raised　from　tapping　her　window；　and　pulled　it　into　the　car。　She　put　something　into　his　palm；　and　folded
  his　fingers　around　it。
  His　face　was　dazed　as　he　retrieved　his　hand　and　stared　at　the　thick　roll　of　money　he　now　held。　The
  outside　bill　was　a　thousand　dollar　bill。
  〃Is　this　a　joke？〃　he　mumbled。
  Alice's　smile　was　blinding。　〃Only　if　you　think　it's　funny。〃
  He　looked　at　her；　his　eyes　staring　wide。　I　glanced　nervously　at　the　clock　on　the　dash。　If　Edward　stuck　to
  his　plan；　we　had　only　five　minutes　left。
  〃I'm　in　a　wee　bit　of　a　hurry；〃　she　hinted；　still　smiling。
  The　guard　blinked　twice；　and　then　shoved　the　money　inside　his　vest。　He　took　a　step　away　from　the
  window　and　waved　us　on。　None　of　the　passing　people　seemed　to　notice　the　quiet　exchange。　Alice　drove
  into　the　city；　and　we　both　sighed　in　relief。
  The　street　was　very　narrow；　cobbled　with　the　same　color　stones　as　the　faded　cinnamon　brown　buildings
  that　darkened　the　street　with　their　shade。　It　had　the　feel　of　an　alleyway。　Red　flags　decorated　the　walls；
  spaced　only　a　few　yards　apart；　flapping　in　the　wind　that　whistled　through　the　narrow　lane。
  It　was　crowded；　and　the　foot　traffic　slowed　our　progress。
  〃Just　a　little　farther；〃　Alice　encouraged　me；　I　was　gripping　the　door　handle；　ready　to　throw　myself　into　the
  street　as　soon　as　she　spoke　the　word。
  She　drove　in　quick　spurts　and　sudden　stops；　and　the　people　in　the　crowd　shook　their　fists　at　us　and　said
  angry　words　that　I　was　glad　I　couldn't　understand。　She　turned　onto　a　little　path　that　couldn't　have　been
  meant　for　cars；　shocked　people　had　to　squeeze　into　doorways　as　we　scraped　by。　We　found　another
  street　at　the　end。　The　buildings　were　taller　here；　they　leaned　together　overhead　so　that　no　sunlight
  touched　the　pavement—the　thrashing　red　flags　on　either　side　nearly　met。　The　crowd　was　thicker　here
  than　anywhere　else。　Alice　stopped　the　car。　I　had　the　door　open　before　we　were　at　a　standstill。
  She　pointed　to　where　the　street　widened　into　a　patch　of　bright　openness。　〃There—we're　at　the　southern
  end　of　the　square。　Run　straight　across；　to　the　right　of　the　clock　tower。　I'll　find　a　way　around—〃
  Her　breath　caught　suddenly；　and　when　she　spoke　again；　her　voice　was　a　hiss。　〃They're　everywhere？〃
  I　froze　in　place；　but　she　pushed　me　out　of　the　car。　〃Forget　about　them。　You　have　two　minutes。　Go；　Bella；
  go！〃　she　shouted；　climbing　out　of　the　car　as　she　spoke。
  I　didn't　pause　to　watch　Alice　melt　into　the　shadows。　I　didn't　stop　to　close　my　door　behind　me。　I　shoved　a
  heavy　woman　out　of　my　way　and　ran　flat　out；　head　down；　paying　little　attention　to　anything　but　the
  uneven　stones　beneath　my　feet。
  Coming　out　of　the　dark　lane；　I　was　blinded　by　the　brilliant　sunlight　beating　down　into　the　principal　plaza。
  The　wind　whooshed　into　me；　flinging　my　hair　into　my　eyes　and　blinding　me　further。　It　was　no　wonder　that
  I　didn't　see　the　wall　of　flesh　until　I'd　smacked　into　it。
  There　was　no　pathway；　no　crevice　between　the　close　pressed　bodies。　I　pushed　against　them　furiously；
