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〃Hey； Jake。〃
〃I believe that we have a date〃 he said； his tone thick with implications。
It took me a second before I got it。 〃They're done？ I can't believe it！〃 What
perfect timing。 I needed
something to distract me from nightmares and nothingness。
〃Yeah； they run and everything。〃
〃Jacob； you are absolutely； without a doubt； the most talented and wonderful
person I know。 You get ten
years for this one。〃
〃Cool！ I'm middle…aged now。〃
I laughed。 〃I'm on my way up！〃
I threw the cleaning supplies under the bathroom counter and grabbed my
jacket。
〃Headed to see Jake；〃 Charlie said when I ran past him。 It wasn't really a
question。
〃Yep；〃 I replied as I jumped in my truck。
〃I'll be at the station later；〃 Charlie called after me。
〃Okay；〃 I yelled back； turning the key。
Charlie said something else； but I couldn't hear him clearly over the roar of
the engine。 It sounded sort of
like； 〃Where's the fire？〃
I parked my truck off to the side of the Blacks' house； close to the trees； to
make it easier for us to sneak
the bikes out。 When I got out； a splash of color caught my eye—two shiny
motorcycles； one red； one
black； were hidden under a spruce； invisible from the house。 Jacob was
prepared。
There was a piece of blue ribbon tied in a small bow around each of the
handlebars。 I was laughing at
that when Jacob ran out of the house。
〃Ready？〃 he asked in a low voice； his eyes sparkling。
I glanced over his shoulder； and there was no sign of Billy。
〃Yeah；〃 I said； but I didn't feel quite as excited as before； I was trying to
imagine myself actually on the
motorcycle。
Jacob loaded the bikes into the bed of the truck with ease； laying them
carefully on their sides so they
didn't show。
〃Let's go；〃 he said； his voice higher than usual with excitement。 〃I know the
perfect spot—no one will
catch us there。〃
We drove south out of town。 The dirt road wove in and out of the forest—
sometimes there was nothing
but trees； and then there would suddenly be a breathtaking glimpse of the
Pacific Ocean； reaching to the
horizon； dark gray under the clouds。 We were above the shore； on top of the
cliffs that bordered the
beach here and the view seemed to stretch on forever。
I was driving slowly； so that I could safely stare out across the ocean now
and then； as the road wound
closer to the sea cliffs。 Jacob was talking about finishing the bikes； but his
descriptions were getting
technical； so I wasn't paying close attention。
That was when I noticed four figures standing on a rocky ledge； much too close
to the precipice。 I
couldn't tell from the distance how old they were； but I assumed they were
men。 Despite the chill in the
air today； they seemed to be wearing only shorts。
As I watched； the tallest person stepped closer to the brink。 I slowed
automatically； my foot hesitating
over the brake pedal。
And then he threw himself off the edge。
〃No！〃 I shouted； stomping down on the brake。
〃What's wrong？〃 Jacob shouted back； alarmed。
〃That guy—he just jumped off the cliff！ Why didn't they stop him？ We've got
to call an ambulance！〃 I
threw open my door and started to get out； which made no sense at all。 The
fastest way to a phone was
to drive back to Billy's。 But I couldn't believe what I'd just seen。 Maybe；
subconsciously； I hoped I
would see something different without the glass of the windshield in the way。
Jacob laughed； and I spun to stare at him wildly。 How could he be so
calloused； so cold…blooded？
〃They're just cliff diving； Bella。 Recreation。 La Push doesn't have a mall；
you know。〃 He was teasing； but
there was a strange note of irritation in his voice。
〃Cliff diving？〃 I repeated； dazed。 I stared in disbelief as a second figure
stepped to the edge； paused； and
then very gracefully leaped into space。 He fell for what seemed like an
eternity to me； finally cutting
smoothly into the dark gray waves below。
〃Wow。 It's so high。〃 I slid back into my seat； still staring wide…eyed at the
two remaining divers。 〃It must
be a hundred feet。〃
〃Well； yeah； most of us jump from lower down； that rock that juts out from the
cliff about halfway。〃 He
pointed out his window。 The place he indicated did seem much more reasonable。
〃Those guys are insane。
Probably showing off how tough they are。 I mean； really； it's freezing today。
That water can't feel good。〃
He made a disgruntled face； as if the stunt personally offended him。 It
surprised me a little。 I would have
thought Jacob was nearly impossible to upset。
