto the source, and she drank one gulp after another, the liquid was like nothing she had ever experienced. Each swallow brought a wave of bliss so profound it left her wondering if this was what it felt like to be high. Whatever she was drinking, it felt so good, so necessary.
As she drank, she was lost in a state of pure ecstasy, her senses overwhelmed by the sensation. Her body thrummed with energy, each gulp sending pleasure radiating throughout her entire body. She couldn't get enough, desperate for more with each passing second.
But soon, the source of her happiness began to lessen. Bella's mind rebelled against the idea of it ending. She needed more. She sucked harder, trying to draw out every last drop, but soon nothing more was coming out. Slowly, the haze of her euphoria began to lift, and Bella started to come back to her senses.
As her mind cleared, Bella finally realized she was on the ground, hovering over something with her mouth pressed directly against it. What was happening? How had she lost control like that? This had never happened before. She quickly backed away on her hands and knees, trying to understand what lay before her.
Her eyes widened in shock as she took in the scene. It... it looked like a man, now slumped over on the ground, facing away from her. Bella's mind rebelled immediately, not wanting to admit the horrifying truth of what was before her.
She quickly covered herself with her hands. "Hello... Mister?" she called out haltingly, her voice trembling. There was no response. The man remained motionless. Bella hesitated, then slowly moved closer, reaching out one arm while the other clutched at her body to protect her modesty.
With her hand, she lightly shook the man's shoulder. The gentle motion caused him to roll towards her, and as his head lulled to the side, his dead, vacant eyes stared back at her. The sight was too much for her to bear, and Bella screamed in horror, the sound echoing through the forest.
No… No… No… She thought wildly. This was not happening. She looked at the man again, and yes, he was clearly dead. What had happened to him? She tried to think of all the possible explanations for how he could have died, but all that ran through her mind was the amazing taste and the memory of coming out of her haze to find her mouth on the man's neck. Bella didn't want to get any closer, but she felt she had to. Slowly, she inched her hand toward the man's collar and gently pulled it back.
The man's collar gave way, to reveal the horrifying truth. His neck looked like it had been viciously bitten into, and amidst the damage, she could see two distinct sets of teeth marks. Bella recoiled in horror, quickly pulling her hand back. She hesitated, then wiped her arm across her mouth. When she pulled it away, it was streaked with blood.
Bella screamed again, the sound piercing the stillness of the forest. What had she done? She felt like she should throw up, but the reaction just wouldn't come. She couldn't rationalize anything that had been happening to her since she woke up in that explosion. But somehow, she knew she had murdered this man and, for some unknown reason, drank his blood.
As she tried to process everything, her mind kept circling back to one word over and over again: vampire.
Bella shook her head in denial. Her thoughts were crazy. Vampires were make-believe—a story to frighten children or books and movies to entertain people. There had to be a logical reason for what had happened to her and how she had been doing all these things. Her brain launched into a million different tangents, trying to come up with possible explanations. Maybe this was all a dream, a horrifying, very realistic dream. She nodded her head. Yes, all she needed to do was wake up.
Even as she thought this, she looked around and had to admit that this wasn't a dream. The cold, damp earth beneath her, the smell of pine and decay, the distant hoot of an owl—all felt too real, too vivid. Her mind continued spiraling, desperately searching for some sort of solution to her current predicament.
Maybe she had died in the explosion, and this was some sort of hell. Bella considered the thought but quickly dismissed it. She didn't believe in heaven or hell or even God for that matter. She had always been rational like Charlie. Her mom believed in everything and Bella always had to laugh whenever her mom got on some new kick.
Bella shook her head. She had to focus on the here and now. She didn't have the luxury to have a breakdown at this moment. She looked more closely at the dead man. He appeared to have an official-looking overcoat. As Bella stood up to get a better look, she saw that he was some sort of park ranger. Her mind bombarded her with thoughts again, and she closed her eyes, trying to center herself. She let out a breath. The first thing she needed was to borrow the man's jacket. She did not feel comfortable just standing here naked. She knew that it was stupid—the man was dead—but his lifeless eyes seemed to keep staring at her, making her feel self-conscious.
She knelt down and started to remove his jacket, but as she grabbed hold of the material, it ripped away in a large section. What? She looked at the partially ruined jacket in disbelief and tried again. This time, the jacket ripped in half, rendering it completely unusable. What was wrong with her? Frustration welled up inside her, and she backed up, falling back to sit on the ground, staring at the man in exasperation.
Next to her, she noticed a good-sized rock, about two feet by two feet. In her frustration, she slammed her fist against it. To her astonishment, the rock shattered, almost exploding from the force of her impact. This was like some sick joke. She couldn't do anything right. She picked up one of the larger remnants of the rock. When she squeezed it, the rock crumbled into a million pieces.
Bella stared at her hands, a mix of awe and horror coursing through her. She had somehow become the strongest person in the world. The realization was both thrilling and terrifying. She wiggled her fingers, watching the remaining rock dust sprinkle to the ground. Her mind raced, trying to make sense of this new reality.
