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enough　to　recognize。　　The　images　shivered　and　disappeared　as　a　million　tiny　choices　
rearranged　the　future　again。　
〃I　didn't　catch　much　of　that；〃　I　told　her　when　the　vision　went　dark。　
Me　either。　　Your　future　is　shifting　around　so　much　I　can't　keep　up　with　any　of　it。　　I　
think；　though？　
She　stopped；　and　she　flipped　through　a　vast　collection　of　other　recent　visions　for　
me。　　They　were　all　the　same—blurry　and　vague。　
〃I　think　something　is　changing；　though；〃　she　said　out　loud。　　〃Your　life　seems　to　be　
at　a　crossroads。〃　
I　laughed　grimly。　　〃You　do　realize　that　you　sound　like　a　bogus　gypsy　at　a　carnival　
now；　right？〃　
She　stuck　her　tiny　tongue　out　at　me。　
〃Today　is　all　right；　though；　isn't　it？〃　I　asked；　my　voice　abruptly　apprehensive。　
〃I　don't　see　you　killing　anyone　today；〃　she　assured　me。　
〃Thanks；　Alice。〃　
〃Go　get　dressed。　　I　won't　say　anything—I'll　let　you　tell　the　others　when　you're　
ready。〃　
She　stood　and　darted　back　down　the　stairs；　her　shoulders　hunched　slightly。　　Miss　
you。　　Really。　
Yes；　I　would　really　miss　her；　too。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
56　

It　was　a　quiet　ride　to　school。　　Jasper　could　tell　that　Alice　was　upset　about　
something；　but　he　knew　that　if　she　wanted　to　talk　about　it　she　would　have　done　so　
already。　　Emmett　and　Rosalie　were　oblivious；　having　another　of　their　moments；　gazing　
into　each　others'　eyes　with　wonder—it　was　rather　disgusting　to　watch　from　the　outside。　
We　were　all　quite　aware　how　desperately　in　love　they　were。　　Or　maybe　I　was　just　being　
bitter　because　I　was　the　only　one　alone。　　Some　days　it　was　harder　than　others　to　live　with　
three　sets　of　perfectly　matched　lovers。　　This　was　one　of　them。　
Maybe　they　would　all　be　happier　without　me　hanging　around；　ill…tempered　and　
belligerent　as　the　old　man　I　should　be　by　now。　
Of　course；　the　first　thing　I　did　when　we　reached　the　school　was　to　look　for　the　
girl。　　Just　preparing　myself　again。　
Right。　
It　was　embarrassing　how　my　world　suddenly　seemed　to　be　empty　of　everything　
but　her—my　whole　existence　centered　around　the　girl；　rather　than　around　myself　
anymore。　
It　was　easy　enough　to　understand；　though；　really；　after　eighty　years　of　the　same　
thing　every　day　and　every　night；　any　change　became　a　point　of　absorption。　
She　had　not　yet　arrived；　but　could　I　hear　the　thunderous　chugging　of　her　truck's　
engine　in　the　distance。　　I　leaned　against　the　side　of　the　car　to　wait。　　Alice　stayed　with　me；　
while　the　others　went　straight　to　class。　　They　were　bored　with　my　fixation—it　was　
incomprehensible　to　them　how　any　human　could　hold　my　interest　for　so　long；　no　matter　
how　delicious　she　smelled。　
The　girl　drove　slowly　into　view；　her　eyes　intent　on　the　road　and　her　hands　tight　on　
the　wheel。　　She　seemed　anxious　about　something。　　It　took　me　a　second　to　figure　out　what　
that　something　was；　to　realize　that　every　human　wore　the　same　expression　today。　　Ah；　the　
road　was　slick　with　ice；　and　they　were　all　trying　to　drive　more　carefully。　　I　could　see　she　
was　taking　the　added　risk　seriously。　
That　seemed　in　line　with　what　little　I　had　learned　of　her　character。　　I　added　this　to　
my　small　list：　she　was　a　serious　person；　a　responsible　person。　
She　parked　not　too　far　from　me；　but　she　hadn't　noticed　me　standing　here　yet；　
staring　at　her。　　I　wondered　what　she　would　do　when　she　did？　　Blush　and　walk　away？　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
57　

