Abstract Reality

Chapter 13: Fire

It was unlike any pain I’d ever imagined. It burned, but it didn’t feel like fire. It felt broken, but I knew nothing was broken. It was a slow-moving feeling, like when my foot would fall asleep; although when my foot fell asleep, it didn’t hurt so bad.

I screamed; it was the only way to express this pain. My fingers dug into the dirt as I felt my body convulse. I felt a warm hand on my arm, and Seth’s voice calling my name.

“Ana, don’t move!” he whispered. “Everything’s going to be all right.” I noticed he had turned back into a human, probably so he could hold me

“The fire,” I whimpered, “Make it stop, please! Someone put it out! It hurts!” Never in my life had I felt such pain. Not even during the car crash

“Edward!” Seth called, agony ripping his voice. “This doesn’t look normal.”

I heard someone curse, and a shout, followed by another scream. I realized it was my scream. A cool hand placed itself against my shoulder; I guessed that someone was examining the mark. I heard a gasp.

“He bit her,” Alice cried, “Demetri bit Ana. This wasn’t supposed to happen!”

“What can you do?” I pleaded, the pain getting worse as it wore on.

“Ana, it’s going to be okay,” Seth whispered; he took my right hand in his thick, warm one.

“I need Edward!” I heard Carlisle’s voice tell someone nearby.

“What happen-? Oh, no,” Edward moaned.

“Demetri bit Ana,” Bella whispered, “I saw him, and I pulled him off her. I chased him away, too. ”

“Did you threaten to rip his head off?” Alice asked, incredulous.

I saw Bella nod before closing my eyes. I dug the fingers of my uninjured arm deeper into the soil of the clearing as I felt another scream ripple through me.

“I would’ve gone through with it, too,” I heard Bella add, “but then Ana screamed, so I ran back as fast as I could.”

“Alice, get Carlisle’s bag,” I heard Jacob yell.

“Jake, get Nessie out of here!” Bella and Edward shouted in unison.

“See you back at the house,” I heard Seth add to Jake; a moment later, Jake’s footfalls vanished.

“I have morphine!” Alice called; I opened my eyes to see her sitting next to Seth, comforting him. I felt a hand softly take my wrist before I heard Carlisle’s voice. “Ana, this will only hurt for a minute, then you won’t feel a thing. It’s so I can set your elbow.” He paused. “Just nod if you can hear me, Ana.” He whispered.

I nodded as best I could, despite being on the ground. Again, I closed my eyes, setting my teeth; I didn’t like getting vaccinations or having blood drawn because I hated needles. A moment later, I felt a slight pinprick inside my right elbow. Although the pain of Demetri’s venom didn’t go away, the ache of my elbow slowly faded.

“Edward,” Alice said; I opened my eyes again to see him and Bella kneeling next to me. Bella smiled slightly at me before I closed my eyes for a third time.

This time, however, there were no needles. I just felt cool lips at my shoulder, and more pain. I gasped; Seth’s fingers gripped my hand, and I squeezed back, whimpering slightly. I felt tears falling down my cheeks.

But the venom receeded; I felt the burning sensation grow smaller and smaller until I felt nothing.

“Ana,” Bella asked, “Is it still burning?”

“Unngh,” I muttered; the morphine was making me feel sleepy. I started to drift, but through the fog, I managed to shake my head.

“Ana,” Seth murmured, “I’m right here. Stay with me. I’m here.”

“Okay,” I mumbled. “Jus’ lemme sleep."