1 twilight暮色-第59章

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from　Alice。　I　wasn't　sure　if　I　could　lie　as　convincingly　with　her　eyes　on　
me。　〃Everything　is　fine；　okay？　Just　give　me　a　minute　and　I'll　explain　
everything；　I　promise。〃　

I　paused；　surprised　that　she　hadn't　interrupted　me　yet。　

〃Mom？〃　

〃Be　very　careful　not　to　say　anything　until　I　tell　you　to。〃　The　voice　I　
heard　now　was　as　unfamiliar　as　it　was　unexpected。　It　was　a　man's　tenor　
voice；　a　very　pleasant；　generic　voice　—　the　kind　of　voice　that　you　heard　
in　the　background　of　luxury　car　mercials。　He　spoke　very　quickly。　

〃Now；　I　don't　need　to　hurt　your　mother；　so　please　do　exactly　as　I　say；　
and　she'll　be　fine。〃　He　paused　for　a　minute　while　I　listened　in　mute　
horror。　〃That's　very　good；〃　he　congratulated。　〃Now　repeat　after　me；　and　
do　try　to　sound　natural。　Please　say；　'No；　Mom；　stay　where　you　are。'〃　

〃No；　Mom；　stay　where　you　are。〃　My　voice　was　barely　more　than　a　whisper。　

〃I　can　see　this　is　going　to　be　difficult。〃　The　voice　was　amused；　still　
light　and　friendly。　〃Why　don't　you　walk　into　another　room　now　so　your　
face　doesn't　ruin　everything？　There's　no　reason　for　your　mother　to　
suffer。　As　you're　walking；　please　say；　'Mom；　please　listen　to　me。'　Say　it　
now。〃　

〃Mom；　please　listen　to　me；〃　my　voice　pleaded。　I　walked　very　slowly　to　the　
bedroom；　feeling　Alice's　worried　stare　on　my　back。　I　shut　the　door　behind　
me；　trying　to　think　clearly　through　the　terror　that　gripped　my　brain。　

〃There　now；　are　you　alone？　Just　answer　yes　or　no。〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃But　they　can　still　hear　you；　I'm　sure。〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃All　right；　then；〃　the　agreeable　voice　continued；　〃say；　'Mom；　trust　me。'〃　

〃Mom；　trust　me。〃　

〃This　worked　out　rather　better　than　I　expected。　I　was　prepared　to　wait；　
but　your　mother　arrived　ahead　of　schedule。　It's　easier　this　way；　isn't　
it？　Less　suspense；　less　anxiety　for　you。〃　

I　waited。　

〃Now　I　want　you　to　listen　very　carefully。　I'm　going　to　need　you　to　get　
away　from　your　friends；　do　you　think　you　can　do　that？　Answer　yes　or　no。〃　

〃No。〃　

〃I'm　sorry　to　hear　that。　I　was　hoping　you　would　be　a　little　more　creative　
than　that。　Do　you　think　you　could　get　away　from　them　if　your　mother's　
life　depended　on　it？　Answer　yes　or　no。〃　

Somehow；　there　had　to　be　a　way。　I　remembered　that　we　were　going　to　the　
airport。　Sky　Harbor　International　Airport：　crowded；　confusingly　laid　out…　

〃Yes。〃　

〃That's　better。　I'm　sure　it　won't　be　easy；　but　if　I　get　the　slightest　

hint　that　you　have　any　pany；　well；　that　would　be　very　bad　for　your　
mother；〃　the　friendly　voice　promised。　〃You　must　know　enough　about　us　by　
now　to　realize　how　quickly　I　would　know　if　you　tried　to　bring　anyone　
along　with　you。　And　how　little　time　I　would　need　to　deal　with　your　mother　
if　that　was　the　case。　Do　you　understand？　Answer　yes　or　no。〃　

〃Yes。〃　My　voice　broke。　

〃Very　good；　Bella。　Now　this　is　what　you　have　to　do。　I　want　you　to　go　to　
your　mother's　house。　Next　to　the　phone　there　will　be　a　number。　Call　it；　
and　I'll　tell　you　where　to　go　from　there。〃　I　already　knew　where　I　would　
go；　and　where　this　would　end。　But　I　would　follow　his　instructions　
exactly。　〃Can　you　do　that？　Answer　yes　or　no。〃　

