Marianne Swan used to have a fascination with the fragile nature of mortality until it was her own life on the line. Marianne is not scared of much in this world, with one key exception: the name Edward Cullen. She reunites with her father - chief o...
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When I get sucked back into consciousness it's due to the hammering of my heart fighting against the venom. The frenzied beating ceases in tandem with the burning which is now only in my very parched throat.
I open my eyes to see the canopy of the forest above me. Everything is so clear, despite the nightfall, I can still see all the colors and shadows of the forest around me.
I was moved, I muse.
My short brown hair is matted with dirt, and as I inspect my lifeless pale skin I see the dirt is also caked in my finger nails. I hear the babbling of water not too far north from my current location. As I sit up I realize how effortless it is to move with the speed I saw the Cullens move.
The Cullens, I frown.
I was turned by another vampire, that was for sure.
I am perplexed that the memories leading up to my death are so foggy. I remember the burning of my transformation, but before that... the Cullens and Bella were missing. Carlisle never came back.
I frantically searched my body for my phone, to my dismay, it was not with me. Great, I'm stranded and dead, and no one knows where I am.
I shook my head and stood up to go towards the water source, I needed to get this dirt off me. I reached the brook swiftly and tried my best to rinse my hair and get the dirt out of my nails. I laughed out loud as I realized how ridiculous I would look if I were to renter human civilization. That gave me pause, my voice, it was bell like.
My throat is still burning, and I hear the faint drumming of heartbeats near by. I give into my instincts: I follow the sound and scent that causes venom to pool in my mouth.
A herd of deer, they are drinking further down the river. My movements are swift and graceful, I tackle one of the deer and quickly drain it. I am able to catch a few more before my thirst is sated and the burn is no longer in the forefront of my attention.
Now that my head is clearer I have time to think. Obviously, I can't go back to Forks. I can't risk getting recognized or getting near Bella and Charlie before I know I can control my thirst. And then there's the bigger question, where am I?
And who was the red head?
I decide that my first course of action should be to find my location and then figure out how to contact the Cullens at the very least.
~ ~ ~
I walked in one direction until daylight hoping it would lead me to civilization or at the very least a trail maker or sign. Whoever dumped my body must have really wanted me to remain hidden.
I realized I had never seen any of the Cullen-Hales in the sun before as I took note of my disco ball, sparkling skin. Ridiculous, I shook my head.
Eventually, I came across a paved road split between the trees. On it I noticed a sign indicating the distance to the nearest towns. It's in meters... Well looks like whoever dumped me really wanted to take me out of the country. Putting the pieces together, that revelation as well as the similar climate to Washington must mean that I am most likely in southern Canada... that information still isn't necessarily helpful, but at least I have an idea of where I am.
I decide to follow the road at a distance, with the protection of the trees to hide my sparkling on this particularly sunny day.
Few vehicles come down the road I am walking along. However, when following a lone blue pickup truck I see something unexpected:
A young woman is walking alongside me, appearing out of thin air, "My body is in the truck bed, no one is going to find me."
I am startled by her outburst and glance over at the woman. Something is wrong with her, she looks normal, but she feels wrong. Cold.
"Can you see me?" Her eyes are fixated my on own. "What's wrong with your eyes they're..."
"Red," I mumble. "How are you even here?"
"I'm not... not physically at least. I'm dead and that man you're following killed me."
I blink and she's gone. The venom is pooling in my mouth, but I can feel the rational part of my mind fighting, willing me to turn around and let the man live and allow the criminal justice system take care of him.
The monster wins I follow him.
~ ~ ~
I learn another new thing about vampires, they can't cry. I am left to dry sob over this man's corpse as I force myself to feel the guilt that taking a life, even the life of a killer, has caused.
I retreat into the woods and decide that it's for the best that I just stay where I was dumped. I can't let myself slip up again. I can't take another human's life.
