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new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第33部分

小说: new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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〃Where have you been?〃 he thundered; appearing through the kitchen doorway 
with an ominous 
expression。 
I hesitated。 He'd probably called the Stanleys。 I'd better stick to the truth。 
〃I was hiking;〃 I admitted。 
His eyes were tight。 〃What happened to going to Jessica's?〃 
〃I didn't feel like Calculus today。〃 
Charlie folded his arms across his chest。 〃I thought I asked you to stay out 
of the forest。〃 
〃Yeah; I know。 Don't worry; I won't do it again。〃 I shuddered。 
Charlie seemed to really look at me for the first time。 I remembered that I 
had spent some time on the 
forest floor today; I must be a mess。 
〃What happened?〃 Charlie demanded。 
Again; I decided that the truth; or part of it anyway; was the best option。 I 
was too shaken to pretend 
that I'd spent an uneventful day with the flora and fauna。 
〃I saw the bear。〃 I tried to say it calmly; but my voice was high and shaky。 
〃It's not a bear; though—it's 
some kind of wolf。 And there are five of them。 A big black one; and gray; and 
reddish…brown〃 
Charlie's eyes grew round with horror。 He strode quickly to me and grabbed the 
tops of my arms。 
〃Are you okay?〃 
My head bobbed in a weak nod。 
〃Tell me what happened。〃 
〃They didn't pay any attention to me。 But aftet they were gone; I ran away and 
I fell down a lot。〃 
He let go of my shoulders and wrapped his arms around me。 For a long moment; 
he didn't say anything。 
〃Wolves;〃 he murmured。 
〃What?〃 
〃The rangers said the tracks were wrong for a bear—but wolves just don't get 
that big〃 
〃These were huge。〃 
〃How many did you say you saw?〃 
〃Five。〃 
Charlie shook his head; frowning with anxiety; He finally spoke in a tone that 
allowed no argument。 〃No 
morehiking。〃 
〃No problem;〃 I promised fervently。 
Charlie called the station to report what I'd seen。 I fudged a little bit 
about where exactly I'd seen the 
wolves—claiming I'd been on the trail that led to the north。 I didn't want my 
dad to know how deep I'd 
gone into the forest against his wishes; and; more importantly; I didn't want 
anyone wandering near where 
Laurent might be searching for me。 The thought of it made me feel sick。 
〃Are you hungry?〃 he asked me when he hung up the phone。 
I shook my head; though I must have been starving。 I hadn't eaten all day。 
〃Just tired;〃 I told him。 I turned for the stairs。 
〃Hey;〃 Charlie said; his voice suddenly suspicious again。 〃Didn't you say 
Jacob was gone for the day?〃 
〃That's what Billy said;〃 I told him; confused by his question。 
He studied my expression for a minute; and seemed satisfied with what he saw 
there。 
〃Huh。〃 
〃Why?〃 I demanded。 It sounded like he was implying that I'd been lying to him 
this morning。 About 
something besides studying with Jessica。 
〃Well; it's just that when I went to pick up Harry; I saw Jacob out in front 
of the store down there with 
some of his friends。 I waved hi; but he well; I guess I don't know if he saw 
me。 I think maybe he was 
arguing with his friends。 He looked strange; like he was upset about 
something。 And different。 It's like 
you can watch that kid growing! He gets bigger every time I see him。〃 
〃Billy said Jake and his friends were going up to Port Angeles to see some 
movies。 They were probably 
just waiting for someone to meet them。〃 
〃Oh。〃 Charlie nodded and headed for the kitchen。 
I stood in the hall; thinking about Jacob arguing with his friends。 I wondered 
if he had confronted Embry 
about the situation with Sam。 Maybe that was the reason he'd ditched me today
—if it meant he could 
sort things out with Embry; I was glad he had。 
I paused to check the locks again before I went to my room。 It was a silly 
thing to do。 What difference 
would a lock make to any of the monsters I'd seen this afternoon? I assumed 
the handle alone would 
stymie the wolves; not having opposable thumbs。 And if Laurent came here 
Or Victoria。 
I lay down on my bed; but I was shaking too hard to hope for sleep。 I curled 
into a cramped ball under 
my quilt; and faced the horrifying facts。 
There was nothing I could do。 There were no precautions I could take。 There 
was no place I could hide。 
There was no one who could help me。 
I realized; with a nauseous roll of my stomach; that the situation was worse 
than even that。 Because all 
those facts applied to Charlie; too。 My father; sleeping one room away from 
me; was just a hairsbreadth 
off the heart of the target that was centered on me。 My scent would lead them 
here; whether I was here 
or not。 
The tremors rocked me until my teeth chattered。 
To calm myself; I fantasized the impossible: I imagined the big wolves 
catching up to Laurent in the 
woods and massacring the indestructible immortal the way they would any normal 
person。 Despite the 
absurdity of such a vision; the idea forted me。 If the wolves got him; then 
he couldn't tell Victoria I 
was here all alone。 If he didn't return; maybe she'd think the Cullens were 
still protecting me。 If only the 
wolves could win such a fight 
My good vampires were never ing back; how soothing it was to imagine that 
the other kind could 
also disappear。 
I squeezed my eyes tight together and waited for unconsciousness—almost eager 
for my nightmare to 
start。 Better that than the pale; beautiful face that smiled at me now from 
behind my lids。 
In my imagination; Victoria's eyes were black with thirst; bright with 
anticipation; and her lips curled back 
from her gleaming teeth in pleasure。 Her red hair was brilliant as fire; it 
blew chaotically around her wild 
face。 
Laurent's words repeated in my head。 If you knew what she had planned for you 
 
