《1 twilight暮色》第96章

〃It"s　a　ballet　studio；〃　I　said；　suddenly　recognizing　the　familiar　shapes。　
They　looked　at　me；　surprised。　
〃Do　you　know　this　room？〃　Jasper"s　voice　sounded　calm；　but　there　was　an　
undercurrent　of　something　I　couldn"t　identify。　Alice　bent　her　head　to　her　
work；　her　hand　flying　across　the　page　now；　the　shape　of　an　emergency　exit　
taking　shape　against　the　back　wall；　the　stereo　and　TV　on　a　low　table　by　
the　front　right　corner。　
〃It　looks　like　a　place　I　used　to　go　for　dance　lessons　—　when　I　was　eight　
or　nine。　It　was　shaped　just　the　same。〃　I　touched　the　page　where　the　
square　section　jutted　out；　narrowing　the　back　part　of　the　room。　〃That"s　
where　the　bathrooms　were　—　the　doors　were　through　the　other　dance　floor。　
But　the　stereo　was　here〃　—　I　pointed　to　the　left　corner　—　〃it　was　older；　
and　there　wasn"t　a　TV。　There　was　a　window　in　the　waiting　room　—　you　would　
see　the　room　from　this　perspective　if　you　looked　through　it。〃　
Alice　and　Jasper　were　staring　at　me。　
〃Are　you　sure　it"s　the　same　room？〃　Jasper　asked；　still　calm。　
〃No；　not　at　all　—　I　suppose　most　dance　studios　would　look　the　same　—　the　
mirrors；　the　bar。〃　I　traced　my　finger　along　the　ballet　bar　set　against　
the　mirrors。　〃It"s　just　the　shape　that　looked　familiar。〃　I　touched　the　
door；　set　in　exactly　the　same　place　as　the　one　I　remembered。　
〃Would　you　have　any　reason　to　go　there　now？〃　Alice　asked；　breaking　my　
reverie。　
〃No；　I　haven"t　been　there　in　almost　ten　years。　I　was　a　terrible　dancer　—　
they　always　put　me　in　the　back　for　recitals；〃　I　admitted。　
〃So　there"s　no　way　it　could　be　connected　with　you？〃　Alice　asked　intently。　
〃No；　I　don"t　even　think　the　same　person　owns　it。　I"m　sure　it"s　just　
another　dance　studio；　somewhere。〃　
〃Where　was　the　studio　you　went　to？〃　Jasper　asked　in　a　casual　voice。　
〃It　was　just　around　the　corner　from　my　mom"s　house。　I　used　to　walk　there　
after　school…〃　I　said；　my　voice　trailing　off。　I　didn"t　miss　the　look　they　
exchanged。　
〃Here　in　Phoenix；　then？〃　His　voice　was　still　casual。　
〃Yes；〃　I　whispered。　〃Fiftyeighth　Street　and　Cactus。〃　
We　all　sat　in　silence；　staring　at　the　drawing。　
〃Alice；　is　that　phone　safe？〃　
〃Yes；〃　she　reassured　me。　〃The　number　would　just　trace　back　to　Washington。〃　
〃Then　I　can　use　it　to　call　my　mom。〃　
〃I　thought　she　was　in　Florida。〃　
〃She　is　—　but　she"s　ing　home　soon；　and　she　can"t　e　back　to　that　
house　while…〃　My　voice　trembled。　I　was　thinking　about　something　Edward　
had　said；　about　the　redhaired　female　at　Charlie"s　house；　at　the　school；　
where　my　records　would　be。　
〃How　will　you　reach　her？〃　
〃They　don"t　have　a　permanent　number　except　at　the　house　—　she"s　supposed　
to　check　her　messages　regularly。〃　
〃Jasper？〃　Alice　asked。　
He　thought　about　it。　〃I　don"t　think　there"s　any　way　it　could　hurt　—　be　
sure　you　don"t　say　where　you　are；　of　course。〃　
I　reached　eagerly　for　the　phone　and　dialed　the　familiar　number。　It　rang　
four　times；　and　then　I　heard　my　mom"s　breezy　voice　telling　me　to　leave　a　
message。　
〃Mom；〃　I　said　after　the　beep；　〃it"s　me。　Listen；　I　need　you　to　do　
