《2 new+moon新月》第101章

she　wasn"t　trying　to　kill　herself。　Bella"s　all　about　the　extreme　sports　these　days。〃　
I　flushed　and　turned　my　eyes　straight　ahead；　looking　after　the　dark　shadow　that　I　could　no　longer　see。　I　
could　imagine　what　he　was　hearing　in　Alice"s　thoughts　now。　Neardrownings；　stalking　vampires；　
werewolf　friends…　
〃Hm；〃　Edward　said　curtly；　and　the　casual　tone　of　his　voice　was　gone。　
There　was　a　loose　curve　to　the　alley；　still　slanting　downward；　so　I　didn"t　see　the　squaredoff　dead　end　
ing　until　we　reached　the　flat；　windowless；　brick　face。　The　little　one　called　Jane　was　nowhere　to　be　
seen。　
Alice　didn"t　hesitate；　didn"t　break　pace　as　she　strode　toward　the　wall。　Then；　with　easy　grace；　she　slid　
down　an　open　hole　in　the　street。　
It　looked　like　a　drain；　sunk　into　the　lowest　point　of　the　paving。　I　hadn"t　noticed　it　until　Alice　disappeared；　
but　the　grate　was　halfway　pushed　aside。　The　hole　was　small；　and　black。　
I　balked。　
〃It"s　all　right；　Bella；〃　Edward　said　in　a　low　voice。　〃Alice　will　catch　you。〃　
I　eyed　the　hole　doubtfully。　I　imagine　he　would　have　gone　first；　if　Demetri　and　Felix　hadn"t　been　waiting；　
smug　and　silent；　behind　us。　
I　crouched　down；　swinging　my　legs　into　the　narrow　gap。　
〃Alice？〃　I　whispered；　voice　trembling。　
〃I"m　right　here；　Bella；〃　she　reassured　me。　Her　voice　came　from　too　far　below　to　make　me　feel　better。　
Edward　took　my　wrists—his　hands　felt　like　stones　in　winter—and　lowered　me　into　the　blackness。　
〃Ready？〃　he　asked。　
〃Drop　her；〃　Alice　called。　
I　closed　my　eyes　so　I　couldn"t　see　the　darkness；　scrunching　them　together　in　terror；　clamping　my　mouth　
shut　so　I　wouldn"t　scream。　Edward　let　me　fall。　
It　was　silent　and　short。　The　air　whipped　past　me　for　just　half　a　second；　and　then；　with　a　huff　as　I　exhaled；　
Alice"s　waiting　arms　caught　me。　
I　was　going　to　have　bruises；　her　arms　were　very　hard。　She　stood　me　upright。　
It　was　dim；　but　not　black　at　the　bottom。　The　light　from　the　hole　above　provided　a　faint　glow；　reflecting　
wetly　from　the　stones　under　my　feet。　The　light　vanished　for　a　second；　and　then　Edward　was　a　faint；　white　
radiance　beside　me。　He　put　his　arm　around　me；　holding　me　close　to　his　side；　and　began　to　tow　me　swiftly　
forward。　I　wrapped　both　arms　around　his　cold　waist；　and　tripped　and　stumbled　my　way　across　the　
uneven　stone　surface。　The　sound　of　the　heavy　grate　sliding　over　the　drain　hole　behind　us　rang　with　
metallicfinality。　
The　dim　light　from　the　street　was　quickly　lost　in　the　gloom。　The　sound　of　my　staggering　footsteps　echoed　
through　the　black　space；　it　sounded　very　wide；　but　I　couldn"t　be　sure。　There　were　no　sounds　other　than　
my　frantic　heartbeat　and　my　feet　on　the　wet　stones—except　for　once；　when　an　impatient　sigh　whispered　
from　behind　me。　
Edward　held　me　tightly。　He　reached　his　free　hand　across　his　body　to　hold　my　face；　too；　his　smooth　
thumb　tracing　across　my　lips。　Now　and　then；　I　felt　his　face　press　into　my　hair。　I　realized　that　this　was　the　
only　reunion　we　would　get；　and　I　clutched　myself　closer　to　him。　
For　now；　it　felt　like　he　wanted　me；　and　that　was　enough　to　offset　the　horror　of　the　subterranean　tunnel　
and　the　prowling　vampires　behind　us。　It　was　probably　no　more　than　guilt—the　same　guilt　that　pelled　
him　to　e　here　to　die　when　he"d　believed　that　it　was　his　fault　that　I"d　killed　myself。　But　I　felt　his　lips　
press　silently　against　my　forehead；　and　I　didn"t　care　what　the　motivation　was。　At　least　I　could　be　with　him　
again　before　I　died。　That　was　better　than　a　long　life。　
I　wished　I　could　ask　him　exactly　what　was　going　to　happen　now。　I　wanted　desperately　to　know　how　we　
were　going　to　die—as　if　that　would　somehow　make　it　better；　knowing　in　advance。　But　I　couldn"t　speak；　
even　in　a　whisper；　surrounded　as　we　were。　The　others　could　hear　everything—my　every　breath；　my　
every　heartbeat。　
The　path　beneath　our　feet　continued　to　slant　downward；　taking　us　deeper　into　the　ground；　and　it　made　
me　claustrophobic。　Only　Edward"s　hand；　soothing　against　my　face；　kept　me　from　screaming　out　loud。　
I　couldn"t　tell　where　the　light　was　ing　from；　but　it　slowly　turned　dark　gray　instead　of　black。　We　were　
in　a　low；　arched　tunnel。　Long　trails　of　ebony　moisture　seeped　down　the　gray　stones；　like　they　were　
bleeding　ink。　
I　was　shaking；　and　I　thought　it　was　from　fear。　It　wasn"t　until　my　teeth　started　to　chatter　together　that　I　
realized　I　was　cold。　My　clothes　were　still　wet；　and　the　temperature　underneath　the　city　was　wintry。　As　
was　Edward"s　skin。　
He　realized　this　at　the　same　time　I　did；　and　let　go　of　me；　keeping　only　my　hand。　
〃Nnno；〃　I　chattered；　throwing　my　arms　around　him。　I　didn"t　care　if　I　froze。　Who　knew　how　long　we　had　
left？　
His　cold　hand　chafed　against　my　arm；　trying　to　warm　me　with　the　friction。　
We　hurried　through　the　tunnel；　or　it　felt　like　hurrying　to　me。　My　slow　progress　irritated　someone—I　
guessed　Felix—and　I　heard　him　heave　a　sigh　now　and　then。　
At　the　end　of　the　tunnel　was　a　grate—the　iron　bars　were　rusting；　but　thick　as　my　arm。　A　small　door　made　
of　thinner；　interlaced　bars　was　standing　open。　Edward　ducked　through　and　hurried　on　to　a　larger；　brighter　
stone　room。　The　grille　slammed　shut　with　a　clang；　followed　by　the　snap　of　a　lock。　I　was　too　afraid　to　
look　behind　me。　
On　the　other　side　of　the　long　room　was　a　low；　heavy　wooden　door。　It　was　very　thick—as　I　could　tell　
because　it；　too；　stood　open。　
We　stepped　through　the　door；　and　I　glanced　around　me　in　surprise；　relaxing　automatically。　Beside　me；　
Edward　tensed；　his　jaw　clenched　tight。　
21　VERDICT　
WE　WERE　IN　A　BRIGHTLY　LIT；　UNREMARKABLE　HALLWAY。　The　walls　were　offwhite；　the　
floor　carpeted　in　industrial　gray。　mon　rectangular　fluorescent　lights　were　spaced　evenly　along　the　
ceiling。　It　was　warmer　here；　for　which　I　was　grateful。　This　hall　seemed　very　benign　after　the　gloom　of　the　
ghoulish　stone　sewers。　
Edward　didn"t　seem　to　agree　with　my　assessment。　He　glowered　darkly　down　the　long　hallway；　toward　
the　slight；　black　shrouded　figure　at　the　end；　standing　by　an　elevator。　
He　pulled　me　along；　and　Alice　walked　on　my　other　side。　The　heavy　door　creaked　shut　behind　us；　and　
then　there　was　the　thud