Her thoughts returned to James and that woman. Maybe they were aliens and they had infected her with alien DNA. That made a lot more sense to her than vampires. Maybe they had left on a spaceship and that was what the explosion had been—them taking off. They could be up in space right now, monitoring her to see how she reacted to the changes she had undergone. Bella nodded, satisfied with this explanation that seemed to fit her current state.
The idea of being part of some alien experiment was bizarre, but it felt more logical than the supernatural. But then, another thought intruded, disrupting her brief moment of clarity. Why had she drunk the man's blood? Just the thought of doing that repelled her, but at the same time, she couldn't forget the amazing taste. It lingered in her mind, tantalizing and irresistible. She didn't want to admit it, but she wanted more, even now.
Bella sat there thinking, her mind racing with the realization that going back to her old life was going to be more difficult than she had originally thought. If she couldn't touch anything without destroying it, how was she going to go to school? She couldn't even put clothes on without tearing them apart.
Determined to try again, Bella stood up and approached the man's body. She decided to try and get his shirt to cover herself. She knelt beside him, her fingers reaching for the buttons, but each time she touched one, it snapped off or broke in half, the tiny pieces falling uselessly to the ground.
Finally, after several more attempts at getting the shirt off the man, Bella gave up, her hands dropping to her sides in frustration and defeat. The shirt was now all torn up and ruined, reduced to tatters that fluttered pathetically in the breeze. She stood over the man, her heart heavy with guilt and sadness. He deserved better than to be left here like this, exposed and vulnerable. Bella knew she needed to give him a proper burial.
Bella looked at the ground near him, which seemed pretty clear of rocks or roots. As an experiment, she tried digging with her hands. To her astonishment, she found she could dig through the dirt and ground easily. With almost no effort at all, she had dug a shallow grave large enough to place the man in.
Bella walked over to the man's body and, as carefully as she could, she rolled him into the grave she had dug. The task felt strangely delicate, despite her newfound strength. Once he was in, she began covering him with dirt, her hands moving steadily, methodically.
Finished, she knelt in front of her work, contemplating what to say. The forest around her was still, the only sound the distant rustle of leaves. She took a deep breath, the cool air filling her lungs. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. You didn't deserve this. I don't know what came over me. Please… forgive me."
Bella felt like she wanted to cry, her chest tightening with the weight of her sorrow, but no tears were falling. She rubbed her eyes with her hands, trying to coax the tears out, but it was as if her body was incapable of producing them. Finally, she stood up from the grave, her legs feeling heavy, her heart even heavier. She looked down one last time at the freshly turned earth, and with a sorrowful glance at the grave, Bella slowly walked away.
As Bella walked through the forest, the darkness around her began to lighten ever so slightly, hinting that dawn was approaching. The faint chirping of birds heralded the coming day, their songs a stark contrast to the turmoil within her. The cool, damp earth under her feet and the rustle of leaves in the gentle breeze heightened her awareness of her surroundings.
She thought about her predicament, the overwhelming changes she had undergone. Her newfound strength, her heightened senses, and most disturbingly, the urge to drink blood. The memory of that urge sent a shiver down her spine. It might be wise to stay away from people for a while, she mused. She didn't want to hurt anyone else, especially her friends.
As she walked, Bella's mind raced with possibilities. Maybe she could find an abandoned house and live off the grid until she figured out what had happened to her. Her mind kept coming back to vampires, but she tried to reject that notion.
She thought about James and that woman. They were the one factor that had to be the cause of all this. Bella tried to think back to everything they had said, but it was difficult; she had been so scared, and truthfully, everything that woman had said was so crazy. She had seemed seriously unhinged, but regardless, Bella tried to piece back together all that she had heard.
The woman had taunted her, claiming that she was going to rip off her head and throw it into a hole so she would go insane for all eternity... But that would imply that she would still be alive as just a head. Bella felt repulsed even thinking along those lines, but her mind went back to vampires again. Some of the movies said that vampires were immortal. If that was what she was, did that mean she was going to live forever?
Another question remained: why did they leave before that crazy bitch completed her goal? The woman had seemed quite deranged and not the type to say, "Never mind, have a nice day." To her disappointment, it had certainly appeared like James had no intention of helping her. A shame, as he had seemed like a nice guy too. Maybe they had were both killed in the blast. But what caused the explosion if it wasn't them? And how did she survive it? Regardless of where they went, maybe she was a vampire.
Bella determined that what she needed to do first was find shelter. Shelter and clothes had to be her top priorities. She still couldn't believe she was walking around naked for all the world to see. Whatever James and that woman were, it appeared that she was like them now. If she was different, it would probably be best not to go around telling everyone.
She had never heard of any superpowered people in real life, so if they were out there, they must be keeping themselves secret. If she started telling people, she was sure the government would come and lock her away and do experiments on her. No way was she getting anal probed! Wait, that was the aliens supposedly doing the probing, not the government. The government did the dissecting. Whatever—she just had to be careful from now on.
