《1 twilight暮色》第98章

〃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　would　return。　
I　concentrated　on　my　escape。　I　had　to　hope　that　my　familiarity　with　the　
airport　would　turn　the　odds　in　my　favor。　Somehow；　I　had　to　keep　Alice　
away…　
I　knew　Alice　was　in　the　other　room　waiting　for　me；　curious。　But　I　had　to　
deal　with　one　more　thing　in　private；　before　Jasper　was　back。　
I　had　to　accept　that　I　wouldn"t　see　Edward　again；　not　even　one　last　
glimpse　of　his　face　to　carry　with　me　to　the　mirror　room。　I　was　going　to　
hurt　him；　and　I　couldn"t　say　goodbye。　I　let　the　waves　of　torture　wash　
over　me；　have　their　way　for　a　time。　Then　I　pushed　them　back；　too；　and　
went　to　face　Alice。　
The　only　expression　I　could　manage　was　a　dull；　dead　look。　I　saw　her　alarm　
and　I　didn"t　wait　for　her　to　ask。　I　had　just　one　script　and　I"d　never　
manage　improvisation　now。　
〃My　mom　was　worried；　she　wanted　to　e　home。　But　it"s　okay；　I　convinced　
her　to　stay　away。〃　My　voice　was　lifeless。　
〃We"ll　make　sure　she"s　fine；　Bella；　don"t　worry。〃　
I　turned　away；　I　couldn"t　let　her　see　my　face。　
My　eye　fell　on　a　blank　page　of　the　hotel　stationery　on　the　desk。　I　went　
to　it　slowly；　a　plan　forming。　There　was　an　envelope　there；　too。　That　was　
good。　
〃Alice；〃　I　asked　slowly；　without　turning；　keeping　my　voice　level。　〃If　I　
write　a　letter　for　my　mother；　would　you　give　it　to　her？　Leave　it　at　the　
house；　I　mean。〃　
〃Sure；　Bella。〃　Her　voice　was　careful。　She　could　see　me　ing　apart　at　
the　seams。　I　had　to　keep　my　emotions　under　better　control。　
I　went　into　the　bedroom　again；　and　knelt　next　to　the　little　bedside　table　
to　write。　
〃Edward；〃　I　wrote。　My　hand　was　shaking；　the　letters　were　hardly　legible。　
I　love　you。　I　am　so　sorry。　He　has　my　mom；　and　I　have　to　try。　I　know　it　
may　not　work。　I　am　so　very；　very　sorry。　
Don"t　be　angry　with　Alice　and　Jasper。　If　I　get　away　from　them　it　will　be　
a　miracle。　Tell　them　thank　you　for　me。　Alice　especially；　please。　
And　please；　please；　don"t　e　after　him。　That"s　what　he　wants。　I　think。　
I　can"t　bear　it　if　anyone　has　to　be　hurt　because　of　me；　especially　you。　
Please；　this　is　the　only　thing　I　can　ask　you　now。　For　me。　
I　love　you。　Forgive　me。　
Bella　
I　folded　the　letter　carefully；　and　sealed　it　in　the　envelope。　Eventually　
he　would　find　it。　I　only　hoped　he　would　understand；　and　listen　to　me　just　
this　once。　
And　then　I　carefully　sealed　away　my　heart。　
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22。　HIDEANDSEEK　
It　had　taken　much　less　time　than　I"d　thought　—　all　the　terror；　the　
despair；　the　shattering　of　my　heart。　The　minutes　were　ticking　by　more　
slowly　than　usual。　Jasper　still　hadn"t　e　back　when　I　returned　to　
Alice。　I　was　afraid　to　be　in　the　same　room　with　her；　afraid　that　she　
would　guess…　and　afraid　to　hide　from　her　for　the　same　reason。　
I　would　have　thought　I　was　far　beyond　the　ability　to　be　surprised；　my　
thoughts　tortured　and　unstable；　but　I　was　surprised　when　I　saw　Alice　bent　
over　the　desk；　gripping　the　edge　with　two　hands。　
〃Alice？〃　
She　didn"