2 new+moon新月-第12章

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〃Yeah；　we　found　her。　She's　okay。　She　got　lost。　She's　fine　now；〃　he　said　again　and　again。　

I　heard　the　springs　in　the　armchair　groan　when　he　settled　himself　in　for　the　night。　

A　few　minutes　later；　the　phone　rang　again。　

Charlie　moaned　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet；　and　then　he　rushed；　stumbling；　to　the　kitchen　I　pulled　my　head　
deeper　under　the　blankets；　not　wanting　to　listen　to　the　same　conversation　again。　

〃Yeah；〃　Charlie　said；　and　yawned。　

His　voice　changed；　it　was　much　more　alert　when　he　spoke　again。　〃Where？'〃　There　was　a　pause。　〃You're　
sure　it's　outside　the　reservation？〃　Another　short　pause。　〃But　what　could　be　burning　out　there？〃　He　
sounded　both　worried　and　mystified。　〃Look；　I'll　call　down　there　and　check　it　out。〃　

I　listened　with　more　interest　as　he　punched　in　a　number。　

〃Hey；　Billy；　it's　Charlie—sorry　I'm　calling　so　early…　no；　she's　fine。　She's　sleeping…　Thanks；　but　that's　
not　why　I　called。　I　just　got　a　call　from　Mrs。　Stanley；　and　she　says　that　from　her　secondstory　window　she　
can　see　fires　out　on　the　sea　cliffs；　but　I　didn't　really…　Oh！〃　Suddenly　there　was　an　edge　in　his　
voice—irritation…　or　anger。　〃And　why　are　they　doing　that？　Uh　huh。　Really？〃　He　said　it　sarcastically。　
〃Well；　don't　apologize　to　me。　Yeah；　yeah。　Just　make　sure　the　flames　don't　spread…　I　know；　I　know；　I'm　
surprised　they　got　them　lit　at　all　in　this　weather。〃　

Charlie　hesitated；　and　then　added　grudgingly。　〃Thanks　for　sending　Sam　and　the　other　boys　up。　You　were　
right—they　do　know　the　forest　better　than　we　do。　It　was　Sam　who　found　her；　so　I　owe　you　one…　Yeah；　
I'll　talk　to　you　later；〃　he　agreed；　still　sour；　before　hanging　up。　

Charlie　muttered　something　incoherent　as　he　shuffled　back　to　the　living　room。　

〃What's　wrong？〃　I　asked。　

He　hurried　to　my　side。　

〃I'm　sorry　I　woke　you；　honey。〃　

〃Is　something　burning？〃　

〃It's　nothing；〃　he　assured　me。　〃Just　some　bonfires　out　on　the　cliffs。〃　

〃Bonfires？〃　I　asked。　My　voice　didn't　sound　curious。　It　sounded　dead。　

Charlie　frowned。　〃Some　of　the　kids　from　the　reservation　being　rowdy；〃　he　explained。　

〃Why？〃　I　wondered　dully。　

I　could　tell　he　didn't　want　to　answer。　He　looked　at　the　floor　under　his　knees。　〃They're　celebrating　the　
news。〃　His　tone　was　bitter。　

There　was　only　one　piece　of　news　I　could　think　of；　try　as　I　might　not　to。　And　then　the　pieces　snapped　
together。　〃Because　the　Cullens　left；〃　I　whispered。　〃They　don't　like　the　Cullens　in　La　Push—I'd　forgotten　
about　that。〃　

The　Quileutes　had　their　superstitions　about　the　〃cold　ones；〃　the　blooddrinkers　that　were　enemies　to　their　
tribe；　just　like　they　had　their　legends　of　the　great　flood　and　wolfmen　ancestors。　Just　stories；　folklore；　to　
most　of　them。　Then　there　were　the　few　that　believed。　Charlie's　good　friend　Billy　Black　believed；　though　
even　Jacob；　his　own　son；　thought　he　was　full　of　stupid　superstitions。　Billy　had　warned　me　to　stay　away　
from　the　Cullens…　

The　name　stirred　something　inside　me；　something　that　began　to　claw　its　way　toward　the　surface；　
something　I　knew　I　didn't　want　to　face。　

〃It's　ridiculous；〃　Charlie　spluttered。　

We　sat　in　silence　for　a　moment。　The　sky　was　no　longer　black　outside　the　window。　Somewhere　behind　
the　rain；　the　sun　was　beginning　to　rise。　

〃Bella？〃　Charlie　asked。　

I　looked　at　him　uneasily。　

〃He　left　you　alone　in　the　woods？〃　Charlie　guessed。　

I　deflected　his　question。　〃How　did　you　know　where　to　find　me？〃　My　mind　shied　away　from　the　inevitable　
awareness　that　was　ing；　ing　quickly　now。　

