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raised from tapping her window； and pulled it into the car。 She put something into his palm； and folded
his fingers around it。
His face was dazed as he retrieved his hand and stared at the thick roll of money he now held。 The
outside bill was a thousand dollar bill。
〃Is this a joke？〃 he mumbled。
Alice's smile was blinding。 〃Only if you think it's funny。〃
He looked at her； his eyes staring wide。 I glanced nervously at the clock on the dash。 If Edward stuck to
his plan； we had only five minutes left。
〃I'm in a wee bit of a hurry；〃 she hinted； still smiling。
The guard blinked twice； and then shoved the money inside his vest。 He took a step away from the
window and waved us on。 None of the passing people seemed to notice the quiet exchange。 Alice drove
into the city； and we both sighed in relief。
The street was very narrow； cobbled with the same color stones as the faded cinnamon brown buildings
that darkened the street with their shade。 It had the feel of an alleyway。 Red flags decorated the walls；
spaced only a few yards apart； flapping in the wind that whistled through the narrow lane。
It was crowded； and the foot traffic slowed our progress。
〃Just a little farther；〃 Alice encouraged me； I was gripping the door handle； ready to throw myself into the
street as soon as she spoke the word。
She drove in quick spurts and sudden stops； and the people in the crowd shook their fists at us and said
angry words that I was glad I couldn't understand。 She turned onto a little path that couldn't have been
meant for cars； shocked people had to squeeze into doorways as we scraped by。 We found another
street at the end。 The buildings were taller here； they leaned together overhead so that no sunlight
touched the pavement—the thrashing red flags on either side nearly met。 The crowd was thicker here
than anywhere else。 Alice stopped the car。 I had the door open before we were at a standstill。
She pointed to where the street widened into a patch of bright openness。 〃There—we're at the southern
end of the square。 Run straight across； to the right of the clock tower。 I'll find a way around—〃
Her breath caught suddenly； and when she spoke again； her voice was a hiss。 〃They're everywhere？〃
I froze in place； but she pushed me out of the car。 〃Forget about them。 You have two minutes。 Go； Bella；
go！〃 she shouted； climbing out of the car as she spoke。
I didn't pause to watch Alice melt into the shadows。 I didn't stop to close my door behind me。 I shoved a
heavy woman out of my way and ran flat out； head down； paying little attention to anything but the
uneven stones beneath my feet。
Coming out of the dark lane； I was blinded by the brilliant sunlight beating down into the principal plaza。
The wind whooshed into me； flinging my hair into my eyes and blinding me further。 It was no wonder that
I didn't see the wall of flesh until I'd smacked into it。
There was no pathway； no crevice between the close pressed bodies。 I pushed against them furiously；
fighting the hands that shoved back。 I heard exclamations of irritation and even pain as I battled my way
through； but none were in a language I understood。 The faces were a blur of anger and surprise；
surrounded by the ever…present red。 A blond woman scowled at me； and the red scarf coiled around her
neck looked like a gruesome wound。 A child； lifted on a man's shoulders to see over the crowd； grinned
down at me； his lips distended over a set of plastic vampire fangs。
The throng jostled around me； spinning me the wrong direction。 I was glad the clock was so visible； or
I'd never keep my course straight。 But both hands on the clock pointed up toward the pitiless sun； and；
though I shoved viciously against the crowd； I knew I was too late。 I wasn't halfway across。 I wasn't
going to make it。 I was stupid and slow and human； and we were all going to die because of it。
I hoped Alice would get out。 I hoped that she would see me from some dark shadow and know that I
had failed； so she could go home to Jasper。
I listened； above the angry exclamations； trying to hear the sound of discovery： the gasp； maybe the
scream； as Edward came into someone's view。
But there was a break in the crowd—I could see a bubble of space ahead。 I pushed urgently toward it；
not realizing till I bruised my shins against the bricks that there was a wide； square fountain set into the
center of the plaza。
I was nearly crying with relief as I flung my leg over the edge and ran through the knee…deep water。 It
