s　and　how　I　felt　watching　Jacob

build　useful　things　out　of

small　pieces　of　metal—awed　and　slightly　envious。　I　made　no　reference　to　the

change　this　letter　would　be

from　the　ones　she'd　received　in　the　last　several　months。　I　could　barely

remember　what　I'd　written　to　her

even　as　recently　as　last　week；　but　I　was　sure　it　wasn't　very　responsive。　The

more　I　thought　about　it；　the

guiltier　I　felt；　I　really　must　have　worried　her。

I　stayed　up　extra　late　after　that；　finishing　more　homework　than　strictly

necessary。　But　neither　sleep

deprivation　nor　the　time　spent　with　Jacob—being　almost　happy　in　a　shallow

kind　of　way—could　keep

the　dream　away　for　two　nights　in　a　row。

I　woke　shuddering；　my　scream　muffled　by　the　pillow。

As　the　dim　morning　light　filtered　through　the　fog　outside　my　window；　I　lay

still　in　bed　and　tried　to　shake

off　the　dream。　There　had　been　a　small　difference　last　night；　and　I

concentrated　on　that。

Last　night　I　had　not　been　alone　in　the　woods。　Sam　Uley—the　man　who　had　pulled

me　from　the　forest

floor　that　night　I　couldn't　bear　to　think　of　consciously—was　there。　It　was　an

odd；　unexpected　alteration。

The　man's　dark　eyes　had　been　surprisingly　unfriendly；　filled　with　some　secret

he　didn't　seem　inclined　to

share。　I'd　stared　at　him　as　often　as　my　frantic　searching　had　allowed；　it　made

me　unfortable；　under　all

the　usual　panic；　to　have　him　there。　Maybe　that　was　because；　when　I　didn't　look

directly　at　him；　his　shape

seemed　to　shiver　and　change　in　my　peripheral　vision。　Yet　he　did　nothing　but

stand　and　watch。　Unlike　the

time　when　we　had　met　in　reality；　he　did　not　offer　m