That　was　my　first　guess。　　But　maybe　she　would　stare　back。　　Maybe　she　would　come　to　
talk　to　me。　
I　took　a　deep　breath；　filling　my　lungs　hopefully；　just　in　case。　
She　got　out　of　the　truck　with　care；　testing　the　slick　ground　before　she　put　her　
weight　on　it。　　She　didn't　look　up；　and　that　frustrated　me。　　Maybe　I　would　go　talk　to　her？　
No；　that　would　be　wrong。　
Instead　of　turning　toward　the　school；　she　made　her　way　to　the　rear　of　her　truck；　
clinging　to　the　side　of　the　truck　bed　in　a　droll　way；　not　trusting　her　footing。　　It　made　me　
smile；　and　I　felt　Alice's　eyes　on　my　face。　　I　didn't　listen　to　whatever　this　made　her　
think—I　was　having　too　much　fun　watching　the　girl　check　her　snow　chains。　　She　actually　
looked　in　some　danger　of　falling；　the　way　her　feet　were　sliding　around。　　No　one　else　was　
having　trouble—had　she　parked　in　the　worst　of　the　ice？　
She　paused　there；　staring　down　with　a　strange　expression　on　her　face。　　It　
was？tender？　　As　if　something　about　the　tire　was　making　her？emotional？　
Again；　the　curiosity　ached　like　a　thirst。　　It　was　as　if　I　had　to　know　what　she　was　
thinking—as　if　nothing　else　mattered。　
I　would　go　talk　to　her。　　She　looked　like　she　could　use　a　hand　anyway；　at　least　until　
she　was　off　the　slick　pavement。　　Of　course；　I　couldn't　offer　her　that；　could　I？　　I　hesitated；　
torn。　　As　adverse　as　she　seemed　to　be　to　snow；　she　would　hardly　welcome　the　touch　of　
my　cold　white　hand。　　I　should　have　worn　gloves—　
〃NO！〃　Alice　gasped　aloud。　
Instantly；　I　scanned　her　thoughts；　guessing　at　first　that　I　had　made　a　poor　choice　
and　she　saw　me　doing　something　inexcusable。　　But　it　had　nothing　to　do　with　me　at　all。　
Tyler　Crowley　had　chosen　to　take　the　turn　into　the　parking　lot　at　an　injudicious　
speed。　　This　choice　would　send　him　skidding　across　a　patch　of　ice？　
The　vision　came　just　half　a　second　before　the　reality。　　Tyler's　van　rounded　the　
corner　as　I　was　still　watching　the　conclusion　that　had　pulled　the　horrified　gasp　through　
Alice's　lips。　
No；　this　vision　had　nothing　to　do　with　me；　and　yet　it　had　everything　to　do　with　
me；　because　Tyler's　van—the　tires　right　now　hitting　the　ice　at　the　worst　possible　angle—　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
58　

was　going　to　spin　across　the　lot　and　crush　the　girl　who　had　become　the　uninvited　focal　
point　of　my　world。　
Even　without　Alice's　foresight　it　would　have　been　simple　enough　to　read　the　
trajectory　of　the　vehicle；　flying　out　of　Tyler's　control。　
The　girl；　standing　in　the　exactly　wrong　place　at　the　back　of　her　truck；　looked　up；　
bewildered　by　the　sound　of　the　screeching　tires。　　She　looked　straight　into　my　horror…　
struck　eyes；　and　then　turned　to　watch　her　approaching　death。　
Not　her！　　The　words　shouted　in　my　head　as　if　they　belonged　to　someone　else。　
Still　locked　into　Alice's　thoughts；　I　saw　the　vision　suddenly　shift；　but　I　had　no　
time　to　see　what　the　outcome　would　be。　
I　launched　myself　across　the　lot；　throwing　myself　between　the　skidding　van　and　
the　frozen　girl。　　I　moved　so　fast　that　everything　was　a　streaky　blur　except　for　the　object　of　
my　focus。　　She　didn't　see　me—no　human　eyes　could　have　followed　my　flight—still　
staring　at　the　hulking　shape　that　was　about　to　grind　her　body　into　the　metal　frame　of　her　
truck。　
I　caught　her　around　the　waist；　moving　with　too　much　urgency　to　be　as　gentle　as　
she　would　need　me　to　be。　　In　the　hundredth　of　a　second　between　the　time　that　I　yanked　
her　slight　form　out　of　the　path　of　death　and　the　time　that　I　crashed　into　to　the　ground　with　
her　in　my　arms；　I　was　vividly　aware　of　her　fragile；　breakable　body。　
When　I　heard　her　head　crack　against　the　ice；　it　felt　like　I　had　turned　to　ice；　too。　
But　I　didn't　even　have　a　full　second　to　ascertain　her　condition。　　I　heard　the　van　
behind　us；　grating　and　squealing　as　it　twisted　around　the　sturdy　iron　body　of　the　girl's　
truck。　　It　was　changing　course；　arcing；　coming　for　her　again—like　she　was　a　magnet；　
pulling　it　toward　us。　
A　word　I'd　never　said　before　in　the　presence　of　a　lady　slid　between　my　clenched　
teeth。　
I　had　already　done　too　much。　　As　I'd　nearly　flown　through　the　air　to　push　her　out　
of　the　way；　I'd　been　fully　aware　of　the　mistake　I　was　making。　　Knowing　that　it　was　a　
mistake　did　not　stop　me；　but　I　was　not　oblivious　to　the　risk　I　was　taking—taking；　not　just　
for　myself；　but　for　my　entire　family。　
Exposure。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
59　

