Twilight (Evergreen)

Chapter 5

I suddenly awake to a scream. My eyes bolt open, and I squint as a horrific white light shines into them. Another blood-curdling scream. My half-asleep mind begs me to get up, to run. However my body refuses, twisting and turning as I desperately try to control it. Eventually the barrier between my brain and body thaws, and I leap out of bed. Colours flash over my visision, but I continue to run in whatever direction I can find. I realise that I'm running towards Rose's room, like I usually do when I want support; Rose is literally my best friend. I realise that I'm not just sprinting towards my great-Aunt, but towards the ever-increasing screeching. I burst through the heavy door, my vision finally repaired, and gasp. There, in Rose and Emmett's room, are three beings in intimidating white suits. On their faces they wear strange masks, as if the place is disease-ridden. All that is visible are their bloodthirsty eyes, focusing on their prey. I follow their gaze, and scream. They have Rose. They're forcefully dragging her towards the open window as she kicks and screams for help. Emmett is nowhere to be seen, and blood is spattered like petals on the once-clean white carpet. Frozen, I find I'm still studying the scene. A hysterical tear slips from my eye as I see Rose's newborn infant in the arms of a white-suit man, needles hooked up to him as blood is drained from his body. The man studies a screen that's hooked up to the needles, and his eyes widen. He pulls yet another needle from his pocket, and stabs it into the baby's soft skin. I gasp, but I can't hear it over the sound of my pounding heart. Slowly, the child begins to turn royal blue, and I suddenly jump into action. I fling myself at the child, wrenching the needles from his delicate body. I feel hands pulling my back, more hands tugging Archie away from me.

"STOP!" I scream, but of course nobody does.

My vision shoots towards the window. Rose is gone.

"Please" I whimper, hands forcing me against the wall.

Tears flow down my cheeks as I shout hopelessly for help, the grip on my shoulders never loosening. All I see in front of me is the huge white space helmet of the attacker. I close my eyes, finding it better to shut myself off from the terrifying situation. After all, there's nothing I can do. Suddenly, I feel a fist collide with my face, and then there's darkness.

***

I wake up in my bed, as if nothing had happened. Panicking, I jump out, panting. Blood is splattered everywhere, tubes and various needles are spotted around the floor. Shakily, I just stand and breathe. I'm not prepared to leave; what I find might shatter me. Eventually, I take a deep breath and navigate my way through the sea of mess. All of the lights are on outside my room. I suddenly decide that I'm terrified to move. What if they're still there? What if Rise is there? What if, what if, what if? As I stand quaking in my socks, I hear a faint sob.

"H-hello?" I call out, taking a small step towards the sound.

As I step closer, the sob gets louder. The broken sound smashes my heart. I slowly open the door to Roses room, terrified. In the middle of the floor is Rose, tears leaking down her flushed skin. Vampires can't cry, but then again vampires can't give birth, so all of those rules are out of mind now.

"Rose?" I say, quietly.

Still crying, she looks at me. Her mascara is running down her cheeks, her eyes are puffy and her face is red, yet hair hair still looks picture perfect.

"Mai, they-" She begins, and then breaks down again.

I rush over and fling my arms around her. Images of last night play in my head, and I remember her getting stabbed with needles, and dragged out of the window. I'm traumatised enough (I can feel myself trembling violently) so I can't even begin to imagine how Rose feels. She flinches at the contact, but I don't back away.

"What did they do?" I ask, when she calm down a little.

She sniffs, and wipes her eyes even though fresh tears just roll back over and take their place.

"Do you want the short version?" She sniffs. "Or the long version?"

ROSE'S POV
*Last night*
I wake up (Somehow I can sleep now?) to the sound of my child screaming. Slowly, my eyes flutter open. Before I have a chance to see what's happening, a needle is stabbed into my pale skin. I yelp in pain, but they only stab another into me. Still blind, I roll over and fall to the hard floor as I roll off of my bed. Wincing, I start to pull myself up when I'm kicked to the floor again. I scream as searing pain erupts in my side. Suddenly, I hear a scream coming from across the house, followed by a loud crash.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!?" I scream, mentally begging that maybe someone will answer.

Instead, I'm greeted by a hard bash to the head. I feel what vision I have fade away into a black mist as an unknown heat trickles down my face. I desperately fight to stay awake, and hear the screams of Archie intensify. Struggling, I manage to force myself up. I rapidly blink until I can somewhat see, but I still can't make anything out. Shadows dance across the picture, only confusing things even more.

"Archie!" I try to shout, but my mouth seems to be paralysed.

Still stumbling in whatever direction I can find,  hot tears trickle down my cheeks helplessly. Another kick, and I fall onto my face. I feel my nose crack, and a hot, sticky substance leak across my eyelids. I breathe heavily, now desperately forcing myself to stay awake, to not let the pain take me to a calm place of slumber. Just as the flashing colours are beginning to fade from my vision, I'm stabbed yet again by a needle.

"Leave me alone" I cough, blood entering my mouth, the metallic taste staining my tongue.

That's something new. I'm bleeding. I feel the needle stuck to my skin, not being pulled out like the two when I woke up. It feels like a hoover being stuck to my arm. The discomfort finally gets the better of me, and my instincts take over, wrenching the needle from my skin.

"We can't do this here" I hear an old, sincere voice whisper.

Strong hands grip my arms, hurting so much that I almost scream out. I suddenly hear a high-pitched scream coming from behind me, and wish desperately that I could see. The grip tightens, and this time I do scream out. Something sharp hits my legs, and I yelp and jump up. Before I know it, I'm being dragged across the floor like a rag doll, kicking and screaming.

"HELP!" I hear someone yell.

Isame. I want to scream out that it's okay, but who am I kidding? Suddenly, I feel like I'm being thrown, and all of the pressure of hands is gone. I feel cold air whipping past me, and I scream; I've just been thrown out of the window. I feel eyes on me even though I'm no longer in the room, and I wrench my eyes open. Suddenly, my vision is back. As I plummet to the floor, I position my feet to land. When I finally crash against the floor, I'm horrified to discover that I'm no longer invincible; unbelievable pain erupts all over my body. I feel my legs crash into my hips, probably paralysing them. I feel my  whole being trembling on the floor as if I'm having a seizure. My limbs jerk and twitch as I feel not just unimaginable pain, but something crawling through my blood, through my veins. I scream uncontrollably like a wild animal, not physically being able to stop.

"You're lucky your still alive, blondie" A female voice whispers to me.

No, it can't be. It can't be. It can't be! But it is. Even though I can't open my eyes, I know her by her voice. Emotionless, but still full of hate. Of evil and mentality. Sitting next to me is Rise.