第33部分(第7/7 頁)

middle　of　Charlie's　little　front

yard。　His　weight　had　bowed　the　tree　toward　the　house　and　he　now　swung—his

legs　dangling　twenty　feet

above　the　ground—not　a　yard　away　from　me。　The　thin　branches　at　the　tip　of　the

tree　scraped　against　the

side　of　the　house　again　with　a　grating　squeal。

〃I'm　trying　to　keep〃—he　huffed；　shifting　his　weight　as　the　treetop　bounced

him—〃my　promise！〃

I　blinked　my　wet　blurry　eyes；　suddenly　sure　that　I　was　dreaming。

〃When　did　you　ever　promise　to　kill　yourself　falling　out　of　Charlie's　tree？〃

He　snorted；　unamused；　swinging　his　legs　to　improve　his　balance。　〃Get　out　of

the　way；〃　he　ordered。

〃What？〃

He　swung　his　legs　again；　backwards　and　forward；　increasing　his　momentum。　I

realized　what　he　was　ttying

to　do。

〃No；　Jake！〃

But　I　ducked　to　the　side；　aecause　it　was　too　late。　With　a　grunt；　he　launched

himself　toward　my　open

window。

Another　scream　built　in　my　throat　as　I　waited　for　him　to　fall　to　his　death—or

at　least　maim　himself　against

the　wooden　siding。　To　my　shock；　he　swung　agilely　into　my　room；　landing　on　the

balls　of　his　feet　with　a

low　thud。

We　both　looked　to　the　door　automatically；　holding　our　breath；　waiting　to　see

if　the　noise　had　woken

Charlie。　A　short　moment　of　silence　passed；　and　then　we　heard　the　muffled　sound

of　Charlie's　snore。

A　wide　grin　spread　slowly　across　Jacob's　face；　he　seemed　extremely　pleased

with　himself。　It　wasn't　the

grin　that　I　knew　and　loved—it　was　a　new　grin；　one　that　was　a　bitter　mockery

of　his　old　sin