暮色-第76部分

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〃I'm　alone。〃　I'd　never　been　more　alone　in　my　entire　life。　

〃Very　good。　Now；　do　you　know　the　ballet　studio　just　around　the　corner　
from　your　home？〃　

〃Yes。　I　know　how　to　get　there。〃　

〃Well；　then；　I'll　see　you　very　soon。〃　

I　hung　up。　

I　ran　from　the　room；　through　the　door；　out　into　the　baking　heat。　

There　was　no　time　to　look　back　at　my　house；　and　I　didn't　want　to　see　it　
as　it　was　now　—　empty；　a　symbol　of　fear　instead　of　sanctuary。　The　last　
person　to　walk　through　those　familiar　rooms　was　my　enemy。　

From　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　could　almost　see　my　mother　standing　in　the　
shade　of　the　big　eucalyptus　tree　where　I'd　played　as　a　child。　Or　kneeling　

by　the　little　plot　of　dirt　around　the　mailbox；　the　cemetery　of　all　the　
flowers　she'd　tried　to　grow。　The　memories　were　better　than　any　reality　I　
would　see　today。　But　I　raced　away　from　them；　toward　the　corner；　leaving　
everything　behind　me。　

I　felt　so　slow；　like　I　was　running　through　wet　sand　—　I　couldn't　seem　to　
get　enough　purchase　from　the　concrete。　I　tripped　several　times；　once　
falling；　catching　myself　with　my　hands；　scraping　them　on　the　sidewalk；　
and　then　lurching　up　to　plunge　forward　again。　But　at　last　I　made　it　to　
the　corner。　Just　another　street　now；　I　ran；　sweat　pouring　down　my　face；　
gasping。　The　sun　was　hot　on　my　skin；　too　bright　as　it　bounced　off　the　
white　concrete　and　blinded　me。　I　felt　dangerously　exposed。　More　fiercely　
than　I　would　have　dreamed　I　was　capable　of；　I　wished　for　the　green；　
protective　forests　of　Forks…　of　home。　

When　I　rounded　the　last　corner；　onto　Cactus；　I　could　see　the　studio；　
looking　just　as　I　remembered　it。　The　parking　lot　in　front　was　empty；　the　
vertical　blinds　in　all　the　windows　drawn。　I　couldn't　run　anymore　—　I　
couldn't　breathe；　exertion　and　fear　had　gotten　the　best　of　me。　I　thought　
of　my　mother　to　keep　my　feet　moving；　one　in　front　of　the　other。　

As　I　got　closer；　I　could　see　the　sign　inside　the　door。　It　was　handwritten　
on　hot　pink　paper；　it　said　the　dance　studio　was　closed　for　spring　break。　
I　touched　the　handle；　tugged　on　it　cautiously。　It　was　unlocked。　I　fought　
to　catch　my　breath；　and　opened　the　door。　

The　lobby　was　dark　and　empty；　cool；　the　air　conditioner　thrumming。　The　
plastic　molded　chairs　were　stacked　along　the　walls；　and　the　carpet　
smelled　like　shampoo。　The　west　dance　floor　was　dark；　I　could　see　through　
the　open　viewing　window。　The　east　dance　floor；　the　bigger　room；　was　lit。　
But　the　blinds　were　closed　on　the　window。　

Terror　seized　me　so　strongly　that　I　was　literally　trapped　by　it。　I　
couldn't　make　my　feet　move　forward。　

And　then　my　mother's　voice　called。　

〃Bella？　Bella？〃　That　same　tone　of　hysterical　panic。　I　sprinted　to　the　
door；　to　the　sound　of　her　voice。　

〃Bella；　you　scared　me！　Don't　you　ever　do　that　to　me　again！〃　Her　voice　
continued　as　I　ran　into　the　long；　highceilinged　room。　

I　stared　around　me；　trying　to　find　where　her　voice　was　ing　from。　I　
heard　her　laugh；　and　I　whirled　to　the　sound。　

There　she　was；　on　the　TV　screen；　tousling　my　hair　in　relief。　It　was　
Thanksgiving；　and　I　was　twelve。　We'd　gone　to　see　my　grandmother　in　
California；　the　last　year　before　she　died。　We　went　to　the　beach　one　day；　
and　I'd　leaned　too　far　over　the　edge　of　the　pier。　She'd　seen　my　feet　
flailing；　trying　to　reclaim　my　balance。　〃Bella？　Bella？〃　she'd　called　to　
me　in　fear。　

And　then　the　TV　screen　was　blue。　

I　turned　slowly。　He　was　standing　very　still　by　the　back　exit；　so　still　I　
hadn't　noticed　him　at　first。　In　his　hand　was　a　remote　control。　We　stared　
at　each　other　for　a　long　moment；　and　then　he　smiled。　

He　walked　toward　me；　quite　close；　and　then　passed　me　to　put　the　remote　
down　next　to　the　VCR。　I　turned　carefully　to　watch　him。　

〃Sorry　about　that；　Bella；　but　isn't　it　better　that　your　mother　didn't　
really　have　to　be　involved　in　all　this？〃　His　voice　was　courteous；　kind。　

And　suddenly　it　hit　me。　My　mother　was　safe。　She　was　still　in　Florida。　
She'd　never　gotten　my　message。　She'd　never　been　terrified　by　the　dark　red　
eyes　in　the　abnormally　pale　face　before　me。　She　was　safe。　

