were in the southwest corner of the room。 An aged sectional sofa curved
around in front of the TV; a round coffee table in front of it。
〃The phone goes there;〃 I whispered; pointing。
Two pairs of eternal eyes stared at me。
〃That's my mother's house。〃
Alice was already off the couch; phone in hand; dialing。 I stared at the
precise rendering of my mother's family room。 Uncharacteristically;
Jasper slid closer to me。 He lightly touched his hand to my shoulder; and
the physical contact seemed to make his calming influence stronger。 The
panic stayed dull; unfocused。
Alice's lips were trembling with the speed of her words; the low buzzing
impossible to decipher。 I couldn't concentrate。
〃Bella;〃 Alice said。 I looked at her numbly。
〃Bella; Edward is ing to get you。 He and Emmett and Carlisle are going
to take you somewhere; to hide you for a while。〃
〃Edward is ing?〃 The words were like a life vest; holding my head
above the flood。
〃Yes; he's catching the first flight out of Seattle。 We'll meet him at
the airport; and you'll leave with him。〃
〃But; my mother… he came here for my mother; Alice!〃 Despite Jasper; the
hysteria bubbled up in my voice。
〃Jasper and I will stay till she's safe。〃
〃I can't win; Alice。 You can't guard everyone I know forever。 Don't you
see what he's doing? He's not tracking me at all。 He'll find someone;
he'll hurt someone I love… Alice; I can't —〃
〃We'll catch him; Bella;〃 she assured me。
〃And what if you get hurt; Alice? Do you think that's okay with me? Do
you think it's only my human family he can hurt me with?〃
Alice looked meaningfully at Jasper。 A deep; heavy fog of lethargy washed
over me; and my eyes closed without my permission。 My mind struggled
against the fog; realizing what was happening。 I forced my eyes open and
stood up; stepping away from Jasper's hand。
〃I don't want to go back to sleep;〃 I snapped。
I walked to my room and shut the door; slammed it really; so I could be
free to go to pieces privately。 This time Alice didn't follow me。 For
three and a half hours I stared at the wall; curled in a ball; rocking。
My mind went around in circles; trying to e up with some way out of
this nightmare。 There was no escape; no reprieve。 I could see only one
possible end looming darkly in my future。 The only question was how many
other people would be hurt before I reached it。
The only solace; the only hope I had left; was knowing that I would see
Edward soon。 Maybe; if I could just see his face again; I would also be
able to see the solution that eluded me now。
When the phone rang; I returned to the front room; a little ashamed of my
behavior。 I hoped I hadn't offended either of them; that they would know
how grateful I was for the sacrifices they were making on my account。
Alice was talking as rapidly as ever; but what caught my attention was
that; for the first time; Jasper was not in the room。 I looked at the
clock — it was fivethirty in the morning。
〃They're just boarding their plane;〃 Alice told me。 〃They'll land at
ninefortyfive。〃 Just a few more hours to keep breathing till he was
here。
〃Where's Jasper?〃
〃He went to check out。〃
〃You aren't staying here?〃
〃No; we're relocating closer to your mother's house。〃
My stomach twisted uneasily at her words。
But the phone rang again; distracting me。 She looked surprised; but I was
already walking forward; reaching hopefully for the phone。
〃Hello?〃 Alice asked。 〃No; she's right here。〃 She held the phone out to
me。 Your mother; she mouthed。
〃Hello?〃
〃Bella? Bella?〃 It was my mother's voice; in a familiar tone I had heard
a thousand times in my childhood; anytime I'd gotten too close to the
edge of the sidewalk or strayed out of her sight in a crowded place。 It
was the sound of panic。
I sighed。 I'd been expecting this; though I'd tried to make my message as
unalarming as possible without lessening the urgency of it。
〃Calm down; Mom;〃 I said in my most soothing voice; walking slowly away
from Alice。 I wasn't sure if I could lie as convincingly with her eyes on
me。 〃Everything is fine; okay? Just give me a minute and I'll explain
everything; I promise。〃
I paused; surprised that she hadn't interrupted me yet。
〃Mom?〃
〃Be very careful not to say anything until I tell you to。〃 The voice I
heard now was as unfamiliar as it was unexpected。 It was a man's tenor
voice; a very pleasant; generic voice — the kind of voice that you heard
in the background of luxury car mercials。 He spoke very quickly。
〃Now; I don't need to hurt your mother; so please do exactly as I say;
