es of my sluggish
feet； I knew I was too late—and
I was glad something bloodthirsty waited in the wings。 For in failing at this；
I forfeited any desire to live。
The clock tolled again； and the sun beat down from the exact center point of
the sky。
1。 PARTY
I WAS NINETY…NINE POINT NINE PERCENT SURE I WAS dreaming。
The reasons I was so certain were that； first； I was standing in a bright
shaft of sunlight—the kind of
blinding clear sun that never shone on my drizzly new hometown in Forks；
Washington—and second； I
was looking at my Grandma Marie。 Gran had been dead for six years now； so that
was solid evidence
toward the dream theory。
Gran hadn't changed much； her face looked just the same as I remembered it。
The skin was soft and
withered； bent into a thousand tiny creases that clung gently to the bone
underneath。 Like a dried apricot；
but with a puff of thick white hair standing out in a cloud around it。
Our mouths—hers a wizened picker—spread into the same surprised half…smile
at just the same time。
Apparently； she hadn't been expecting to see me； either。
I was about to ask her a question； I had so many—What was she doing here in
my cream？ What had
she been up to in the past six years？ Was Pop okay； and had they found each
other； wherever they
were？—but she opened her mouth when I did； so I stopped to let her go first。
She paused； too； and then
we Goth smiled at the little awkwardness。
〃Bella！〃
It wasn't Gran who called my name； and we both turned to see the addition to
our small reunion。 I didn't
have to look to know who it was； this was a voi