wn；〃　Edward's　voice　insisted。

I　shook　my　head　in　confusion。　〃You're　being　ridiculous；〃　I　told　them　both。

〃Fine；〃　Jacob　answered；　breathing　deeply　again。　〃I　won't　argue　it　with　you。　It

doesn't　matter　anyway；　the

damage　is　done。〃

〃What　damage？〃

He　didn't　flinch　as　I　shouted　the　words　in　his　face。

〃Let's　head　back。　There's　nothing　more　to　say。〃

I　gaped。　〃There's　everything　more　to　say！　You　haven't　said　anything　yet！〃

He　walked　past　me；　striding　back　toward　the　house。

〃I　ran　into　Quil　today；〃　I　yelled　after　him。

He　paused　midstep；　but　didn't　turn。

〃You　remember　your　friend；　Quil？　Yeah；　he's　terrified。〃

Jacob　whirled　to　face　me。　His　expression　was　pained。　〃Quil〃　was　all　he　said。

〃He's　worried　about　you；　too。　He's　freaked　out。〃

Jacob　stared　past　me　with　desperate　eyes。

I　goaded　him　further。　〃He's　frightened　that　he's　next。〃

Jacob　clutched　at　a　tree　for　support；　his　face　turning　a　strange　shade　of

green　under　the　red…brown

surface。　〃He　won't　be　next；〃　Jacob　muttered　to　himself。　〃He　can't　be。　It's

over　now。　This　shouldn't　still　be

happening。　Why？　Why？〃　His　fist　slammed　against　the　tree。　It　wasn't　a　big　tree；

slender　and　only　a　few

feet　taller　than　Jacob。　But　it　still　surprised　me　when　tht　trunk　gave　way　and

snapped　off　loudly　under　his

blows。

Jacob　stared　at　the　sharp；　broken　point　with　shock　that　quickly　turned　to

horror。

〃I　have　to　get　back。〃　He　whirled　and　stalked　away　so　swiftly　that　I　had　to　jog

to　keep　up。

〃Back　to　Sam！〃

〃That's　one　way　of　looking　at　it；〃　it　sounded　like　he　said。　He　was　mumbling

and　facing　away。

I　chased　him　back　to　the　truck。　〃