〃Yes。〃　

〃Before　noon；　please；　Bella。　I　haven't　got　all　day；〃　he　said　politely。　

〃Where's　Phil？〃　I　asked　tersely。　

〃Ah；　be　careful　now；　Bella。　Wait　until　I　ask　you　to　speak；　please。〃　

I　waited。　

〃It's　important；　now；　that　you　don't　make　your　friends　suspicious　when　
you　go　back　to　them。　Tell　them　that　your　mother　called；　and　that　you　
talked　her　out　of　ing　home　for　the　time　being。　Now　repeat　after　me；　
'Thank　you；　Mom。'　Say　it　now。〃　

〃Thank　you；　Mom。〃　The　tears　were　ing。　I　tried　to　fight　them　back。　

〃Say；　'I　love　you；　Mom；　I'll　see　you　soon。'　Say　it　now。〃　

〃I　love　you；　Mom。〃　My　voice　was　thick。　〃I'll　see　you　soon；〃　I　promised。　

〃Goodbye；　Bella。　I　look　forward　to　seeing　you　again。〃　He　hung　up。　

I　held　the　phone　to　my　ear。　My　joints　were　frozen　with　terror　—　I　
couldn't　unbend　my　fingers　to　drop　it。　

I　knew　I　had　to　think；　but　my　head　was　filled　with　the　sound　of　my　
mother's　panic。　Seconds　ticked　by　while　I　fought　for　control。　

Slowly；　slowly；　my　thoughts　started　to　break　past　that　brick　wall　of　
pain。　To　plan。　For　I　had　no　choices　now　but　one：　to　go　to　the　mirrored　
room　and　die。　I　had　no　guarantees；　nothing　to　give　to　keep　my　mother　
alive。　I　could　only　hope　that　James　would　be　satisfied　with　winning　the　
game；　that　beating　Edward　would　be　enough。　Despair　gripped　me；　there　was　
no　way　to　bargain；　nothing　I　could　offer　or　withhold　that　could　influence　
him。　But　I　still　had　no　choice。　I　had　to　try。　

I　pushed　the　terror　back　as　well　as　I　could。　My　decision　was　made。　It　did　
no　good　to　waste　time　agonizing　over　the　oute。　I　had　to　think　clearly；　
because　Alice　and　Jasper　were　waiting　for　me；　and　evading　them　was　
absolutely　essential；　and　absolutely　impossible。　

I　was　suddenly　grateful　that　Jasper　was　gone。　If　he　had　been　here　to　feel　
my　anguish　in　the　last　five　minutes；　how　could　I　have　kept　them　from　
being　suspicious？　I　choked　back　the　dread；　the　anxiety；　tried　to　stifle　
it。　I　couldn't　afford　it　now。　I　didn't　know　when　he　would　return。　

I　concentrated　on　my　escape。　I　had　to　hope　that　my　familiarity　with　the　
airport　would　turn　the　odds　in　my　favor。　Somehow；　I　had　to　keep　Alice　
away…　

I　knew　Alice　was　in　the　other　room　waiting　for　me；　curious。　But　I　had　to　
deal　with　one　more　thing　in　private；　before　Jasper　was　back。　

I　had　to　accept　that　I　wouldn't　see　Edward　again；　not　even　one　last　
glimpse　of　his　face　to　carry　with　me　to　the　mirror　room。　I　was　going　to　
hurt　him；　and　I　couldn't　say　goodbye。　I　let　the　waves　of　torture　wash　
over　me；　have　their　way　for　a　time。　Then　I　pushed　them　back；　too；　and　

went　to　face　Alice。　

The　only　expression　I　could　manage　was　a　dull；　dead　look。　I　saw　her　alarm　
and　I　didn't　wait　for　her　to　ask。　I　had　just　one　script　and　I'd　never　
manage　improvisation　now。　

〃My　mom　was　worried；　she　wanted　to　e　home。　But　it's　okay；　I　convinced　
her　to　stay　away。〃　My　voice　was　lifeless。　

〃We'll　make　sure　she's　fine；　Bella；　don't　worry。〃　

I　turned　away；　I　couldn't　let　her　see　my　face。　

My　eye　fell　on　a　blank　page　of　the　hotel　stationery　on　the　desk。　I　went　
to　it　slowly；　a　plan　forming。　There　was　an　envelope　there；　too。　That　was　
good。　

〃Alice；〃　I　asked　slowly；　without　turning；　keeping　my　voice　level。　〃If　I　
write　a　letter　for　my　mother；　would　you　give　it　to　her？　Leave　it　at　the　
house；　I　mean。〃　

〃Sure；　Bella。〃　Her　voice　was　careful。　She　could　see　me　ing　apart　at　
the　seams。　I　had　to　keep　my　emotions　under　better　control。　

I　went　into　the　bedroom　again；　and　knelt　next　to　the　little　bedside　table　
to　write。　

