GRENDEL BY JOHN GARDNER Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

GRENDEL BY JOHN GARDNER - Essay Example In  Grendel,  however, he is an intelligent and temperamental monster, capable of rational thought as well as irrational outbursts of emotion. The novel follows Grendel through three stages of his life. The first stage is his childhood, which he spends innocently exploring his confined world, untroubled by the outside universe or philosophical questions.  The second step, which decisively makes Grendel an adult, occurs when the bull attacks him, prompting him to realize that the world is essentially chaotic, following no pattern and governed by no discernible reason. The third and final stage of Grendel’s life encompasses his fatal battle with Beowulf and the weeks leading up to that battle. In this reading, Gardner establishes Grendel as a dark, but poetic spectator to man’s pretensions to civilization (Merrill 164). For instance, Grendel has observed Hrothgar’s rise to power, so he offers a sardonic account of how roving bands evolved into savage tribes. Grendel is also contemptuous of the Shaper’s influence on Hrothgar’s men, and he asks â€Å"Did they murder each other more gently because in the woods sweet songbirds sang?† (Gardner 62). This is where he emphasizes the dangerous allure of art, that is, he exposes the irrepressible human tendency to substitute unpleasant realities with consolatory myths (Merrill 165). The Shaper, for example, tells the Danes stories of their heritage so that the Danes learn to see themselves within a certain moral context, as inheritors of a proud tradition and consequently feel a need to adhere to the strict moral and ethical code that the Shaper has established.  This crystal clear vision of wha t they need to believe in to make their world a meaningful one comforts them. They feel safe in a world which offers a clear distinction and role assignment: kings are kings, warriors are warriors and monsters are monsters. Unlike them, Grendel is not oblivious to the fact that what they

Uno work in ukraine Essay Example for Free

Uno work in ukraine Essay Foreign relations of Ukraine have started to develop after it accepted the Declaration of State Sovereignty in 1990 and especially after the Act of Independence of Ukraine was announced in 1991. Ukraine was until then, although it had its own seat in the United Nations and was one of its 51 founding states, a part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and thus unable to lead it own foreign policy. The Declaration of Independence became the cornerstone and starting point creation of the foreign policy guidelines that would meet the criteria of the present-day situation. The priorities of Ukrainian foreign policy have gone through a long process of alteration, mostly because of complex domestic and global situation. During the first years of its independence the main foreign policy goals were to win international recognition of Ukraine and establish relations with other countries, especially with the neighbouring former Soviet republics and with other European and worlds countries. Other vital parts of this process were aimed at securing national security of the country, assuring territorial integrity and extend the diplomatic network. One of the most significant steps in the construction of the legal basis of Ukraine’s international relations was the motion on the Basic Directions of the Foreign Policy of Ukraine, accepted by Ukrainian parliament in 1993. This document determined Ukraine’s key national interest in the foreign policy, defined its principles and guidelines and set the priorities of the foreign policy. The following priorities were outlined in the resolution: development of bilateral interstate relationships,  enlargement of the participation in the European co-operation, collaboration with the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states, participation in United Nations (UN) and other international organisations. In the following years (1994 1997) Ukraine started to gain status of being an influential state in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. A lot of efforts were made to involve the nation in general European processes. The foreign policy shifted its focus from establishing international relations to promoting Ukrainian national interests. As the integration process in Europe developed, so did the Ukraine’s interest in being involved in European and Euro-Atlantic structures. Ukraine took dynamic part in all the processes taking in both Europe and the world. Its first priority was to renew European identity which primarily meant its integration into European structures, especially in the European Union, in reinforcement of European and Atlantic partnerships, and active participation in local projects and mechanisms of cooperation. Ukraines involvement in European integration processes is necessary to get membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO). Europe orientated foreign policy doesn’t prevent Ukraine to develop bilateral collaboration with strategic partners, such as the Russian federation, the United States of America Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan and Poland. Further efforts will be invested in development of other bilateral agreements, especially with countries in Central and South Asia, the Asian-Pacific region and in the Middle East. Current prospects in Ukrainian foreign policy are slightly insecure. The domestic crisis which out broke after March 2006 parliamentary elections and resulted in the failure to re-establish the Orange Coalition has led to multi-vectorism in Ukraine’s foreign policy. Multi-vectorism is a result of different foreign policy expressed by the president and the prime minister. Regardless of the current problems, Ukraine’s foreign policy has shown much continui ty and it is likely to stay the case. Recent developments suggest that a consensus have emerged on all important foreign policy issues. Read more: http://www.ukessays.com/essays/european-studies/ukraine-policy-profile.php#ixzz3543GXFgu

