3 eclipse月食-第17部分

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“You’re　just　going　to　have　to　wait；”　Mrs。　Newton　snapped。　“You　and　Tyler　can　think　of　something　else　to　
do。　You　are　not　going　to　Seattle　until　the　police　stop　whatever　it　is　that　is　going　on　there。　I　know　Beth　
Crowley　has　told　Tyler　the　same　thing；　so　don’t　act　like　I’m　the　bad　guy　—　oh；　good　morning；　Bella；”　she　said　
when　she　caught　sight　of　me；　brightening　her　tone　quickly。　“You’re　early。”　
Karen　Newton　was　the　last　person　I’d　think　to　ask　for　help　in　an　outdoor　sports　equipment　store。　Her　
perfectly　highlighted　blond　hair　was　always　smoothed　into　an　elegant　twist　on　the　back　of　her　neck；　her　
fingernails　were　polished　by　professionals；　as　were　her　toenails　—　visible　through　the　strappy　high　heels　that　
didn’t　resemble　anything　Newton’s　offered　on　the　long　row　of　hiking　boots。　
“Light　traffic；”　I　joked　as　I　grabbed　my　hideous　fluorescent　orange　vest　out　from　under　the　counter。　I　was　
surprised　that　Mrs。　Newton　was　as　worked　up　about　this　Seattle　thing　as　Charlie。　I’d　thought　he　was　going　to　
extremes。　
“Well；　er　。　。　。”　Mrs。　Newton　hesitated　for　a　moment；　playing　unfortably　with　a　stack　of　flyers　she　was　
arranging　by　the　register。　
I　stopped　with　one　arm　in　my　vest。　I　knew　that　look。　
When　I’d　let　the　Newtons　know　that　I　wouldn’t　be　working　here　this　summer　—　abandoning　them　in　their　
busiest　season；　in　effect　—　they’d　started　training　Katie　Marshall　to　take　my　place。　They　couldn’t　really　afford　
both　of　us　on　the　payroll　at　the　same　time；　so　when　it　looked　like　a　slow　day　。　。　。　
“I　was　going　to　call；”　Mrs。　Newton　continued。　“I　don’t　think　we’re　expecting　a　ton　of　business　today。　
Mike　and　I　can　probably　handle　things。　I’m　sorry　you　got　up　and　drove　out。　。　。　。”　
On　a　normal　day；　I　would　be　ecstatic　with　this　turn　of　events。　Today　。　。　。　not　so　much。　
“Okay；”　I　sighed。　My　shoulders　slumped。　What　was　I　going　to　do　now？　

“That’s　not　fair；　Mom；”　Mike　said。　“If　Bella　wants　to　work　—”　
“No；　it’s　okay；　Mrs。　Newton。　Really；　Mike。　I’ve　got　finals　to　study　for　and　stuff。　。　。　。”　I　didn’t　want　to　be　
a　source　of　familial　discord　when　they　were　already　arguing。　
“Thanks；　Bella。　Mike；　you　missed　aisle　four。　Um；　Bella；　do　you　mind　throwing　these　flyers　in　a　Dumpster　
on　the　way　out？　I　told　the　girl　who　left　them　here　that　I’d　put　them　on　the　counter；　but　I　really　don’t　have　the　
room。”　
“Sure；　no　problem。”　I　put　my　vest　away；　and　then　tucked　the　flyers　under　my　arm　and　headed　out　into　the　
misty　rain。　
The　Dumpster　was　around　the　side　of　Newton’s；　next　to　where　we　employees　were　supposed　to　park。　I　
shuffled　along；　kicking　pebbles　petulantly　on　my　way。　I　was　about　to　fling　the　stack　of　bright　yellow　papers　
into　the　trash　when　the　heading　printed　in　bold　across　the　top　caught　my　eye。　One　word　in　particular　seized　my　
attention。　
I　clutched　the　papers　in　both　hands　as　I　stared　at　the　picture　beneath　the　caption。　A　lump　rose　in　my　
throat。　