〃Edward；〃　I　wrote。　My　hand　was　shaking；　the　letters　were　hardly　legible。　



I　love　you。　I　am　so　sorry。　He　has　my　mom；　and　I　have　to　try。　I　know　it　
may　not　work。　I　am　so　very；　very　sorry。　

Don't　be　angry　with　Alice　and　Jasper。　If　I　get　away　from　them　it　will　be　
a　miracle。　Tell　them　thank　you　for　me。　Alice　especially；　please。　

And　please；　please；　don't　e　after　him。　That's　what　he　wants。　I　think。　
I　can't　bear　it　if　anyone　has　to　be　hurt　because　of　me；　especially　you。　
Please；　this　is　the　only　thing　I　can　ask　you　now。　For　me。　

I　love　you。　Forgive　me。　

Bella　



I　folded　the　letter　carefully；　and　sealed　it　in　the　envelope。　Eventually　
he　would　find　it。　I　only　hoped　he　would　understand；　and　listen　to　me　just　
this　once。　

And　then　I　carefully　sealed　away　my　heart。　

===========================================================================　


22。　HIDEANDSEEK　




It　had　taken　much　less　time　than　I'd　thought　—　all　the　terror；　the　
despair；　the　shattering　of　my　heart。　The　minutes　were　ticking　by　more　
slowly　than　usual。　Jasper　still　hadn't　e　back　when　I　returned　to　
Alice。　I　was　afraid　to　be　in　the　same　room　with　her；　afraid　that　she　
would　guess…　and　afraid　to　hide　from　her　for　the　same　reason。　

I　would　have　thought　I　was　far　beyond　the　ability　to　be　surprised；　my　
thoughts　tortured　and　unstable；　but　I　was　surprised　when　I　saw　Alice　bent　
over　the　desk；　gripping　the　edge　with　two　hands。　

〃Alice？〃　

She　didn't　react　when　I　called　her　name；　but　her　head　was　slowly　rocking　
side　to　side；　and　I　saw　her　face。　Her　eyes　were　blank；　dazed…　My　thoughts　
flew　to　my　mother。　Was　I　already　too　late？　

I　hurried　to　her　side；　reaching　out　automatically　to　touch　her　hand。　

〃Alice！〃　Jasper's　voice　whipped；　and　then　he　was　right　behind　her；　his　
hands　curling　over　hers；　loosening　them　from　their　grip　on　the　table。　
Across　the　room；　the　door　swung　shut　with　a　low　click。　

〃What　is　it？〃　he　demanded。　

She　turned　her　face　away　from　me；　into　his　chest。　〃Bella；〃　she　said。　

〃I'm　right　here；〃　I　replied。　

Her　head　twisted　around；　her　eyes　locking　on　mine；　their　expression　still　
strangely　blank。　I　realized　at　once　that　she　hadn't　been　speaking　to　me；　
she'd　been　answering　Jasper's　question。　

〃What　did　you　see？〃　I　said　—　and　there　was　no　question　in　my　flat；　
uncaring　voice。　

Jasper　looked　at　me　sharply。　I　kept　my　expression　vacant　and　waited。　His　
eyes　were　confused　as　they　flickered　swiftly　between　Alice's　face　and　
mine；　feeling　the　chaos…　for　I　could　guess　what　Alice　had　seen　now。　

I　felt　a　tranquil　atmosphere　settle　around　me。　I　weled　it；　using　it　to　
keep　my　emotions　disciplined；　under　control。　

Alice；　too；　recovered　herself。　

〃Nothing；　really；〃　she　answered　finally；　her　voice　remarkably　calm　and　
convincing。　〃Just　the　same　room　as　before。〃　

She　finally　looked　at　me；　her　expression　smooth　and　withdrawn。　〃Did　you　
want　breakfast？〃　

〃No；　I'll　eat　at　the　airport。〃　I　was　very　calm；　too。　I　went　to　the　
bathroom　to　shower。　Almost　as　if　I　were　borrowing　Jasper's　strange　extra　
sense；　I　could　feel　Alice's　wild　—　though　wellconcealed　—　desperation　to　
have　me　out　of　the　room；　to　be　alone　with　Jasper。　So　she　could　tell　him　
that　they　were　doing　something　wrong；　that　they　were　going　to　fail…　

I　got　ready　methodically；　concentrating　on　each　little　task。　I　left　my　
hair　down；　swirling　around　me；　covering　my　face。　The　peaceful　mood　Jasper　
created　worked　its　way　through　me　and　helped　me　think　clearly。　Helped　me　
plan。　I　dug　thr