  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；　the　wind　was　glacial；　and
  the　wet　made　the　cold　actually　painful。　But　the　fountain　was　very　wide；　it　let　me　cross　the　center　of　the
  square　and　then　some　in　mere　seconds。　I　didn't　pause　when　I　hit　the　far　edge—I　used　the　low　wall　as　a
  springboard；　throwing　myself　into　the　crowd。
  They　moved　more　readily　for　me　now；　avoiding　the　icy　water　that　splattered　from　my　dripping　clothes　as
  I　ran。　I　glanced　up　at　the　clock　again。
  A　deep；　booming　chime　echoed　through　the　square。　It　throbbed　in　the　stones　under　my　feet。　Children
  cried；　covering　their　ears。　And　I　started　screaming　as　I　ran。
  〃Edward！〃　I　screamed；　knowing　it　was　useless。　The　crowd　was　too　loud；　and　my　voice　was　breathless
  with　exertion。　But　I　couldn't　stop　screaming。
  The　clock　tolled　again。　I　ran　past　a　child　in　his　mother's　arms—his　hair　was　almost　white　in　the　dazzling
  sunlight。　A　circle　of　tall　men；　all　wearing　red　blazers；　called　out　warnings　as　I　barreled　through　them。　The
  clock　tolled　again。
  On　the　other　side　of　the　men　in　blazers；　there　was　a　break　in　the　throng；　space　between　the　sightseers
  who　milled　aimlessly　around　me。　My　eyes　searched　the　dark　narrow　passage　to　the　right　of　the　wide
  square　edifice　under　the　tower。　I　couldn't　see　the　street　level—there　were　still　too　many　people　in　the
  way。　The　clock　tolled　again。
  It　was　hard　to　see　now。　Without　the　crowd　to　break　the　wind；　it　whipped　at　my　face　and　burned　my
  eyes。　I　couldn't　be　sure　if　that　was　the　reason　behind　my　tears；　or　if　I　was　crying　in　defeat　as　the　clock
  tolled　again。
  A　little　family　of　four　stood　nearest　to　the　alley's　mouth。　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　small　pile　of　white　fabric　at　his　feet。　The　light　reflecting　from　the　pavement　of　the
  square　gleamed　dimly　from　his　skin。
  I'd　never　seen　anything　more　beautiful—even　as　I　ran；　gasping　and　screaming；　I　could　appreciate　that。
  And　the　last　seven　months　meant　nothing。　And　his　words　in　the　forest　meant　nothing。　And　it　did　not
  matter　if　he　did　not　want　me。　I　would　never　want　anything　but　him；　no　matter　how　long　I　lived。
  The　clock　tolled；　and　he　took　a　large　stride　toward　the　light。
  〃No！〃　I　screamed。　〃Edward；　look　at　me！〃
  He　wasn't　listening。　He　smiled　very　slightly。　He　raised　his　foot　to　take　the　step　that　would　put　him　directly
  in　the　path　of　the　sun。
  I　slammed　into　him　so　hard　that　the　force　would　have　hurled　me　to　the　ground　if　his　arms　hadn't　caught
  me　and　held　me　up。　It　knocked　my　breath　out　of　me　and　snapped　my　head　back。
  His　dark　eyes　opened　slowly　as　the　clock　tolled　again。
  He　looked　down　at　me　with　quiet　surprise。
  〃Amazing；〃　he　said；　his　exquisite　voice　full　of　wonder；　slightly　amused。　〃Carlisle　was　right。〃
  〃Edward；〃　I　tried　to　gasp；　but　my　voice　had　no　sound。　〃You've　got　to　get　back　into　the　shadows。　You
  have　to　move！〃
  He　seemed　bemused。　His　hand　brushed　softly　against　my　cheek。　He　didn't　appear　to　notice　that　I　was
  trying　to　force　him　back。　I　could　have　been　pushing