2 new+moon新月- 第39部分

Jacob　dropped　my　hand　and　yelped。　Shaking　and　twitching；　he　fell　to　the　ground　at　my　feet。　

〃Jacob！〃　I　screamed；　but　he　was　gone。　

In　his　place　was　an　enormous；　redbrown　wolf　with　dark；　intelligent　eyes。　

The　dream　veered　off　course；　like　a　train　jumping　the　tracks。　

This　was　not　the　same　wolf　that　I'd　dreamed　of　in　another　life。　This　was　the　great　russet　wolf　I'd　stood　
half　a　foot　from　in　the　meadow；　just　a　week　ago。　This　wolf　was　gigantic；　monstrous；　bigger　than　a　bear。　

This　wolf　stared　intently　at　me；　trying　to　convey　something　vital　with　his　intelligent　eyes。　The　blackbrown；　
familiar　eyes　of　Jacob　Black。　

I　woke　screaming　at　the　top　of　my　lungs。　

I　almost　expected　Charlie　to　e　check　on　me　this　time。　This　wasn't　my　usual　screaming。　I　buried　my　
head　in　my　pillow　and　tried　to　muffle　the　hysterics　that　my　screams　were　building　into。　J　pressed　the　
cotton　tight　against　my　face；　wondering　if　I　couldn't　also　somehow　smother　the　connection　I'd　just　made。　

But　Charlie　didn't　e　in。　and　eventually　I　was　able　to　strangle　the　strange　screeching　ing　out　of　my　
throat。　

I　remembered　it　all　now—every　word　that　Jacob　had　said　to　me　that　day　on　the　beach；　even　the　part　
before　he　got　to　the　vampires；　the　〃cold　ones。〃　Especially　that　first　part。　

〃Do　you　know　any　of　our　old　stories；　about　where　we　came　from—the　Quileutes；　I　mean？〃　he　
asked。　

〃Not　really；〃　I　admitted。　

〃Well；　there　are　lots　of　legends；　some　of　them　claiming　to　date　back　to　the　Flood—supposedly；　
the　ancient　Quileutes　tied　their　canoes　to　the　tops　of　the　tallest　trees　on　the　mountain　to　survive；　
like　Noah　and　the　ark。〃　He　smiled　then；　to　show　me　how　little　stock　he　put　in　the　histories。　
〃Another　legend　claims　that　we　descended　from　wolves—and　that　the　wolves　are　our　brothers　
still。　It's　against　tribal　law　to　kill　them。　

〃Then　there　are　the　stories　about　the　cold　ones。〃　His　voice　dropped　a　little　lower。　

〃The　cold　ones？〃　

〃Yes。　There　are　stories　of　the　cold　ones　as　old　as　the　wolf　legends；　and　some　much　more　recent。　
According　to　legend；　my　own　greatgrandfather　knew　some　of　them。　He　was　the　one　who　made　
the　treaty　that　kept　them　off　our　land。〃　Jacob　rolled　his　eyes。　

〃　Your　greatgrandfather？〃　

〃He　was　a　tribal　elder；　like　my　father。　You　see；　the　cold　ones　are　the　natural　enemies　of　the　wolf—　
well；　not　the　wolf　really；　but　the　wolves　that　turn　into　men；　like　our　ancestors。　You　would　call　
them　werewolves。〃　

〃Werewolves　have　enemies？〃　

〃Only　one。〃　

There　was　something　stuck　in　my　throat；　choking　me。　I　tried　to　swallow　it　down；　but　it　was　lodged　there；　
unmoving。　I　tried　to　spit　it　out。　

〃Werewolf；〃　I　gasped。　

Yes；　that　was　the　word　that　I　was　choking　on。　

The　whole　world　lurched；　tilting　the　wrong　way　on　its　axis。　

What　kind　of　a　place　was　this？　Could　a　world　really　exist　where　ancient　legends　went　wandering　around　
the　borders　of　tiny；　insignificant　towns；　facing　down　mythical　monsters？　Did　this　mean　every　impossible　
fairy　tale　was　grounded　somewhere　in　absolute　truth？　Was　there　anything　sane　or　normal　at　all；　or　was　
everything　just　magic　and　ghost　stories？　

I　clutched　my　head　in　my　hands；　trying　to　keep　it　from　exploding。　

A　small；　dry　voice　in　the　back　of　my　mind　asked　me　what　the　big　deal　was。　Hadn't　I　already　accepted　
the　existence　of　vampires　long　ago—and　without　all　the　hysterics　that　time？　