And　this　certainly　wasn't　going　to　help；　but　there　was　no　way　I　was　going　to　
allow　the　van　to　succeed　in　its　second　attempt　to　take　her　life。　
I　dropped　her　and　threw　my　hands　out；　catching　the　van　before　it　could　touch　the　
girl。　　The　force　of　it　hurled　me　back　into　the　car　parked　beside　her　truck；　and　I　could　feel　
its　frame　buckle　behind　my　shoulders。　　The　van　shuddered　and　shivered　against　the　
unyielding　obstacle　of　my　arms；　and　then　swayed；　balancing　unstably　on　the　two　far　tires。　
If　I　moved　my　hands；　the　back　tire　of　the　van　was　going　fall　onto　her　legs。　
Oh；　for　the　love　of　all　that　was　holy；　would　the　catastrophes　never　end？　　Was　there　
anything　else　that　could　go　wrong？　　I　could　hardly　sit　here；　holding　the　van　in　the　air；　and　
wait　for　rescue。　　Nor　could　I　throw　the　van　away—there　was　the　driver　to　consider；　his　
thoughts　incoherent　with　panic。　
With　an　internal　groan；　I　shoved　the　van　so　that　it　rocked　away　from　us　for　an　
instant。　　As　it　fell　back　toward　me；　I　caught　it　under　the　frame　with　my　right　hand　while　I　
wrapped　my　left　arm　around　the　girl's　waist　again　and　drug　her　out　from　under　the　van；　
pulling　her　tight　up　against　my　side。　　Her　body　moved　limply　as　I　swung　her　around　so　
that　her　legs　would　be　in　the　clear—was　she　conscious？　　How　much　damage　had　I　done　
to　her　in　my　impromptu　rescue　attempt？　
I　let　the　van　drop；　now　that　it　could　not　hurt　her。　　It　crashed　to　the　pavement；　all　
the　windows　shattering　in　unison。　
I　knew　that　I　was　in　the　middle　of　a　crisis。　　How　much　had　she　seen？　　Had　any　
other　witnesses　watched　me　materialize　at　her　side　and　then　juggle　the　van　while　I　tried　to　
keep　her　out　from　under　it？　　These　questions　should　be　my　biggest　concern。　
But　I　was　too　anxious　to　really　care　about　the　threat　of　exposure　as　much　as　I　
should。　　Too　panic…stricken　that　I　might　have　injured　her　myself　in　my　effort　to　protect　
her。　　Too　frightened　to　have　her　this　close　to　me；　knowing　what　I　would　smell　if　I　allowed　
myself　to　inhale。　　Too　aware　of　the　heat　of　her　soft　body；　pressed　against　mine—even　
through　the　double　obstacle　of　our　jackets；　I　could　feel　that　heat？　
The　first　fear　was　the　greatest　fear。　　As　the　screaming　of　the　witnesses　erupted　
around　us；　I　leaned　down　to　examine　her　face；　to　see　if　she　was　conscious—hoping　
fiercely　that　she　was　not　bleeding　anywhere。　
Her　eyes　were　open；　staring　in　shock。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
60　

〃Bella？〃　I　asked　urgently。　　〃Are　you　all　right？〃　
〃I'm　fine。〃　　She　said　the　wor