　SAVE　THE　OLYMPIC　WOLF　

Under　the　words；　there　was　a　detailed　drawing　of　a　wolf　in　front　of　a　fir　tree；　its　head　thrown　back　in　the　
act　of　baying　at　the　moon。　It　was　a　disconcerting　picture；　something　about　the　wolf’s　plaintive　posture　made　
him　look　forlorn。　Like　he　was　howling　in　grief。　
And　then　I　was　running　to　my　truck；　the　flyers　still　locked　in　my　grip。　
Fifteen　minutes　—　that’s　all　I　had。　But　it　should　be　long　enough。　It　was　only　fifteen　minutes　to　La　Push；　
and　surely　I　would　cross　the　boundary　line　a　few　minutes　before　I　hit　the　town。　
My　truck　roared　to　life　without　any　difficulty。　
Alice　couldn’t　have　seen　me　doing　this；　because　I　hadn’t　been　planning　it。　A　snap　decision；　that　was　the　
key！　And　as　long　as　I　moved　fast　enough；　I　should　be　able　to　capitalize　on　it。　
I’d　thrown　the　damp　flyers　in　my　haste　and　they　were　scattered　in　a　bright　mess　across　the　passenger　seat　
—　a　hundred　bolded　captions；　a　hundred　dark　howling　wolves　outlined　against　the　yellow　background。　
I　barreled　down　the　wet　highway；　turning　the　windshield　wipers　on　high　and　ignoring　the　groan　of　the　
ancient　engine。　Fiftyfive　was　the　most　I　could　coax　out　of　my　truck；　and　I　prayed　it　would　be　enough。　
I　had　no　clue　where　the　boundary　line　was；　but　I　began　to　feel　safer　as　I　passed　the　first　houses　outside　La　
Push。　This　must　be　beyond　where　Alice　was　allowed　to　follow。　
I’d　call　her　when　I　got　to　Angela’s　this　afternoon；　I　reasoned；　so　that　she’d　know　I　was　fine。　There　was　no　
reason　for　her　to　get　worked　up。　She　didn’t　need　to　be　mad　at　me　—　Edward　would　be　angry　enough　for　two　
when　he　got　back。　
My　truck　was　positively　wheezing　by　the　time　it　grated　to　a　stop　in　front　of　the　familiar　faded　red　house。　
The　lump　came　back　to　my　throat　as　I　stared　at　the　little　place　that　had　once　been　my　refuge。　It　had　been　so　
long　since　I’d　been　here。　
Before　I　could　cut　the　engine；　Jacob　was　standing　in　the　door；　his　face　blank　with　shock。　
In　the　sudden　silence　when　the　truckroar　died；　I　heard　him　gasp。　
“Bella？”　
“Hey；　Jake！”　
“Bella！”　he　yelled　back；　and　the　smile　I’d　been　waiting　for　stretched　across　his　face　like　the　sun　breaking　
free　of　the　clouds。　His　teeth　gleamed　bright　against　his　russet　skin。　“I　can’t　believe　it！”　
He　ran　to　the　truck　and　halfyanked　me　through　the　open　door；　and　then　we　were　both　jumping　up　and　
down　like　kids。　
“How　did　you　get　here？”　
“I　snuck　out！”　
“Awesome！”　
“Hey；　Bella！”　Billy　had　rolled　himself　into　the　doorway　to　see　what　all　the　motion　was　about。　
“Hey；　Bil　—！”　

Just　then　my　air　choked　off　—　Jacob　grabbed　me　up　in　a　bear　hug　too　tight　to　breathe　and　swung　me　
around　in　a　circle。　
“Wow；　it’s　good　to　see　you　here！”　
“Can’t　。　。　。　breathe；”　I　gasped。　
He　laughed　and　put　me　down。　
“Wele　back；　Bella；”　he　said；　grinning。　And　the　way　he　said　the　words　made　it　sound　like　wele　
home。　


We　started　walking；　too　keyed　up　to　sit　still　in　the　house。　Jacob　was　practically　bouncing　as　he　moved；　and　I　
had　to　remind　him　a　few　times　that　my　legs　weren’t　ten　feet　long。　
As　we　walked；　I　felt　myself　settling　into　another　version　of　myself；　the　self　I　had　been　with　Jacob。　A　little　
younger；　a　little　less　responsible。　Someone　who　might；　on　occasion；　do　something　really　stupid　for　no　good　
reason。　
Our　exuberance　lasted　through　the　first　few　topics　of　conversation：　how　we　were　doing；　what　we　were　up　
to；　how　long　I　had；　and　what　had　brought　me　here。　When　I　hesitantly　told　him　about　the　wolf　flyer；　his　
bellowing　laugh　echoed　back　from　the　trees。　
But　then；　as　we　ambled　past　the　back　of　the　store　and　shoved　through　the　thick　scrub　that　ringed　the　far　
edge　of　First　Beach；　we　got　to　the　hard　parts。　All　too　soon　we　had　to　talk　about　the　reasons　behind　our　long　
separation；　and　I　watched　as　the　face　of　my　friend　hardened　into　the　bitter　mask　that　was　already　too　familiar。　
“So　what’s　the　story；　anyway？”　Jacob　asked　me；　kicking　a　piece　of　driftwood　out　of　his　way　with　too　
much　force。　It　sailed　over　the　sand　and　then　clattered　against　the　rocks。　“I　mean；　since　the　last　time　we　。　。　。　
well；　before；　you　know　。　。　。”　He　struggled　for　the　words。　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　tried　again。　“What　I’m　
asking　is　。　。　。　everything　is　just　back　to　the　way　it　was　before　he　left？　You　forgave　him　for　all　of　that？”　
I　took　a　deep　breath。　“There　was　nothing　to　forgive。”　
I　wanted　to　skip　past　this　part；　the　betrayals；　the　accusations；　but　I　knew　that　we　had　to　talk　it　through　
before　we’d　be　able　to　move　on　to　anything　else。　
Jacob’s　face　puckered　up　like　he’d　just　licked　a　lemon。　“I　wish　Sam　had　taken　a　picture　when　he　found　
you　that　night　last　September。　It　would　be　exhibit　A。”　
“Nobody’s　on　trial。”　
“Maybe　somebody　should　be。”　
“Not　even　you　would　blame　him　for　leaving；　if　you　knew　the　reason　why。”　
He　glared　at　me　for　a　few　seconds。　“Okay；”　he　challenged　acidly。　“Amaze　me。”　
His　hostility　was　wearing　on　me　—　chafing　against　the　raw；　it　hurt　to　have　him　angry　with　me。　It　reminded　
me　of　the　bleak　afternoon；　long　ago；　when　—　under　orders　from　Sam　—　he’d　told　me　we　couldn’t　be　friends。　
I　took　a　second　to　pose　myself。　
“Edward　left　me　last　fall　because　he　didn’t　think　I　should　be　hanging　out　with　vampires。　He