Exactly；　I　wanted　to　scream　back　at　the　voice。　Wasn't　one　myth　enough　for　anyone；　enough　for　a　
lifetime？　

Besides；　there'd　never　been　one　moment　that　I　wasn't　pletely　aware　that　Edward　Cullen　was　above　
and　beyond　the　ordinary。　It　wasn't　such　a　surprise　to　find　out　what　he　was—because　he　so　obviously　
was　something。　

But　Jacob？　Jacob；　who　was　just　Jacob；　and　nothing　more　than　that？　Jacob；　my　friend？　Jacob；　the　only　
human　I'd　ever　been　able　to　relate　to…　

And　he　wasn't　even　human。　

I　fought　the　urge　to　scream　again。　

What　did　this　say　about　me？　

I　knew　the　answer　to　that　one。　It　said　that　there　was　something　deeply　wrong　with　me。　Why　else　would　
my　life　be　filled　with　characters　from　horror　movies？　Why　else　would　I　care　so　much　about　them　that　it　
would　tear　big　chunks　right　out　of　my　chest　when　they　went　off　along　their　mythical　ways？　

In　my　head；　everything　spun　and　shifted；　rearranging　so　that　things　that　had　meant　one　thing　before；　now　
meant　something　else。　

There　was　no　cult。　There　had　never　been　a　cult；　never　been　a　gang。　No；　it　was　much　worse　than　that。　It　
was　a　pack。　

A　pack　of　five　mindblowingly　gigantic；　multihued　werewolves　that　had　stalked　right　past　me　in　Edward's　
meadow…　

Suddenly；　I　was　in　a　frantic　hurry。　I　glanced　at　the　clock—it　was　way　too　early　and　I　didn't　care。　I　had　to　
go　to　La　Push　now。　I　had　to　see　Jacob　so　he　could　tell　me　that　I　hadn't　lost　my　mind　altogether。　

I　pulled　on　the　first　clean　clothes　I　could　find；　not　bothering　to　be　sure　they　matched；　and　took　the　stairs　
two　at　a　time。　I　almost　ran　into　Charlie　as　I　skidded　into　the　hallway；　headed　for　the　door。　

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　he　asked；　as　surprised　to　see　me　as　I　was　to　see　him。　〃Do　you　know　what　time　it　
is？〃　

〃Yeah。　I　have　to　go　see　Jacob。〃　

〃I　thought　the　thing　with　Sam—〃　

〃That　doesn't　matter；　I　have　to　talk　to　him　right　now。〃　

〃It's　pretty　early。〃　He　frowned　when　my　expression　didn't　change。　〃Don't　you　want　breakfast？〃　

〃Not　hungry。〃　The　words　flew　through　my　lips。　He　was　blocking　my　path　to　the　exit。　I　considered　
ducking　around　him　and　making　a　run　for　it；　but　I　knew　I　would　have　to　explain　that　to　him　later。　〃I'll　be　
back　soon；　okay？〃　

Charlie　frowned。　〃Straight　to　Jacob's　house；　right？　No　stops　on　the　way？〃　

〃Of　course　not；　where　would　I　stop？〃　My　words　were　running　together　in　my　hurry。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　he　admitted。　〃It's　just…　well；　there's　been　another　attack—the　wolves　again。　It　was　real　
close　to　the　resort　by　the　hot　springs—there's　a　witness　this　time。　The　victim　was　only　a　dozen　yards　
from　the　road　when　he　disappeared。　His　wife　saw　a　huge　gray　wolf　just　a　few　minutes　later；　while　she　
was　searching　for　him；　and　ran　for　help。〃　

My　stomach　dropped　like　I'd　hit　a　corkscrew　on　a　roller　coaster。　〃A　wolf　attacked　him？〃　

〃There's　no　sign　of　him—just　a　little　blood　again。〃　Charlie's　face　was　pained。　〃The　rangers　are　going　out　
armed；　taking　armed　volunteers。　There're　a　lot　of　hunters　who　are　eager　to　be　involved—there's　a　
reward　being　offered　for　wolf　carcasses。　That's　going　to　mean　a　lot　of　firepower　out　there　in　the　forest；　
and　it　worries　me。〃　He　shook　his　head。　〃When　people　get　too　excited；　accidents　happen…〃　

〃They're　going　to　shoot　the　wolves？〃　My　voice　shot　through　three　octaves。　

〃What　else　can　we　do？　What's　wrong？〃　he　asked；　his　tense　eyes　studying　my　face。　I　felt　faint；　I　must　be　
whiter　than　usual。　〃You　aren't　turning　into　a　treehugger　on　me；　are　you？〃　