I pressed my fist against my mouth to keep from screaming。 
 11。 CULT
EACH TIME THAT I OPENED MY EYES TO THE MORNING light and realized I'd lived 
through 
another night was a surprise to me。 After the surprise wore off; my heart 
would start to race and my 
palms would sweat; I couldn't really breathe again until I'd gotten up and 
ascertained that Charlie had 
survived as well。 
I could tell he was worried—watching me jump at any loud sound; or my face 
suddenly go white for no 
reason that he could see。 From the questions he asked now and then; he seemed 
to blame the change on 
Jacob's continued absence。 
The terror that was always foremost in my thoughts usually distracted me from 
the fact that another week 
had passed; and Jacob still hadn't called me。 But when I was able to 
concentrate on my normal life—if 
my life was really ever normal—this upset me。 
I missed him horribly。 
It had been bad enough to be alone before I was scared silly。 Now; more than 
ever; I yearned for his 
carefree laugh and his infectious grin。 I needed the safe sanity of his 
homemade garage and his warm 
hand around my cold fingers。 
I'd half expected him to call on Monday。 If there had been some progress with 
Embry; wouldn't he want 
to report it? I wanted to believe that it was worry for his friend that was 
occupying all his time; not that he 
was just giving up on me。 
I called him Tuesday; but no one answered。 Were the phone lines still having 
problems? Or had Billy 
invested in caller I。D。? 
On Wednesday I called every half hour until after eleven at night; desperate 
to hear the warmth of 
Jacob's voice。 
Thursday I sat in my truck in front of my house—with the locks pushed down—
keys in hand; for a solid 
hour。 I was arguing with myself; trying to justify a quick trip to La Push; 
but I couldn't do it。 
I knew that Laurent had gone back to Victoria by now。 If I went to La Push; I 
took the chance of leading 
one of them there。 What if they caught up to me when Jake was nearby? As much 
as it hurt me; I knew it 
was better for Jacob that he was avoiding me。 Safer for him。 
It was bad enough that I couldn't figure out a way to keep Charlie safe。 
Nighttime was the most likely 
time that they would e looking ior me; and what could I say to get Charlie 
out of the house? If I told 
him the truth; he'd have me locked up in a rubber room somewhere。 I would have 
endured 
that—weled it; even—if it could have kept him safe。 But Victoria would 
still e to his house first; 
looking for me。 Maybe; if she found me here; that would be enough for her。 
Maybe she would just leave 
when she was done with me。 
So I couldn't run away。 Even if I could; where would I go? To Renee? I 
shuddered at the thought of 
dragging my lethal shadows into my mother's safe; sunny world。 I would never 
endanger her that way。 
The worry was eating a hole in my stomach。 Soon I would have matching 
punctures。 
That night; Charlie did me another favor and called Harry again to see if the 
Blacks were out of town。 
Harry reported that Billy had attended the council meeting Wednesday night; 
and never mentioned 
anything about leaving。 Charlie warned me not to make a nuisance of myself—
Jacob would call when he 
got around to it。 
Friday afternoon; as I drove home from school; it hit me out of the blue。 
I wasn't paying attention to the familiar road; letting the sound of the 
engine deaden my brain and silence 
the worries; when my subconscious delivered a verdict it must have been 
working on for some time 
without my knowledge。 
As soon as I thought of it; I felt really stupid for not seeing it sooner。 
Sure。 I'd had a lot on my 
mind—revenue…obsessed vampires; giant mutant wolves; a ragged hole in the 
center of my chest—but 
when I laid the evidence out; it was embarrassingly obvious。 
Jacob avoiding me。 Charlie saying he looked strange; upset。 。 。 。 Billy's 
vague; unhelpful answers。 
Holy crow; I knew exactly what was going on with Jacob。 
It was Sam Uley。 Even my nightmares had been trying to tell me that。 Sam had 
gotten to Jacob。 
Whatever was happening to the other boys on the reservation had reached out 
and stolen my friend。 
He'd been sucked into Sam's cult。 
He hadn't given up on me at all; I realized with a rush of feeling。 
I let my truck idle in front of my house。 What should I do? I weighed the 
dangers against each other。 
If I went looking for Jacob; I risked the chance of Victoria or Laurent 
finding me with him。 
If I didn't go after him; Sam would pul

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