第54部分(第4/7 頁)

th。　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　sm