1 twilight暮色-第18部分

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Jess　and　Angela　pass　me。　I　didn't　want　to　hear　any　more。　



That　night　at　dinner；　Charlie　seemed　enthusiastic　about　my　trip　to　La　
Push　in　the　morning。　I　think　he　felt　guilty　for　leaving　me　home　alone　on　
the　weekends；　but　he'd　spent　too　many　years　building　his　habits　to　break　
them　now。　Of　course　he　knew　the　names　of　all　the　kids　going；　and　their　
parents；　and　their　greatgrandparents；　too；　probably。　He　seemed　to　
approve。　I　wondered　if　he　would　approve　of　my　plan　to　ride　to　Seattle　
with　Edward　Cullen。　Not　that　I　was　going　to　tell　him。　

〃Dad；　do　you　know　a　place　called　Goat　Rocks　or　something　like　that？　I　
think　it's　south　of　Mount　Rainier；〃　I　asked　casually。　

〃Yeah　—　why？〃　

I　shrugged。　〃Some　kids　were　talking　about　camping　there。〃　

〃It's　not　a　very　good　place　for　camping。〃　He　sounded　surprised。　〃Too　many　
bears。　Most　people　go　there　during　the　hunting　season。〃　

〃Oh；〃　I　murmured。　〃Maybe　I　got　the　name　wrong。〃　

I　meant　to　sleep　in；　but　an　unusual　brightness　woke　me。　I　opened　my　eyes　
to　see　a　clear　yellow　light　streaming　through　my　window。　I　couldn't　
believe　it。　I　hurried　to　the　window　to　check；　and　sure　enough；　there　was　
the　sun。　It　was　in　the　wrong　place　in　the　sky；　too　low；　and　it　didn't　
seem　to　be　as　close　as　it　should　be；　but　it　was　definitely　the　sun。　

Clouds　ringed　the　horizon；　but　a　large　patch　of　blue　was　visible　in　the　
middle。　I　lingered　by　the　window　as　long　as　I　could；　afraid　that　if　I　
left　the　blue　would　disappear　again。　

The　Newtons'　Olympic　Outfitters　store　was　just　north　of　town。　I'd　seen　
the　store；　but　I'd　never　stopped　there　—　not　having　much　need　for　any　
supplies　required　for　being　outdoors　over　an　extended　period　of　time。　In　
the　parking　lot　I　recognized　Mike's　Suburban　and　Tyler's　Sentra。　As　I　
pulled　up　next　to　their　vehicles；　I　could　see　the　group　standing　around　
in　front　of　the　Suburban。　Eric　was　there；　along　with　two　other　boys　I　had　
class　with；　I　was　fairly　sure　their　names　were　Ben　and　Conner。　Jess　was　
there；　flanked　by　Angela　and　Lauren。　Three　other　girls　stood　with　them；　
including　one　I　remembered　falling　over　in　Gym　on　Friday。　That　one　gave　
me　a　dirty　look　as　I　got　out　of　the　truck；　and　whispered　something　to　
Lauren。　Lauren　shook　out　her　cornsilk　hair　and　eyed　me　scornfully。　

So　it　was　going　to　be　one　of　those　days。　

At　least　Mike　was　happy　to　see　me。　

〃You　came！〃　he　called；　delighted。　〃And　I　said　it　would　be　sunny　today；　
didn't　I？〃　

〃I　told　you　I　was　ing；〃　I　reminded　him。　

〃We're　just　waiting　for　Lee　and　Samantha…　unless　you　invited　someone；〃　
Mike　added。　

〃Nope；〃　I　lied　lightly；　hoping　I　wouldn't　get　caught　in　the　lie。　But　also　
wishing　that　a　miracle　would　occur；　and　Edward　would　appear。　

Mike　looked　satisfied。　

〃Will　you　ride　in　my　car？　It's　that　or　Lee's　mom's　minivan。〃　

〃Sure。〃　

He　smiled　blissfully。　It　was　so　easy　to　make　Mike　happy。　

〃You　can　have　shotgun；〃　he　promised。　I　hid　my　chagrin。　It　wasn't　as　
simple　to　make　Mike　and　Jessica　happy　at　the　same　time。　I　could　see　
Jessica　glowering　at　us　now。　

The　numbers　worked　out　in　my　favor；　though。　Lee　brought　two　extra　people；　
and　suddenly　every　seat　was　necessary。　I　managed　to　wedge　Jess　in　between　
Mike　and　me　in　the　front　seat　of　the　Suburban。　Mike　could　have　been　more　
graceful　about　it；　but　at　least　Jess　seemed　appeased。　

It　was　only　fifteen　miles　to　La　Push　from　Forks；　with　gorgeous；　dense　
green　forests　edging　the　road　most　of　the　way　and　the　wide　Quillayute　
River　snaking　beneath　it　twice。　I　was　glad　I　had　the　window　seat。　We'd　
rolled　the　windows　down　—　the　Suburban　was　a　bit　claustrophobic　with　nine　
people　in　it　—　and　I　tried　to　absorb　as　much　sunlight　as　possible。　

I'd　been　to　the　beaches　around　La　Push　many　times　during　my　Forks　summers　
with　Charlie；　so　the　milelong　crescent　of　First　Beach　was　familiar　to　
me。　It　was　still　breathtaking。　The　water　was　dark　gray；　even　in　the　
sunlight；　whitecapped　and　heaving　to　the　gray；　rocky　shore。　Islands　rose　
out　of　the　steel　harbor　waters　with　sheer　cliff　sides；　reaching　to　uneven　
summits；　and　crowned　with　austere；　soaring　firs。　The　beach　had　only　a　
thin　border　of　actual　sand　at　the　water's　edge；　after　which　it　grew　into　
millions　of　large；　smooth　stones　that　looked　uniformly　gray　from　a　
distance；　but　close　up　were　every　shade　a　stone　could　be：　terracotta；　
sea　green；　lavender；　blue　gray；　dull　gold。　The　tide　line　was　strewn　with　
huge　driftwood　trees；　bleached　bone　white　in　the　salt　waves；　some　piled　
together　against　the　edge　of　the　forest　fringe；　some　lying　solitary；　just　
out　of　reach　of　the　waves。　

There　was　a　brisk　wind　ing　off　the　waves；　cool　and　briny。　Pelicans　
floated　on　the　swells　while　seagulls　and　a　lone　eagle　wheeled　above　them。　
The　clouds　still　circled　the　sky；　threatening　to　invade　at　any　moment；　
but　for　now　the　sun　shone　bravely　in　its　halo　of　blue　sky。　

We　picked　our　way　down　to　the　beach；　Mike　leading　the　way　to　a　ring　of　
driftwood　logs　that　had　obviously　been　used　for　parties　like　ours　before。　
There　was　a　fire　circle　already　in　place；　filled　with　black　ashes。　Eric　
and　the　boy　I　thought　was　named　Ben　gathered　broken　branches　of　driftwood　
from　the　drier　piles　against　the　forest　edge；　and　soon　had　a　
teepeeshaped　construction　built　atop　the　old　cinders。　

〃Have　you　ever　seen　a　driftwood　fire？〃　Mike　asked　me。　I　was　sitting　on　
one　of　the　bonecolored　benches；　the　other　girls　clustered；　gossiping　
excitedly；　on　either　side　of　me。　Mike　kneeled　by　the　fire；　lighting　one　
of　the　smaller　sticks　with　a　cigarette　lighter。　

〃No；〃　I　said　as　he　placed　the　blazing　twig　carefully　against　the　teepee。　

〃You'll　like　this　then　—　watch　the　colors。〃　He　lit　another　small　branch　
and　laid　it　alongside　the　first。　The　flames　started　to　lick　quickly　up　
the　dry　wood。　

〃It's　blue；〃　I　said　in　surprise。　

〃The　salt　does　it。　Pretty；　isn't　it？〃　He　lit　one　more　piece；　placed　it　
where　the　fire　hadn't　yet　caught；　and　then　came　to　sit　by　me。　Thankfully；　
Jess　was　on　his　other　side。　She　turned　to　him　and　claimed　his　attention。　
I　watched　the　strange　blue　and　green　flames　crackle　toward　the　sky。　