I　couldn't　answer。　If　he　hadn't　been　watching　me；　I　would　have　put　my　head　between　my　knees。　I'd　
forgotten　about　the　missing　hikers；　the　bloody　paw　prints…　I　hadn't　connected　those　facts　to　my　first　
realization。　

〃Look；　honey；　don't　let　this　scare　you。　Just　stay　in　town　or　on　the　highway—no　stops—okay？〃　

〃Okay；〃　I　repeated　in　a　weak　voice。　

〃I've　got　to　go。〃　

I　looked　at　him　closely　for　the　first　time；　and　saw　that　he　had　his　gun　strapped　to　his　waist　and　hiking　
boots　on。　

〃You　aren't　going　out　there　after　the　wolves；　are　you；　Dad？〃　

〃I've　got　to　help；　Bells。　People　are　disappearing。〃　

My　voice　shot　up　again；　almost　hysterical　now。　〃No！　No；　don't　go。　It's　too　dangerous！〃　

〃I've　got　to　do　my　job；　kid。　Don't　be　such　a　pessimist—I'll　be　fine。〃　He　turned　for　the　door；　and　held　it　
open。　〃You　leaving？〃　

I　hesitated；　my　stomach　still　spinning　in　unfortable　loops。　What　could　I　say　to　stop　him？　I　was　too　
dizzy　to　think　of　a　solution。　

〃Bells？〃　

〃Maybe　it's　too　early　to　go　to　La　Push；〃　I　whispered。　

〃I　agree；〃　he　said；　and　he　stepped　out　into　the　rain；　shutting　the　door　behind　him。　

As　soon　as　he　was　out　of　sight；　I　dropped　to　the　floor　and　put　my　head　between　my　knees。　

Should　I　go　after　Charlie？　What　would　I　say？　

And　what　about　Jacob？　Jacob　was　my　best　friend；　I　needed　to　warn　him。　If　he　really　was　a—I　cringed　
and　forced　myself　to　think　the　word—werewolf　（and　I　knew　it　was　true；　I　could　feel　it）；　then　people　
would　be　shooting　at　him！　I　needed　to　tell　him　and　his　friends　that　people　would　try　to　kill　them　if　they　
went　running　around　like　gigantic　wolves。　I　needed　to　tell　them　to　stop。　

They　had　to　stop！　Charlie　was　out　there　in　the　woods。　Would　they　care　about　that？　I　wondered…　Up　
until　now；　only　strangers　had　disappeared。　Did　that　mean　anything；　or　was　it　just　chance？　

I　needed　to　believe　that　Jacob；　at　least；　would　care　about　that。　

Either　way；　I　had　to　warn　him。　

Or…　did　I？　

Jacob　was　my　best　friend；　but　was　he　a　monster；　too？　A　real　one？　A　bad　one？　Should　I　warn　him；　if　he　
and　his　friends　were…　were　murderers！　If　they　were　out　slaughtering　innocent　hikers　in　cold　blood？　If　
they　were　truly　creatures　from　a　horror　movie　in　every　sense；　would　it　be　wrong　to　protect　them？　

It　was　inevitable　that　I　would　have　to　pare　Jacob　and　his　friends　to　the　Cullens。　I　wrapped　my　arms　
around　my　chest；　fighting　the　hole；　while　I　thought　of　them。　

I　didn't　know　anything　about　werewolves；　clearly。　I　would　have　expected　something　closer　to　the　
movies—big　hairy　halfmen　creatures　or　something—if　I'd　expected　anything　at　all。　So　I　didn't　know　
what　made　them　hunt；　whether　hunger　or　thirst　or　just　a　desire　to　kill。　It　was　hard　to　judge；　not　knowing　
that。　

But　it　couldn't　be　worse　than　what　the　Cullens　endured　in　their　quest　to　be　good。　I　thought　of　Esme—the　
tears　started　when　I　pictured　her　kind；　lovely　face—and　how；　as　motherly　and　loving　as　she　was；　she'd　

had　to　hold　her　nose；　all　ashamed；　and　run　from　me　when　I　was　bleeding。　It　couldn't　be　harder　than　that。　
I　thought　of　Carlisle；　the　centuries　upon　centuries　that　he　had　struggled　to　teach　himself　to　ignore　blood；　
so　that　he　could　save　lives　as　a　doctor。　Nothing　could　be　harder　than　that。　

The　werewolves　had　chosen　a　different　path。　

Now；　what　should　I　choose？