disclaimer: I am not Stephenie Meyer, these are not my characters.

Preface - Alice (Human)

I tried to struggle against him one last time. It was then that I felt as if my mind were detaching itself from my body. My every muscle gave out, but for a split second, my mind had never been clearer. And I knew with dreadful certainty that I would never escape this. I would not survive it.

Then everything faded to black.

Chapter 1: Premonition

I awoke crying and drenched in sweat, sitting straight up into a sitting position. My pillows and coverlet were haphazardly strewn across the floor, evidence to my tossing and turning. I felt the stuffy, humid air suffocating me. I drew up my knees and wrapped my arms around them, my slight figure folding easily unto itself. My dark hair swept down and created a comforting curtain around my face, muffling my quiet sobs.

It was the same nightmare I had had every night this week. Mr. Searcy, the Baptist reverend, walking along the side of the road at night, humming to himself. Three attackers jumping out from the bushes, knives glinting in the moonlight. A scuffle, screams of agony, and a bleeding corpse left to float away down the Biloxi River. I shuddered, taking deep breaths to ease myself.

"Alice?" I heard my sister murmur, half asleep. Her back was to me in the other bed, rising and falling evenly with each breath. "Another nightmare?"

"Yes, Cynthia… just another nightmare. I'm getting some water, go back to sleep."

There was no answer, and after a few moments I noticed my little sister was asleep again. I slowly uncurled myself and crawled off the bed. Anyone else would have had trouble navigating the tight corners of our shared room, but I had always been small for my age. I navigated my way through the narrow path between our beds, along the base of them until I reached the half open door.

The kitchen was right outside the door, and I went to the wooden table in the center. There was a pitcher with warm water in the center, and the universal family mug besides it. I poured myself some water and forced it down, trying my best to think about something besides the dream.

It was impossible. Every time I closed my eyes I could it unfold – see the terror in Mr. Searcy's eyes as he was stabbed, see the evil glint of the attackers eyes as they ravaged his satchel for the Sunday collection. Another shudder. It was all too horrible, and made a thousand times worse by the fact that I knew it would happen. Soon.

That's what I couldn't tell anyone, because last time they had threatened to send me away. I always had dreams, not always so gory, but sometimes worse in other ways. And my dreams always came true. I knew the mayor's wife would be caught committing adultery even before she did. I had known about a great war looming on the horizon. I had known it would be better to plant sugar cane this year, although father had ignored me – we were losing money as a result. I knew so many things, but it was a double-edged sword.

On the one hand, these... "visions" could be beneficial – if anyone bothered to listen. But at the same time, they put me in danger. My parents talked about it sometimes, when they thought I wasn't listening. One more of these uncanny predictions and we may need to consider professional help, mother whispered. It's not natural for Mary Alice to know these things, it just isn't. And of course my father's gruff words, adamantly agreeing. Not good public relations, you know, having a downright crazy daughter.

I stopped telling them anything, out of fear more than anything. I knew my father, at least, would follow through on his threats to send me away. Every once in a while I'd let something slip with Cynthia, but that was it. She was too naive to really understand anyway. I sighed. It all meant keeping these dreams to myself. It meant living with this terrifying thing on my own.

I finished the lukewarm water and placed the mug back in its spot. Before going back to my room I stopped, listening intently for the sounds of my parents' deep breathing. After making sure they were asleep I padded back to my room, slipping inside soundlessly and thanking God for my natural grace. I eased back into my bed, careful not wake Cynthia. She didn't need to know how much these things bothered me. Fully determined to sleep, I lay on my side, curled up into a ball.

But I couldn't sleep. Of course not. The dark circles under my eyes would be testimony to it tomorrow, but there was nothing I could do about it, except pray that my dreams would go away. And pray I did, every long hour of every sleepless night.

Please go away, please go away. God, please make these dreams go away!

author's note: So, what do you think? I am a major fan of Alice, and I've always wanted to tell her story, so here we go. :) This first chapter is a little short, but they'll get longer. Reviews are love!