〃Yes；〃　I　answered；　my　voice　saturated　with　relief。　

〃You　don't　sound　angry　that　I　tricked　you。〃　

〃I'm　not。〃　My　sudden　high　made　me　brave。　What　did　it　matter　now？　It　would　
soon　be　over。　Charlie　and　Mom　would　never　be　harmed；　would　never　have　to　
fear。　I　felt　almost　giddy。　Some　analytical　part　of　my　mind　warned　me　that　
I　was　dangerously　close　to　snapping　from　the　stress。　

〃How　odd。　You　really　mean　it。〃　His　dark　eyes　assessed　me　with　interest。　
The　irises　were　nearly　black；　just　a　hint　of　ruby　around　the　edges。　
Thirsty。　〃I　will　give　your　strange　coven　this　much；　you　humans　can　be　
quite　interesting。　I　guess　I　can　see　the　draw　of　observing　you。　It's　
amazing　—　some　of　you　seem　to　have　no　sense　of　your　own　selfinterest　at　
all。〃　

He　was　standing　a　few　feet　away　from　me；　arms　folded；　looking　at　me　
curiously。　There　was　no　menace　in　his　face　or　stance。　He　was　so　very　
averagelooking；　nothing　remarkable　about　his　face　or　body　at　all。　Just　
the　white　skin；　the　circled　eyes　I'd　grown　so　used　to。　He　wore　a　pale　
blue；　longsleeved　shirt　and　faded　blue　jeans。　

〃I　suppose　you're　going　to　tell　me　that　your　boyfriend　will　avenge　you？〃　
he　asked；　hopefully　it　seemed　to　me。　

〃No；　I　don't　think　so。　At　least；　I　asked　him　not　to。〃　

〃And　what　was　his　reply　to　that？〃　

〃I　don't　know。〃　It　was　strangely　easy　to　converse　with　this　genteel　
hunter。　〃I　left　him　a　letter。〃　

〃How　romantic；　a　last　letter。　And　do　you　think　he　will　honor　it？〃　His　
voice　was　just　a　little　harder　now；　a　hint　of　sarcasm　marring　his　polite　
tone。　

〃I　hope　so。〃　

〃Hmmm。　Well；　our　hopes　differ　then。　You　see；　this　was　all　just　a　little　
too　easy；　too　quick。　To　be　quite　honest；　I'm　disappointed。　I　expected　a　
much　greater　challenge。　And；　after　all；　I　only　needed　a　little　luck。〃　

I　waited　in　silence。　

〃When　Victoria　couldn't　get　to　your　father；　I　had　her　find　out　more　about　
you。　There　was　no　sense　in　running　all　over　the　pla　chasing　you　down　
when　I　could　fortably　wait　for　you　in　a　place　of　my　choosing。　So；　
after　I　talked　to　Victoria；　I　decided　to　e　to　Phoenix　to　pay　your　
mother　a　visit。　I'd　heard　you　say　you　were　going　home。　At　first；　I　never　
dreamed　you　meant　it。　But　then　I　wondered。　Humans　can　be　very　
predictable；　they　like　to　be　somewhere　familiar；　somewhere　safe。　And　
wouldn't　it　be　the　perfect　ploy；　to　go　to　the　last　place　you　should　be　
when　you're　hiding　—　the　place　that　you　said　you'd　be。　

〃But　of　course　I　wasn't　sure；　it　was　just　a　hunch。　I　usually　get　a　
feeling　about　the　prey　that　I'm　hunting；　a　sixth　sense；　if　you　will。　I　
listened　to　your　message　when　I　got　to　your　mother's　house；　but　of　course　
I　couldn't　be　sure　where　you'd　called　from。　It　was　very　useful　to　have　
your　number；　but　you　could　have　been　in　Antarctica　for　all　I　knew；　and　
the　game　wouldn't　work　unless　you　were　close　by。　

〃Then　your　boyfriend　got　on　a　plane　to　Phoenix。　Victoria　was　monitoring　
them　for　me；　naturally；　in　a　game　with　this　many　players；　I　couldn't　be　
working　alone。　And　so　they　told　me　what　I'd　hoped；　that　you　were　here　
after　all。　I　was　prepared；　I'd　already　been　through　your　charming　home　
movies。　And　then　it　was　simply　a　matter　of　the　bluff。　

〃Very　easy；　you　know；　not　really　up　to　my　standards。　So；　you　see；　I'm　
hoping　you're　wrong　about　your　boyfriend。　Edward；　isn't　it？〃　

I　didn't　answer。　The　bravado　was　wearing　off。　I　sensed　that　he　was　ing　
to　the　end　of　his　gloat。　It　wasn't　meant　for　me　anyway。　There　was　no　
glory　in　beating　me；　a　weak　human。　

〃Would　you　mind；　very　much；　if　I　left　a　little　letter　of　my　own　for　your　

Edward？〃　

He　took　a　step　back　and　touched　a　palmsized　digital　video　camera　
balanced　carefully　on　top　of　the　stereo。　A　small　red　light　indicated　that　
it　was　already　running。　He　adjusted　it　a　few　times；　widened　the　frame。　I　
stared　at　him　in　horror。　

〃I'm　sorry；　but　I　just　don't　think　he'll　be　able　to　resist　hunting　me　
after　he　watches　this。　And　I　wouldn't　want　him　to　miss　anything。　It　was　
all　for　him；　of　course。　You're　simply　a　human；　who　unfortunately　was　in　
the　wrong　place；　at　the　wrong　time；　and　indis