Elderly Sex Offenders: Causes, Crimes and Punishments

Elderly Sex Offenders: Causes, Crimes and Punishments Introduction In the recent years, the number of reported crimes involving geriatric offenders has increased, especially in sex related offences. Although there is a recent spate of sex offences, there has been minimal discussion with regard to sex offenders who commit their crimes in their golden years. Furthermore, the media has been seen to portray the elderly as feeble and delicate targets for criminals, more than a perpetrator of crimes. This essay will firstly define the ground rules and establish a common understanding of the age range of the elderly. Part II of the essay will examine and discuss the types of offences committed by elderly sex offenders, follow by the reasons for committing the sexual crimes. Part III of the essay will delve at the current punishments and treatments for geriatric sex offenders based on classical and positivist approach. Finally, Part IV will offer some recommendations on the way forward of elderly sex offenders. Definition of an Elderly Person According to the World Health Organization (WHO), most of the countries worldwide have accepted the chronological age of 65 years as a definition of elderly person (WHO, 2010). This definition also coincides with the definition of elderly in United States. In Singapore, however, the elderly, or otherwise known as senior citizen, own their status once they have reached the age of 55. Although senior citizenship starts from the age of 55, it is worthy to note that Singaporeans retired at the age of 62 and statistics from the government actually delineate age 65 and above from the others when determining the age structure for the purpose of statistics (Statistic Singapore, 2010). Ironically, criminals whose age are 50 and above are not subjected to canning regardless of the offences committed, though the average life expectancy of Singaporeans is 81.4 (Male: 79 and female: 83.7). For the purpose of this essay, we will define age 65 and above to qualify as elderly. Offenses Perpetrated by Elderly Sex Offenders While the majority of the sex offenders are still committed by younger men, statistics show that nearly 4 percent (2858 persons)of the sexual crimes in United States in 2006 were age 60 and above (Sullivan, 2007). Whereas in Singapore, there were 50 over sexual crimes in 2009 and out of the 50 over cases, less than 5 cases are elderly offenders. Generally, sex offences committed by elderly are more passive sexual activities as compared to younger sex offenders. Research has shown that elderly sex offenders are more likely to commit non-violent sexual offences such as pedophilia, fondling or molest, statutory rape, exposing of the genitals and other acts of exhibitionism (Eysenck Gudjonsson, 2000). For example, a recent case of 90 year-old Australian arrested and charged for raping four young sisters (age 5 to 7) whom he allegedly lured to his home in Thailand with imported chocolates and English lessons (Suchaovanich, 2010). In Singapore, a 68 year-old magician was arrested and char ged for molesting a 12 year-old apprentice (SSN, 2009). Although there are many different scenarios of elderly sex offenders, these 2 incidents seem to suggest that elderly sex offenders frequently choose children as their victims and are more likely to do so than younger offenders. Potential reasons postulated that the elderly men have lost their charisma and are generally unattractive to females. Also, the fact that grandfather image tend to be more trust worthy than younger men and this increases the opportunity of committing sexual crimes. Besides, young victims are less able to defend themselves and easier to bribe and less likely to report such incidents (Hucker, 1984). Possible Reasons for Sexual Crimes Other possible reasons seem to indicate that elderly sex offenders may be suffering from a lost sense of masculinity. Furthermore, sexual crimes are committed by elderly offenders who are feeling less potent and less active in their golden age. It is postulated that by victimizing someone less powerful, the elderly is able to recover his lost self-esteem (Benett, 1987). Another postulation by Hucker and Ben-Aron (1987) seems to suggest that they are unable to physically live out their fantasies and hence, only capable of performing their desires in a limited sexual capacity. Additionally, it is also hypothesized that the elderly sex offenders are overwhelmed by typical problems