After　a　half　hour　of　chatter；　some　of　the　boys　wanted　to　hike　to　the　
nearby　tidal　pools。　It　was　a　dilemma。　On　the　one　hand；　I　loved　the　tide　
pools。　They　had　fascinated　me　since　I　was　a　child；　they　were　one　of　the　
only　things　I　ever　looked　forward　to　when　I　had　to　e　to　Forks。　On　the　
other　hand；　I'd　also　fallen　into　them　a　lot。　Not　a　big　deal　when　you're　
seven　and　with　your　dad。　It　reminded　me　of　Edward's　request　—　that　I　not　
fall　into　the　ocean。　

Lauren　was　the　one　who　made　my　decision　for　me。　She　didn't　want　to　hike；　
and　she　was　definitely　wearing　the　wrong　shoes　for　it。　Most　of　the　other　
girls　besides　Angela　and　Jessica　decided　to　stay　on　the　beach　as　well。　I　
waited　until　Tyler　and　Eric　had　mitted　to　remaining　with　them　before　I　
got　up　quietly　to　join　the　prohiking　group。　Mike　gave　me　a　huge　smile　
when　he　saw　that　I　was　ing。　

The　hike　wasn't　too　long；　though　I　hated　to　lose　the　sky　in　the　woods。　
The　green　light　of　the　forest　was　strangely　at　odds　with　the　adolescent　
laughter；　too　murky　and　ominous　to　be　in　harmony　with　the　light　banter　
around　me。　I　had　to　watch　each　step　I　took　very　carefully；　avoiding　roots　
below　and　branches　above；　and　I　soon　fell　behind。　Eventually　I　broke　
through　the　emerald　confines　of　the　forest　and　found　the　rocky　shore　
again。　It　was　low　tide；　and　a　tidal　river　flowed　past　us　on　its　way　to　
the　sea。　Along　its　pebbled　banks；　shallow　pools　that　never　pletely　
drained　were　teeming　with　life。　

I　was　very　cautious　not　to　lean　too　far　over　the　little　ocean　ponds。　The　
others　were　fearless；　leaping　over　the　rocks；　perching　precariously　on　
the　edges。　I　found　a　very　stablelooking　rock　on　the　fringe　of　one　of　the　
largest　pools　and　sat　there　cautiously；　spellbound　by　the　natural　
aquarium　below　me。　The　bouquets　of　brilliant　anemones　undulated　
ceaselessly　in　the　invisible　current；　twisted　shells　scurried　about　the　
edges；　obscuring　the　crabs　within　them；　starfish　stuck　motionless　to　the　
rocks　and　each　other；　while　one　small　black　eel　with　white　racing　stripes　
wove　through　the　bright　green　weeds；　waiting　for　the　sea　to　return。　I　was　
pletely　absorbed；　except　for　one　small　part　of　my　mind　that　wondered　
what　Edward　was　doing　now；　and　trying　to　imagine　what　he　would　be　saying　
if　he　were　here　with　me。　

Finally　the　boys　were　hungry；　and　I　got　up　stiffly　to　follow　them　back。　I　
tried　to　keep　up　better　this　time　through　the　woods；　so　naturally　I　fell　
a　few　times。　I　got　some　shallow　scrapes　on　my　palms；　and　the　knees　of　my　
jeans　were　stained　green；　but　it　could　have　been　worse。　

When　we　got　back　to　First　Beach；　the　group　we'd　left　behind　had　
multiplied。　As　we　got　closer　we　could　see　the　shining；　straight　black　
hair　and　copper　skin　of　the　newers；　teenagers　from　the　reservation　

e　to　socialize。　

The　food　was　already　being　passed　around；　and　the　boys　hurried　to　claim　a　
share　while　Eric　introduced　us　as　we　each　entered　the　driftwood　circle。　
Angela　and　I　were　the　last　to　arrive；　and；　as　Eric　said　our　names；　I　
noticed　a　younger　boy　sitting　on　the　stones　near