something。　It"s　important。　As　soon　as　you　get　this　message；　call　me　at　
this　number。〃　Alice　was　already　at　my　side；　writing　the　number　for　me　on　
the　bottom　of　her　picture。　I　read　it　carefully；　twice。　〃Please　don"t　go　
anywhere　until　you　talk　to　me。　Don"t　worry；　I"m　okay；　but　I　have　to　talk　
to　you　right　away；　no　matter　how　late　you　get　this　call；　all　right？　I　
love　you；　Mom。　Bye。〃　I　closed　my　eyes　and　prayed　with　all　my　might　that　
no　unforeseen　change　of　plans　would　bring　her　home　before　she　got　my　
message。　
I　settled　into　the　sofa；　nibbling　on　a　plate　of　leftover　fruit；　
anticipating　a　long　evening。　I　thought　about　calling　Charlie；　but　I　
wasn"t　sure　if　I　should　be　home　by　now　or　not。　I　concentrated　on　the　
news；　watching　out　for　stories　about　Florida；　or　about　spring　training　—　
strikes　or　hurricanes　or　terrorist　attacks　—　anything　that　might　send　
them　home　early。　
Immortality　must　grant　endless　patience。　Neither　Jasper　nor　Alice　seemed　
to　feel　the　need　to　do　anything　at　all。　For　a　while；　Alice　sketched　the　
vague　outline　of　the　dark　room　from　her　vision；　as　much　as　she　could　see　
in　the　light　from　the　TV。　But　when　she　was　done；　she　simply　sat；　looking　
at　the　blank　walls　with　her　timeless　eyes。　Jasper；　too；　seemed　to　have　no　
urge　to　pace；　or　peek　through　the　curtains；　or　run　screaming　out　the　
door；　the　way　I　did。　
I　must　have　fallen　asleep　on　the　couch；　waiting　for　the　phone　to　ring　
again。　The　touch　of　Alice"s　cold　hands　woke　me　briefly　as　she　carried　me　
to　the　bed；　but　I　was　unconscious　again　before　my　head　hit　the　pillow。　
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I　could　feel　it　was　too　early　again　when　I　woke；　and　I　knew　I　was　getting　
the　schedule　of　my　days　and　nights　slowly　reversed。　I　lay　in　my　bed　and　
listened　to　the　quiet　voices　of　Alice　and　Jasper　in　the　other　room。　That　
they　were　loud　enough　for　me　to　hear　at　all　was　strange。　I　rolled　till　my　
feet　touched　the　floor　and　then　staggered　to　the　living　room。　
The　clock　on　the　TV　said　it　was　just　after　two　in　the　morning。　Alice　and　
Jasper　were　sitting　together　on　the　sofa；　Alice　sketching　again　while　
Jasper　looked　over　her　shoulder。　They　didn"t　look　up　when　I　entered；　too　
engrossed　in　Alice"s　work。　
I　crept　to　Jasper"s　side　to　peek。　
〃Did　she　see　something　more？〃　I　asked　him　quietly。　
〃Yes。　Something"s　brought　him　back　to　the　room　with　the　VCR；　but　it"s　
light　now。〃　
I　watched　as　Alice　drew　a　square　room　with　dark　beams　across　its　low　
ceiling。　The　walls　were　paneled　in　wood；　a　little　too　dark；　out　of　date。　
The　floor　had　a　dark　carpet　with　a　pattern　in　it。　There　was　a　large　
window　against　the　south　wall；　and　an　opening　through　the　west　wall　led　
to　the　living　room。　One　side　of　that　entrance　was　stone　—　a　large　tan　
stone　fireplace　that　was　open　to　both　rooms。　The　focus　of　the　room　from　
this　perspective；　the　TV　and　VCR；　balanced　on　a　toosmall　wooden　stand；　
were　in　the　southwest　corner　of　the　room。　An　aged　sectional　sofa　curved　
around　in　front　of　the　TV；