〃Your　note；〃　Charlie　answered。　surprised。　He　reached　into　the　back　pocket　of　his　jeans　and　pulled　out　a　
muchabused　piece　of　paper。　It　was　dirty　and　damp；　with　multiple　creases　from　being　opened　and　
refolded　many　times。　He　unfolded　it　again；　and　held　it　up　as　evidence。　The　messy　handwriting　was　
remarkably　close　to　my　own。　

Going　for　a　walk　with　Edward；　up　the　path；　it　said。　Back　soon；　B。　

〃When　you　didn't　e　back；　I　called　the　Cullens；　and　no　one　answered；〃　Charlie　said　in　a　low　voice。　
〃Then　I　called　the　hospital；　and　Dr。　Gerandy　told　me　that　Carlisle　was　gone。〃　

〃Where　did　they　go？〃　I　mumbled。　

He　stared　at　me。　〃Didn't　Edward　tell　you？〃　

I　shook　my　head；　recoiling。　The　sound　of　his　name　unleashed　the　thing　that　was　clawing　inside　of　me—a　

pain　that　knocked　me　breathless；　astonished　me　with　its　force。　

Charlie　eyed　me　doubtfully　as　he　answered。　〃Carlisle　took　a　job　with　a　big　hospital　in　Los　Angeles。　I　
guess　they　threw　a　lot　of　money　at　him。〃　

Sunny　L。A。　The　last　place　they　would　really　go。　I　remembered　my　nightmare　with　the　mirror…　the　bright　
sunlight　shimmering　off　of　his　skin—　

Agony　ripped　through　me　with　the　memory　of　his　face。　

〃I　want　to　know　if　Edward　left　you　alone　out　there　in　the　middle　of　the　woods；〃　Charlie　insisted。　

His　name　sent　another　wave　of　torture　through　me。　I　shook　my　head；　frantic；　desperate　to　escape　the　
pain。　〃It　was　my　fault。　He　left　me　right　here　on　the　trail；　in　sight　of　the　house…　but　I　tried　to　follow　him。〃　

Charlie　started　to　say　something；　childishly；　I　covered　my　ears。　〃I　can't　talk　about　this　anymore；　Dad。　I　
want　to　go　to　my　room。〃　

Before　he　could　answer；　I　scrambled　up　from　the　couch　and　lurched　my　way　up　the　stairs。　

Someone　had　been　in　the　house　to　leave　a　note　for　Charlie；　a　note　that　would　lead　him　to　find　me。　From　
the　minute　that　I'd　realized　this；　a　horrible　suspicion　began　to　grow　in　my　head。　I　rushed　to　my　room；　
shutting　and　locking　the　door　behind　me　before　I　ran　to　the　CD　player　by　my　bed。　

Everything　looked　exactly　the　same　as　I'd　left　it。　I　pressed　down　on　the　top　of　the　CD　player。　The　latch　
unhooked；　and　the　lid　slowly　swung　open。　

It　was　empty。　

The　album　Renee　had　given　me　sat　on　the　floor　beside　the　bed；　just　where　I'd　put　it　last。　I　lifted　the　cover　
with　a　shaking　hand。　

I　didn't　have　to　flip　any　farther　than　the　first　page。　The　little　metal　corners　no　longer　held　a　picture　in　
place。　The　page　was　blank　except　for　my　own　handwriting　scrawled　across　the　bottom：　Edward　Cullen；　
Charlie's　kitchen；　Sept。　13th。　

I　stopped　there。　I　was　sure　that　he　would　have　been　very　thorough。　

It　will　be　as　if　I'd　never　existed；　he'd　promised　me。　

I　felt　the　smooth　wooden　floor　beneath　my　knees；　and　then　the　palms　of　my　hands；　and　then　it　was　
pressed　against　the　skin　of　my　cheek。　I　hoped　that　I　was　fainting；　but；　to　my　disappointment；　I　didn't　lose　
consciousness。　The　waves　of　pain　that　had　only　lapped　at　me　before　now　reared　high　up　and　washed　
over　my　head；　pulling　me　under。　

I　did　not　resurface。　

OCTOBER　




NOVEMBER　

DECEMBER　




JANUARY　




4。　WAKING　UP　




TIME　PASSES。　EVEN　WHEN　IT　SEEMS　IMPOSSIBLE。　EVEN　when　each　tick　of　the　second　hand　
aches　like　the　pulse　of　blood　behind　a　bruise。　It　passes　unevenly；　in　strange　lurches　and　dragging　lulls；　but　
pass　it　does。　Even　for　me。　




CHARLIE'S　FIST　CAME　DOWN　ON　THE　TABLE。　〃THAT'S　IT；　Bella！　I'm　sending　you　home。〃　

I　looked　up　from　my　cereal；　which　I　was　pondering　rather　than　eating；　and　stared　at　Charlie　in　shock。　I　
hadn't　been　following　the　conversation—actually；　I　hadn't　been　aware　that　we　were　having　a　
conversation—and　I　wasn't　sure　what　he　meant。　

〃I　am　home；〃　I　mumbled；　confused。　

〃I'm　sending　you　to　Renee；　to　Jacksonville；〃　he　clarified。　

Charlie　watched　with　exasperation　as　I　slowly　grasped　the　meaning　of　his　words。　

〃What　did　I　do？〃　I　felt　my　face　crumple。　It　was　so　unfair。　My　behavior　had　been　above　reproach　for　the　
past　four　months。　After　that　first　week；　which　neither　of　us　ever　mentioned；　I　hadn't　missed　a　day　of　
school　or　work。　My　grades　were　perfect。　I　never　broke　curfew—I　never　went　anywhere　from　which　to　
break　curfew　in　the　first　place。　I　only　very　rarely　served　leftovers。　

Charlie　was　scowling。　

〃You　didn't　do　anything。　That's　the　problem。　You　never　do　anything。〃　

〃You　want　me　to　get　into　trouble？〃　I　wondered；　my　eyebrows　pulling　together　in　mystification。　I　made　an　
effort　to　pay　attention。　It　wasn't　easy。　I　was　so　used　to　tuning　everything　out；　my　ears　felt　stopped　up。　

〃Trouble　would　be　better　than　this…　this　moping　around　all　the　time！〃　

That　stung　a　bit。　I'd　been　careful　to　avoid　all　forms　of　moroseness；　moping　included。　

〃I　am　not　moping　around。〃　

〃Wrong　word；〃　he　grudgingly　conceded。　〃Moping　would　be　better—that　would　be　doing　something。　
You're　just…　lifeless；　Bella。　I　think　that's　the　word　I　want。〃　

This　accusation　struck　home。　I　sighed　and　tried　to　put　some　animation　into　my　response。　

〃I'm　sorry；　Dad。〃　My　apology　sounded　a　little　flat；　even　to　me。　I'd　thought　I'd　been　fooling　him。　Keeping　
Charlie　from　suffering　was　the　whole　point　of　all　this　effort。　How　depressing　to　think　that　the　effort　had　
been　wasted。　

〃I　don't　want　you　to　apologize。〃　

I　sighed。　〃Then　tell　me　what　you　do　want　me　to　do。〃　

〃Bella；〃　he　hesitated；　scrutinizing　my　reaction　to　his　next　words。　〃Honey；　you're　not　the　first　person　to　go　
through　this　kind　of　thing；　you　know。〃　

〃I　know　that。〃　My　acpanying　grimace　was　limp　and　unimpressive。　

〃Listen；　honey。　I　think　that—that　maybe　you　need　some　help。〃　

〃Help？〃　

He　paused；　searching　for　the　words　again。　〃When　your　mother　left；〃　he　began；　frowning；　〃and　took　you　
with　her。〃　He　inhaled　deeply。　〃Well；　that　was　a　really　bad　time　for　me。〃　

〃I　know；　Dad；〃　I　mumbled。　

〃But　I　handled　it；〃　he　pointed　out。　〃Honey；　you're　not　handling　it。　I　waited；　I　hoped　it　would　get　better。〃　
He　stared　at　me　and　I　looked　down　quickly。　〃I　think　we　both　know　it's　not　getting　better。〃　

〃I'mfine。〃　

He　ignored　me。　〃Maybe；　well；　maybe　if　you　talked　to　someone　about　it。　A　professional。〃　

〃You　want　me　to　see　a　shrink？〃　My　voice　was　a　shade　sharper　as　I　realized　what　he　was　getting　at。　

〃Maybe　it　would　help。〃　

〃And　maybe　it　wouldn't　help　one　little　bit。〃　

I　didn't　know　much　about　psychoanalysis；　but　I　was　pretty　sure　that　it　didn't　work　unless　the　subject　was　
relatively　honest。　Sure；　I　could　tell　the　truth—if　I　wanted　to　spend　the　rest　of　my　life　in　a　padded　cell。　

He　examined　my　obstinate　expression；　and　switched　to　another　line　of　attack。　

〃It's　beyond　me；　Bella。　Maybe　your　mother—〃　

〃Look；〃　I　said　in　a　flat　vo