sprayed all around me as I thrashed my way across the pool。 Even in the sun； the wind was glacial； and
the wet made the cold actually painful。 But the fountain was very wide； it let me cross the center of the
square and then some in mere seconds。 I didn't pause when I hit the far edge—I used the low wall as a
springboard； throwing myself into the crowd。
They moved more readily for me now； avoiding the icy water that splattered from my dripping clothes as
I ran。 I glanced up at the clock again。
A deep； booming chime echoed through the square。 It throbbed in the stones under my feet。 Children
cried； covering their ears。 And I started screaming as I ran。
〃Edward！〃 I screamed； knowing it was useless。 The crowd was too loud； and my voice was breathless
with exertion。 But I couldn't stop screaming。
The clock tolled again。 I ran past a child in his mother's arms—his hair was almost white in the dazzling
sunlight。 A circle of tall men； all wearing red blazers； called out warnings as I barreled through them。 The
clock tolled again。
On the other side of the men in blazers； there was a break in the throng； space between the sightseers
who milled aimlessly around me。 My eyes searched the dark narrow passage to the right of the wide
square edifice under the tower。 I couldn't see the street level—there were still too many people in the
way。 The clock tolled again。
It was hard to see now。 Without the crowd to break the wind； it whipped at my face and burned my
eyes。 I couldn't be sure if that was the reason behind my tears； or if I was crying in defeat as the clock
tolled again。
A little family of four stood nearest to the alley's mouth。 The two girls wore crimson dresses； with
matching ribbons tying their dark hair back。 The father wasn't tall。 It seemed like I could see something
bright in the shadows； just over his shoulder。 I hurtled toward them； trying to see past the stinging tears。
The clock tolled； and the littlest girl clamped her hands over her ears。
The older girl； just waist high on her mother； hugged her mother's leg and stared into the shadows behind
them。 As I watched； she tugged on her mother's elbow and pointed toward the darkness。 The clock
tolled； and I was so close now。
I was close enough to hear her high…pitched voice。 Her father stared at me in surprise as I bore down on
them； rasping out Edward's name over and over again。
The older girl giggled and said something to her mother； gesturing toward the shadows again impatiently。
I swerved around the father—he clutched the baby out of my way—and sprinted for the gloomy breach
behind them as the clock tolled over my head。
〃Edward； no！〃 I screamed； but my voice was lost in the roar of the chime。
I could see him now。 And I could see that he could not see me。
It was really him； no hallucination this time。 And I realized that my delusions were more flawed than I'd
realized； they'd never done him justice。
Edward stood； motionless as a statue； just a few feet from the mouth of the alley。 His eyes were closed；
the rings underneath them deep purple； his arms relaxed at his sides； his palms turned forward。 His
expression was very peaceful； like he was dreaming pleasant things。 The marble skin of his chest was
bare—there was a small pile of white fabric at his feet。 The light reflecting from the pavement of the
square gleamed dimly from his skin。
I'd never seen anything more beautiful—even as I ran； gasping and screaming； I could appreciate that。
And the last seven months meant nothing。 And his words in the forest meant nothing。 And it did not
matter if he did not want me。 I would never want anything but him； no matter how long I lived。
The clock tolled； and he took a large stride toward the light。
〃No！〃 I screamed。 〃Edward； look at me！〃
He wasn't listening。 He smiled very slightly。 He raised his foot to take the step that would put him directly
in the path of the sun。
I slammed into him so hard that the force would have hurled me to the ground if his arms hadn't caught
me and held me up。 It knocked my breath out of me and snapped my head back。
His dark eyes opened slowly as the clock tolled again。
He looked down at me with quiet surprise。
〃Amazing；〃 he said； his exquisite voice full of wonder； slightly amused。 〃Carlisle was right。〃
〃Edward；〃 I tried to gasp； but my voice had no sound。 〃You've got to get back into the shadows。 You
have to move！〃
He seemed bemused。 His hand brushed softly against my cheek。 He didn't appear to notice that I was
trying to force him back。 I could have been pushing