Charlie？ That struck a chord； and I tried to pay more attention to what he was
saying。 Charlie mattered；
if nothing else did。
The tall man held out a hand。 I gazed at it； not sure what I was supposed to
do。
His black eyes appraised me for a second； and then he shrugged。 In a quick and
supple notion； he pulled
me up from the ground and into his arms。
I hung there； limp； as he loped swiftly through the wet forest。 Some part of
me knew this should upset
me—being carried away by a stranger。 But there was nothing left in me to
upset。
It didn't seem like too much time passed before there were lights and the deep
babble of many male
voices。 Sam Uley slowed as he approached the motion。
〃I've got her！〃 he called in a booming voice。
The babble ceased； and then picked up again with more intensity。 A confusing
swirl of faces moved over
me。 Sam's voice was the only one that made sense in the chaos； perhaps because
my ear was against his
chest。
〃No； I don't think she's hurt；〃 he told someone。 〃She just keeps saying 'He's
gone。' 〃
Was I saying that out loud？ I bit down on my lip。
〃Bella； honey； are you all right？〃
That was one voice I would know anywhere—even distorted； as it was now； with
worry。
〃Charlie？〃 My voice sounded strange and small。
〃I'm right here； baby。〃
There was a shifting under me； followed by the leathery smell of my dad's
sheriff jacket。 Charlie
staggered under my weight。
〃Maybe I should hold on to her；〃 Sam Uley suggested。
〃I've got her；〃 Charlie said； a little breathless。
He walked slowly； struggling。 I wished I could tell him to put me down and let
me walk； but I couldn't
find my voice。
There were lights everywhere； held by the crowd walking with him。 It felt like
a parade。 Or a funeral
procession。 I closed my eyes。
〃We're almost home now； honey；〃 Charlie mumbled now and then。
I opened my eyes again when I heard the door unlock。 We were on the porch of
our house； and the tall
dark man named Sam was holding the door for Charlie； one arm extended toward
us； as if he was
preparing to catch me when Charlie's arms failed。
But Charlie managed to get me through the door and to the couch in the living
room。
〃Dad； I'm all wet；〃 I objected feebly。
〃That doesn't matter。〃 His voice was gruff。 And then he was talking to someone
else。 〃Blankets are in the
cupboard at the top of the stairs。〃
〃Bella？〃 a new voice asked。 I looked at the gray…haired man leaning over me；
and recognition came after
a few slow seconds。
〃Dr。 Gerandy？〃 I mumbled。
〃That's right； dear；〃 he said。 〃Are you hurt； Bella？〃
It took me a minute to think that through。 I was confused by the memory of Sam
Uley's similar question
in the woods。 Only Sam had asked something else： Have you been hurt？ he'd
said。 The difference
seemed significant somehow。
Dr。 Gerandy was waiting。 One grizzled eyebrow rose； and the wrinkles on his
forehead deepened。
〃I'm not hurt；〃 I lied。 The words； were true enough for what he'd asked。
His warm hand touched my forehead； and his fingers pressed against the inside
of my wrist。 I watched his
lips as he counted to himself； his eyes on his watch。
〃What happened to you？〃 he asked casually。
I froze under his hand； tasting panic in the back of my throat。
〃Did you get lost in the woods？〃 he prodded。 I was aware of several other
people listening。 Three tall
men with dark faces—from La Push； the Quileute Indian reservation down on the
coastline； I
guessed—Sam Uley among them； were standing very close together and staring at
me。 Mr。 Newton was
there with Mike and Mr。 Weber； Angela's father； they all were watching me more
surreptitiously than the
strangers。 Other deep voices rumbled from the kitchen and outside the front
door。 Half the town must
have been looking for me。
Charlie was the closest。 He leaned in to hear my answer。
〃Yes；〃 I whispered。 〃I got lost。〃
The doctor nodded； thoughtful； his fingers probing gently against the glands
under my jaw。 Charlie's face
hardened。
〃Do you feel tired？〃 Dr。 Gerandy asked。
I nodded and closed my eyes obediently。
〃I don't think there's anything wrong with her；〃 I heard the doctor mutter to
Charlie after a moment。 〃Just
exhaustion。 Let her sleep it off； and I'll e check on her tomorrow；〃 he
paused。 He must have looked
at his watch； because he added； 〃Well； later today actually。〃
There was a creaking sound as they both pushed off from the couch to get to
their feet。
〃Is it true？〃 Charlie whispered。 Their voices were farther away now。 I
strained to hear。 〃Did they leave？〃
〃Dr。 Cullen asked us not to say anything；〃 Dr。 Gerandy answered。 〃The offer
was very sudden； they had
to choose immediately。 Carlisle didn't want to make a big production out of
leaving。〃
〃A little warning might have been nice；〃 Charlie grumbled。
Dr。 Gerandy sounded unfortable when he replied。 〃Yes； well； in this
situation； some warning might
have been called for。〃
I didn't want to listen anymore。 I felt around for the edge of the quilt
someone had laid on top of me； and
pulled it over my ear。
I drifted in and out of alertness。 I heard Charlie whisper thanks to the
volunteers as； one by one； they left。
I felt his fingers on my forehead； and then the weight of another blanket。 The
phone rang a few times； and
he hurried to catch it before it could wake me。 He muttered reassurances in a
low voice to the callers。
〃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 second…story 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 blood…
drinkers that were enemies to their
tribe； just like they had their legends of the great flood and wolf…men
ancestors。 Just stories； folklore； to
most of them。 Then there were the few that believed。 Charlie's