第54部分(第2/7 頁)

sly；

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；