The guard came around the car with an irritated expression； and tapped on her
window angrily。
She rolled the window down halfway； and I watched him do a double take when he
saw the face behind
the dark glass。
〃I'm sorry； only tour buses allowed in the city today； miss；〃 he said in
English； with a heavy accent。 He
was apologetic； now； as if he wished he had better news for the strikingly
beautiful woman。
〃It's a private tour；〃 Alice said； flashing an alluring smile。 She reached her
hand out cf the window； into
the sunlight。 I froze； until I realized she was wearing an elbow…length； tan
glove。 She took his hand； still
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。
ing 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