Eternal Dusk

The cold night wind embraced Artemis as she walked into the edge of the forest behind her house with Pan escorting her. They walked deeper into the woods until Artemis situated herself on a patch of grass.

While she sat down cross legged, her eyes closed shut and her breathing slowed. In a matter of moments, the natural world seemed to magnify in beauty. She could hear the hoots of owls and the skitters of the smallest animal. Artemis felt the life of the plants and could even trace the roots of the trees.

She projected her senses farther and identified two people she didn't exactly feel like meeting. Artemis waited until they came closer. With her eyes still closed she calmly said, "So what brings you to these neck of the woods?"

"We're just here to talk." The voice was familiar to Artemis but it had such a serious tone that it was unusual.

Not knowing the other person, Artemis decided to finally open her eyes to her guests. There stood Alice and her typical spiky hair dressed in dark shaded designer clothes. Alongside her was a tall guy with wavy honey colored hair and the usual golden eyes.

"Alice, taking a night stroll or hunting?"

"I suppose you can say a little bit of both." A short strained silence came over the three until Artemis decided to speak again.

"So what do you and Jasper want to talk about with me?"

Jasper became startled. His name never came up in the short time him and Alice were there. "How did you-?"

"I'm a witch, remember?" Artemis chuckled. "And you think I might be leading those newborn vamps in Seattle, right? Well, sorry, I'm not the person you're looking for."

Just as Artemis and Pan were going to leave the forest, Alice called out to her. "Then can you help us find out who is behind the newborns?"

A strange feeling washed over Artemis. It wasn't her own emotions. It was like this mood was forced upon her. She glared at her new acquaintance.

"I think you already know who is behind everything." Artemis turned her back towards them and made her way back home with Pan beside her.


"A volcano project?" Artemis and Bella nodded knowing their grade wouldn't be very good. "You two get a B-." Their teacher walked away and on to the next set of partners.

"At least we passed this class," Artemis smiled. Bella just nodded again, her own mind drifting somewhere else. "Are you okay?"

They started walking out of the cafeteria that held all the science projects for the day. "A lot of things are going on right now. There's graduation, the stupid graduation party, the newborns, and becoming...." Bella's sentence drifted off but Artemis understood even if she didn't say it.

"Maybe you shouldn't think about everything at the same time. Focus your mind on whatever comes first. Maybe it's time to focus on graduation." Artemis paused, "There's a party?"

Bella groaned at the thought. "Yeah, Alice wanted to throw me a graduation party. Which reminds me, would you like to come and suffer with me?"

Artemis laughed. "Sure, I'll be glad to go. But I probably won't be suffering as much as you. I enjoy the food at parties."


Edward had many things on his mind that day. But there was something specific that he told Bella the day before. He would rather become human than have Bella be the monster he was. Ever since he met Artemis, the thought seemed to fester in his thoughts more than before. Without thinking, he was at the steps of Artemis' house.

He didn't even ring the doorbell when Artemis answered the door. "Is there a way for me to be human again?"

Artemis looked into his desperate gold eyes wanting to lie, but couldn't. "Yes."