and she'll be fine。〃 He paused for a minute while I listened in mute
horror。 〃That's very good;〃 he congratulated。 〃Now repeat after me; and
do try to sound natural。 Please say; 'No; Mom; stay where you are。'〃
〃No; Mom; stay where you are。〃 My voice was barely more than a whisper。
〃I can see this is going to be difficult。〃 The voice was amused; still
light and friendly。 〃Why don't you walk into another room now so your
face doesn't ruin everything? There's no reason for your mother to
suffer。 As you're walking; please say; 'Mom; please listen to me。' Say it
now。〃
〃Mom; please listen to me;〃 my voice pleaded。 I walked very slowly to the
bedroom; feeling Alice's worried stare on my back。 I shut the door behind
me; trying to think clearly through the terror that gripped my brain。
〃There now; are you alone? Just answer yes or no。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃But they can still hear you; I'm sure。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃All right; then;〃 the agreeable voice continued; 〃say; 'Mom; trust me。'〃
〃Mom; trust me。〃
〃This worked out rather better than I expected。 I was prepared to wait;
but your mother arrived ahead of schedule。 It's easier this way; isn't
it? Less suspense; less anxiety for you。〃
I waited。
〃Now I want you to listen very carefully。 I'm going to need you to get
away from your friends; do you think you can do that? Answer yes or no。〃
〃No。〃
〃I'm sorry to hear that。 I was hoping you would be a little more creative
than that。 Do you think you could get away from them if your mother's
life depended on it? Answer yes or no。〃
Somehow; there had to be a way。 I remembered that we were going to the
airport。 Sky Harbor International Airport: crowded; confusingly laid out…
〃Yes。〃
〃That's better。 I'm sure it won't be easy; but if I get the slightest
hint that you have any pany; well; that would be very bad for your
mother;〃 the friendly voice promised。 〃You must know enough about us by
now to realize how quickly I would know if you tried to bring anyone
along with you。 And how little time I would need to deal with your mother
if that was the case。 Do you understand? Answer yes or no。〃
〃Yes。〃 My voice broke。
〃Very good; Bella。 Now this is what you have to do。 I want you to go to
your mother's house。 Next to the phone there will be a number。 Call it;
and I'll tell you where to go from there。〃 I already knew where I would
go; and where this would end。 But I would follow his instructions
exactly。 〃Can you do that? Answer yes or no。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Before noon; please; Bella。 I haven't got all day;〃 he said politely。
〃Where's Phil?〃 I asked tersely。
〃Ah; be careful now; Bella。 Wait until I ask you to speak; please。〃
I waited。
〃It's important; now; that you don't make your friends suspicious when
you go back to them。 Tell them that your mother called; and that you
talked her out of ing home for the time being。 Now repeat after me;
'Thank you; Mom。' Say it now。〃
〃Thank you; Mom。〃 The tears were ing。 I tried to fight them back。
〃Say; 'I love you; Mom; I'll see you soon。' Say it now。〃
〃I love you; Mom。〃 My voice was thick。 〃I'll see you soon;〃 I promised。
〃Goodbye; Bella。 I look forward to seeing you again。〃 He hung up。
I held the phone to my ear。 My joints were frozen with terror — I
couldn't unbend my fingers to drop it。
I knew I had to think; but my head was filled with the sound of my
mother's panic。 Seconds ticked by while I fought for control。
Slowly; slowly; my thoughts started to break past that brick wall of
pain。 To plan。 For I had no choices now but one: to go to the mirrored
room and die。 I had no guarantees; nothing to give to keep my mother
alive。 I could only hope that James would be satisfied with winning the
game; that beating Edward would be enough。 Despair gripped me; there was
no way to bargain; nothing I could offer or withhold that could influence
him。 But I still had no choice。 I had to try。
I pushed the terror back as well as I could。 My decision was made。 It did
no good to waste time agonizing over the oute。 I had to think clearly;
because Alice and Jasper were waiting for me; and evading them was
absolutely essential; and absolutely impossible。
I was suddenly grateful that Jasper was gone。 If he had been here to feel
my anguish in the last five minutes; how could I have kept them from
being suspicious? I choked back the dread; the anxiety; tried to stifle
it。 I couldn't afford it now。 I didn't know when he