〃You jump off the cliff？〃 I hadn't missed the 〃us。〃
〃Sure； sure。〃 He shrugged and grinned。 〃It's fun。 A little scary； kind of a
rush。〃
I looked back at the cliffs； where the third figure was pacing the edge。 I'd
never witnessed anything so
reckless in all my life。 My eyes widened； and I smiled。 〃Jake； you have to
take me cliff diving。〃
He frowned back at me； his face disapproving。 〃Bella； you just wanted to call
an ambulance for Sam；〃 he
reminded me。 I was surprised that he could tell who it was from this distance。
〃I want to try；〃 I insisted； start ing to get out of the car again。
Jacob grabbed my wrist。 〃Not today； all right？ Can we at least wait for a
warmer day？〃
〃Okay； fine；〃 I agreed。 With the door open； the glacial breeze was raising
goose bumps on my arm。 〃But
I want to go soon。〃
〃Soon。〃 He rolled his eyes。 〃Sometimes you're a little strange； Bella。 Do you
know that？〃
I sighed。 〃Yes。〃
〃And we're not jumping off the top。〃
I watched； fascinated； as the third boy made a running start and flung himself
farther into the empty air
than the other two。 He twisted and cartwheeled through space as he fell； like
he was skydiving。 He
looked absolutely free—unthinking and utterly irresponsible。
〃Fine；〃 I agreed。 〃Not the first time； anyway。〃
Now Jacob sighed。
〃Are we going to try out the bikes or not？〃 he demanded。
〃Okay； okay；〃 I said； tearing my eyes away from the last person waiting on the
cliff。 I put my seat belt
back on and closed the door。 The engine was still running； roaring as it
idled。 We started down the road
again。
〃So who were those guys—the crazy ones？〃 I wondered。
He made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat。 〃The La Push gang。〃
〃You have a gang？〃 I asked。 I realized that I sounded impressed。
He laughed once at my reaction。 〃Not like that。 I swear； they're like hall
monitors gone bad。 They don't
start fights； they keep the peace。〃 He snorted。 〃There was this guy from up
somewhere by the Makah
rez； big guy too； scary…looking。 Well； word got around that he was selling
meth to kids； and Sam Uley
and his disciples ran him off our land。 They're all about our land； and tribe
pride it's getting
ridiculous。 The worst part is that the council takes them seriously。 Embry
said that the council actually
meets with Sam。〃 He shook his head； face full of resentment。 〃Embry also heard
from Leah Clearwater
that they call themselves 'protectors' or something like that。〃
Jacob's hands were clenched into fists； as if he'd like to hit something。 I'd
never seen this side of him。
I was surprised to hear Sam Uley's name。 I didn't want it to bring back the
images from my nightmare； so
I made a quick observation to distract myself。 〃You don't like them very
much。〃
〃Does it show？〃 he asked sarcastically。
〃Well It doesn't sound like they're doing anything bad。〃 I tried to soothe
him； to make him cheerful
again。 〃Just sort of annoyingly goody…two…shoes for a gang。〃
〃Yeah。 Annoying is a good word。 They're always showing off—like the cliff
thing。 They act like like； I
don't know。 Like tough guys。 I was hanging out at the store with Embry and
Quil once； last semester； and
Sam came by with his followers； Jared and Paul。 Quil said something； you know
how he's got a big
mouth； and it pissed Paul off。 His eyes got all dark； and he sort of smiled—
no； he showed his teeth but
he didn't smile—and it was like he was so mad he was shaking or something。
But Sam put his hand
against Paul's chest and shook his head。 Paul looked at him for a minute and
calmed down。 Honestly； it
was like Sam was holding him back—like Paul was going to tear us up if Sam
didn't stop him。〃 He
groaned。 〃Like a bad western。 You know； Sam's a pretty big guy； he's twenty。
But Paul's just sixteen；
too； shorter than me and not as beefy as Quil。 I think any one of us could
take him。〃
〃Tough guys；〃 I agreed。 I could see it in my head as he described it； and it
reminded me of something a
trio of tall； dark men standing very still and close together in my father's
living room。 The picture was
sideways； because my head was lying against the couch while Dr。 Gerandy and
Charlie leaned over
me Had that been Sam's gang？
I spoke quickly again to divert myself from the bleak memories。 〃Isn't Sam a
little too old for this kind of
thing？〃
〃Yeah。 He was supposed to go to college； but he stayed。 And no one gave him
any crap about it； either。
The whole council pitched a fit when my sister turned down a partial
scholarship and got married。 But； oh
no； Sam Uley can do no wrong。〃
His face was set i