Bella walked for hours, avoiding the urge to run. She moved so fast when she ran that she was afraid she might inadvertently stumble into a town, and she didn't know what she would do if that happened. As she walked, her mind churned with thoughts. She needed to find a house, preferably one with running water, so she could take a shower. She had gotten quite dirty digging that hole, and after the whole incident with the crazy woman, she just wanted to feel clean again.
The morning had come, but the sky was overcast with many clouds, casting a gray pallor over the forest. The diffused light made the surroundings look like she was walking through some sort of mystical forest, with the mist clinging to the underbrush and the damp leaves glistening faintly. Bella thought that was a good analogy for her current situation.
Soon she saw the first rays of the sun break through the cloud cover, lighting the forest before her. She stopped dead in her tracks, her mind racing. In many of the stories she'd heard about vampires, they burned up when exposed to the sun. What if she was, in fact, a vampire?
Panic surged through her, and she took off running in the opposite direction, her fear driving her to move faster than she ever had before. She had to find some sort of cover, and quick, just in case. The thought of burning up in the sunlight filled her with dread.
As she tore through the forest, the clouds continued to dissipate, revealing more and more of the bright morning sun. She sprinted, her feet barely touching the ground. But the sunlight was relentless, chasing away the shadows she sought for refuge. She could feel the warmth growing, the light around her becoming more intense.
She glanced around frantically, hoping to spot a cave or a thick canopy of trees that could shield her from the sun's rays. But it was no good. The forest offered her no immediate sanctuary. The sunlight broke through the last of the clouds, finally enveloping Bella in its radiant light.
Bella slammed her eyes shut, bracing herself for the searing pain she was sure would come. Her mind filled with images of vampires bursting into flames, their skin charring and peeling away. She waited, every muscle in her body tense with fear.
Seconds passed… She waited. More time passed. She didn't feel like she was burning up. She peeked one eye open. "What the fuck!" she blurted out, opening her other eye in astonishment. Her body was sparkling with such radiance it was hard to stare at. Her skin looked like millions of diamonds glittering in the sunlight. What was she? No vampire stories had them glittering in the sun… that would be beyond stupid. Maybe she wasn't a vampire after all. That alien theory was looking more likely. Aliens could glitter.
But this raised another problem in her mind. If she looked like this in the sun, how would she ever be able to go outside around people? She would only be able to go out at night. She had met James at night. Had he looked like this during the day too? Maybe there was a way to shut off this glittering, and she just didn't know how.
Bella started walking again, her mind racing with new questions. Damn, this was freaky. Her breasts looked like two shining disco balls. She idly wondered what James would have looked like naked, glittering like this—or at least certain parts of him. The thought sent a shiver of unexpected arousal through her, but she quickly shook her head, trying to banish the image of James's most likely giant dick glittering, standing long and straight. God, this was so not the time to start having those types of fantasies.
As Bella walked, shining brightly like some human-shaped disco ball, she thought about her current situation. It reminded her of the show "The Greatest American Hero" that David had inexplicably liked to watch. Her predicament was eerily similar to the premise of the show. She had seemingly received a "super suit" from two aliens, but they had neglected to give her the manual on how to use it.
The thought brought a bittersweet smile to her face as she remembered all the times she and David watched the show on their date nights. She had often wanted to engage in more enjoyable pastimes, but David seemed content to watch TV with her. Now she realized why. Maybe David had enjoyed watching the main star run around in those red tights. She giggled, the sound ringing out in the stillness of the forest, as she wondered how far David and Stephen had gotten that night. Whatever the case, she hoped David was happy.
She had more to worry about than nostalgic memories and what-ifs. Her body was now the super suit, and she had to figure out a way to control it. She couldn't even dress herself without risking tearing her clothes to shreds. The realization of her new reality was daunting, but she wouldn't let it overwhelm her. She would overcome any obstacle fate—or two crazy aliens—placed in her path.
After roughly an hour of walking, Bella finally came upon a small road, the first traces of human development. The road was cracked and worn with age, small weeds poking through the crevices. As she scanned it carefully, she didn't see any tire marks, so it had not been traveled recently. She looked both ways, the road stretching into the distance on either side. Not knowing which direction to choose, she picked left and started walking, her bare feet silent on the rough asphalt.
Despite being naked, she felt a strange sense of confidence. Her hearing, like all her other senses, had sharpened. She was positive she would hear a car coming long before it actually reached her, giving her ample time to dash into the forest and hide.
A half hour later, she came to what looked like a driveway winding up a slight hill. She took it, and when she reached the top, she found a good-sized home nestled among the trees. Relief washed over her. The house stood silent and seemingly deserted, its driveway empty and no cars in sight.
Bella hid behind the tree cover, observing the home intently. The large windows reflected the morning light, but there were no signs of movement inside. She listened carefully for any sound. There was nothing—no voices, no footsteps, just the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze. The house appeared to be just what she needed, a place to regroup and figure things out—quite a few things.
I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Many more surprises await Bella on this first day of her new forever. What will she come up with to tell her parents? Find out next time. :) Reviews and comments are welcome. I enjoy reading people's reactions.