He looked away into the trees as he spoke again。 〃Of course； I'll always love
you in a way。 But what
happened the other night made me realize that it's time for a change。 Because
I'm tired of pretending
to be something I'm not； Bella。 I am not human。〃 He looked back； and the icy
planes of his perfect face
were not human。 〃I've let this go on much too long； and I'm sorry for that。〃
〃Don't。〃 My voice was just a whisper now； awareness was beginning to seep
through me； trickling like
acid through my veins。 〃Don't do this。〃
He just stared at me； and I could see from his eyes that my words were far too
late。 He already had。
〃You're not good for me； Bella。〃 He turned his earlier words around； and so I
had no argument。 How
well I knew that I wasn't good enough for him。
I opened my mouth to say something； and then closed it again。 He waited
patiently； his face wiped clean
of all emotion。 I tried again。
〃If that's what you want。〃
He nodded once。
My whole body went numb。 I couldn't feel anything below the neck。
〃I would like to ask one favor； though； if that's not too much；〃 he said。
I wonder what he saw on my face； because something flickered across his own
face in response。 But；
before I could identify it； he'd posed his features into the same serene
mask。
〃Anything；〃 I vowed； my voice faintly stronger。
As I watched； his frozen eyes melted。 The gold became liquid again； molten；
burning down into mine with
an intensity that was overwhelming。
〃Don't do anything reckless or stupid；〃 he ordered； no longer detached。 〃Do
you understand what I'm
saying？〃
I nodded helplessly。
His eyes cooled； the distance returned。 〃I'm thinking of Charlie； of course。
He needs you。 Take care of
yourself—for him。〃
I nodded again。 〃I will；〃 I whispered。
He seemed to relax just a little。
〃And I'll make you a promise in return；〃 he said。 〃I promise that this will be
the last time you'll see me。 I
won't e back。 I won't put you through anything like this again。 You can go
on with your life without
any more interference from me。 It will be as if I'd never existed。〃
My knees must have started to shake； because the trees were suddenly wobbling。
I could hear the blood
pounding faster than normal behind my ears。 His voice sounded farther away。
He smiled gently。 〃Don't worry。 You're human—your memory is no more than a
sieve。 Time heals all
wounds for your kind。〃
〃And your memories？〃 I asked。 It sounded like there was something stuck in my
throat； like I was
choking。
〃Well〃—he hesitated for a short second—〃I won't forget。 But my kind we're
very easily distracted。〃
He smiled； the smile was tranquil and it did not touch his eyes。
He took a step away from me。 〃That's everything； I suppose。 We won't bother
you again。〃
The plural caught my attention。 That surprised me； I would have thought I was
beyond noticing anything。
〃Alice isn't ing back；〃 I realized。 I don't know how he heard me—the words
made no sound—but he
seemed to understand。
He shook his head slowly； always watching my face。
〃No。 They're all gone。 I staved behind to tell you goodbye。〃
〃Alice is gone？〃 My voice was blank with disbelief。
〃She wanted to say goodbye； but I convinced her that a clean break would be
better for you。〃
I was dizzy； it was hard to concentrate。 His words swirled around in my head；
and I heard the doctor at
the hospital in Phoenix； last spring； as he showed me the X…rays。 You can see
it's a clean break； his
finger traced along the picture of my severed bone。 That's good。 It will heal
more easily； more quickly
。
I tried to breathe normally。 I needed to concentrate； to find a way out of
this nightmare。
〃Goodbye； Bella；〃 he said in the same quiet； peaceful voice。
〃Wait！〃 I choked out the word； reaching for him； willing my deadened legs to
carry me forward。
I thought he was reaching for me； too。 But his cold hands locked around my
wrists and pinned them to
my sides。 He leaned down； and pressed his lips very lightly to my forehead for
the briefest instant。 My
eyes closed。
〃Take care of yourself；〃 he breathed； cool against my skin。
There was a light； unnatural breeze。 My eyes flashed open。 The leaves on a
small vine maple shuddered
with the gentle wind of his passage。
He was gone。
With shaky legs； ignoring the fact that my action was useless； I followed him
into the forest。 The evidence
of his path had disappeared instantly。 There were no footprints； the leaves
were still again； but I walked
forward without thinking。 I could not do anything else。 I had to keep moving。
If I stopped looking for
him； it was over。
Love； life； meaning over。
I walked and walked。 Time made no sense as I pushed slowly through the thick
undergrowth。 It was
hours passing； but also only seconds。 Maybe it felt like time had frozen
because the forest looked the
same no matter how far I went。 I started to worry that I was traveling in a
circle； a very small circle at
that； but I kept going。 I stumbled often； and； as it grew darker and darker； I
fell often； too。
Finally； I tripped over something—it was black now； I had no idea what caught
my foot—and I stayed
down。 I rolled onto my side； so that I could breathe； and curled up on the wet
bracken。
As I lay there； I had a feeling that more time was passing than I realized。 I
couldn't remember how long it
had been since nightfall。 Was it always so dark here at night？ Surely； as a
rule； some little bit of moonlight
would filter down through the clouds； through the chinks in the canopy of
trees； and find the ground。
Not tonight。 Tonight the sky was utterly black。 Perhaps there was no moon
tonight—a lunar eclipse； a
new moon。
A new moon。 I shivered； though I wasn't cold。
It was black for a long time before I heard them calling。
Someone was shouting my name。 It was muted； muffled by the wet growth that
surrounded me； but it
was definitely my name。 I didn't recognize the voice。 I thought about
answering； but I was dazed； and it
took a long time to e to the conclusion that I should answer。 By then； the
calling had stopped。
Sometime later； the rain woke me up。 I don't think I'd really fallen asleep； I
was just lost in an unthinking
stupor； holding with all my strength to the numbness that kept me from
realizing what I didn't want to
know。
The rain bothered me a little。 It was cold。 I unwrapped my arms from around my
legs to cover my face。
It was then that I heard the calling again。 It was farther away this time； and
sometimes it sounded like
several voices were calling at once。 I tried to breathe deeply。 I remembered
that I should answer； but I
didn't think they would be able to hear me。 Would I be able to shout loud
enough？
Suddenly； there was another sound； startlingly close。 A kind of snuffling； an
animal sound。 It sounded big。
I wondered if I should feel afraid。 I didn't—just numb。 It didn't matter。 The
snuffling went away。
The rain continued； and I could feel the water pooling up against my cheek。 I
was trying to gather the
strength to turn my head when I saw the light。
At first it was just a dim glow reflecting off the bushes in the distance。 It
grew brighter and brighter；
illuminating a large space unlike the focused beam of a flashlight。 The light
broke through the closest
brush； and I could see that it was a propane lantern； but that was all I could
see—the brightness blinded
me for a moment。
〃Bella。〃
The voice was deep and unfamiliar； but full of recognition。 He wasn't calling
my name to search； he was
acknowledging that I was found。
I stared up—impossibly high it seemed—at the dark face that I could now see
above me。 I was vaguely
aware that the stranger probably only looked so tall because my head was still
on the ground。
〃Have you been hurt？〃
I knew the words meant something； but I could only stare； bewildered。 How
could the meaning matter at
this point？
〃Bella； my name is Sam Uley。〃
There was nothing familiar about his name。
〃Charlie sent me to look for you。〃
Charlie？ That struck a chord； and I tried to pay more attention to what he was
say