The Twilight Twenty-Five

thetwilight25 dot com

Prompt: #1

Pen Name:LyricalKris

Pairing/Character(s):E/B

Rating:T

Word Count: 500

Photo prompts can be found here:

thetwilight25 dot com/round-eight/prompts

Bella had seen this scene countless times in movies, but nothing could have prepared her for the reality of it. Televisions, radios, air sirens- they all went off at the same time. She and Edward had been in their hotel room when everything went to hell.

This is NOT a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.

The president had come on screen, but didn't get further than, "My fellow Americans…" before there was an explosion, a glimpse of fire, and then static. Panic ensued. Other bombs went off. The highways were a mass of cars and panicking people trying to get away, trying to get to friends and family, trying to get to safety. Apocalypse. Armageddon. Terrorists. Zombies. No one knew what was going on. They'd heard from others on the road many of the major cities were in shambles.

Honeymooning in the mountains clear across the country from their home in Seattle, Edward and Bella had not been able to get in touch with their families before the phone lines went silent.

Days had passed, and they had not reached Seattle yet. Travel was slower in the car, ironically enough. The highways were a maze of abandoned cars. Some of the larger cities were in complete anarchy. When they stopped in a town to find gas and food, they'd almost lost what little supplies they had to thieves. Edward had a long gash on his shoulder and Bella one over her eye to show for it, but they'd made it out alive.

"What are you doing?" Bella asked when Edward pulled off the paved street onto a dirt road. He jumped, and Bella realized neither of them had said a word in hours.

"You haven't slept in days."

"Neither have you."

"I know." He ran a hand over his eyes. "We need to rest. I'm going to find us a safe place, and we're going to sleep for a few hours."

They drove for another hour, until the dirt road disappeared and the woods encroached. When they stopped, they went about the business of surviving. Edward scouted a ways in each direction, and Bella checked their ice chest for what might pass as dinner. When they were ready, Edward pulled her in the backseat of the Volvo. They didn't lie down. Instead, Bella leaned her head against the window, looking out, always looking out. Edward wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest.

Bella tried to tamp down the overwhelming feeling that rose in her chest, but she couldn't. For days she had kept the tears at bay, but she couldn't hold them back.

"Hey. Hey." Edward wiped away her tears and cuddled her closer. "We're going to be okay."

"I know. I believe you. It's just…" She sighed. "This is not how I imagined us starting our lives together."

He kissed her hair. "As long as we're together, we'll make it through."

Bella sniffled. "I know." She did. She believed it.

"Sleep, love."

She did.

A/N: This is going to be interesting. I have to limit myself to 500 words?! Lol. I hope y'all enjoy.