such as social isolation and loneliness due to separation from grown up kids, death of spouse or even poverty. One of the prison psychologists, Susan King felt that elderly offenders are still sexually driven. However, due to their health condition and potency, they become frustrated and therefore acted on chi ldren simply because they are easy targets. Moreover, elderly sex offenders do not want to seek counseling or treatment (Rayburn, 2007). Punishment or Treatment of Elderly Sex Offenders According to the Penal Code (Chapter 224, Section 375 and 376), the penalty for sex offences is imprisonment of not less than 8 years and not more than 20 years, and shall also be punished with not less than 12 strokes of cane. Most of the countries have average sentence of 12 years for rapists but caning is not commonly used in some countries such as United States and some African nations. Usually, a criminal justice system is more inclined towards the classical approach as this theory is very policy oriented and concentrates on establishing and operating a criminal justice system that is rule-based, consistent and predictable (Joyce, 2006). Punishments meted out by such system are usually acted as a form of deterrence to members of public from committing crimes. Other than the classical approach, positivist theory is another approach to deal with crimes. Rather than focusing on the law and the offence committed, this approach looks into the contributing factors leading to the crime . It advocates treatment and rehabilitation over punishments. However, more often than not, when elderly sex offenders are convicted of their crimes, the question that will be normally raised, what to do with these criminals? Which approach to be used? While there is a strong disinclination of locking the feeble and frail elderly into the prison and spend his final years, nobody would allow a sex offender to be roaming in the streets and inflicts harm on the children. In United States, sex offenders are banished from the towns and they are restricted from living 750 meters within the streets and schools. They were forced to live under bridges and homeless (Kelley, 2010). In fact, many of these elderly sex offenders are first timer with no prior criminal record of any sexual or other offense (Hart, 2008). If Singapore were to impose such restrictions, we will see sex offenders congregating outside the city and this would have other repercussions and inadvertently create other social problems in the society. Another important aspect that influence and shape the publics perception is the power of media as it exerts an imperative influence on the popular perception of the nature and effect of crime. Just because sex, violence and controversy sells newspaper, it actually enables profit-run mass media companies to publish and sensationalize stories that the public would generally be interested in reading and watching so as to boost the sales and advertising revenue. However, the media is not providing an accurate portrayal of the news and allows deviance amplification and moral panic to set in. In essence, the members of public forms their opinions of the offences and crimes based on what they read and watch. Take it for instance, the media in Singapore has always portrayed the elderly as frail and frightened, being the victims of robbery rather than perpetrators of crimes. Recommendations Besides the usual classical system meted to punish elderly offenders, the system should advocates for a sympathetic treatment of elderly sex offenders because the elderly offenders tend to be non-aggressive in their acts, possess low recidivism rate and deprived of notable social, health and mental problems (Hucker, 1984). In fact, evidence from Steffensmeier (1995) seems to imply that elderly sex offenders receive more lenient sentences than the younger offenders. One possibility for reconciling the differences in sentencing might be due to the fact that elderly sex offenders are generally less aggressive towards their victims and are more likely to commit non-violent sexual offenses when compared to younger sex offenders. Some of the elderly sex offenders suffer from sicknesses such Parkinson disease, Alzheimers, dementia and other elderly illnesses. As such, by sending the elderly sex offenders to the prison may aggravate their health condition because the prisons are geared prima rily for young offenders and it has little emphasis placed on special problems of incarcerating the elderly offenders. