第47部分(第1/7 页)

Alice　scowled　at　the　floor　for　a　moment。　〃Well　I　guess　I　acted　impulsively

today。　I　probably　shouldn't

have　intruded。〃

I　could　feel　the　blood　draining　from　my　face。　My　stomach　dropped。　〃Don't　go；

Alice；〃　I　whispered。　My

fingers　locked　around　the　collar　of　her　white　shirt　and　I　began　to

hyperventilate。　〃Please　don't　leave　me。〃

Her　eyes　opened　wider。　〃All　right；〃　she　said；　enunciating　each　word　with　slow

precision。　〃I'm　not　going

anywhere　tonight。　Take　a　deep　breath。〃

I　tried　to　obey；　though　I　couldn't　quite　locate　my　lungs。

She　watched　my　face　while　I　concentrated　on　my　breathing。　She　waited　till　I

was　calmer　to　ment。

〃You　look　like　hell；　Bella。〃

〃I　drowned　today；〃　I　reminded　her。

〃It　goes　deeper　than　that。　You're　a　mess。〃

I　flinched。　〃Look；　I'm　doing　my　best。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃

〃It　hasn't　been　easy。　I'm　working　on　it。〃

She　frowned。　〃I　told　him；〃　she　said　to　herself。

〃Alice；〃　I　sighed。　〃What　did　you　think　you　were　going　to　find？　I　mean；　besides

me　dead？　Did　you　expect

to　find　me　skipping　around　and　whistling　show　tunes？　You　know　me　better　than

that。〃

〃I　do。　But　I　hoped。〃

〃Then　I　guess　I　don't　have　the　corner　on　the　idiocy　market。〃

The　phone　rang。

〃That　has　to　be　Charlie；〃　I　said；　staggering　to　my　feet。　I　grabbed　Alice's

stone　hand　and　dragged　her　with

me　to　the　kitchen。　I　wasn't　about　to　let　her　out　of　my　sight。

〃Charlie？〃　I　answered　the　phone。

〃No；　it's　me；〃　Jacob　said。

〃Jake！〃

Alice　scrutinized　my　expression。

〃Just　making　sure　you　were　still　alive；〃　Jacob　said　sourly。

〃I'm　fine。　I　told　you　that　it　wasn't—〃

〃Yeah。　I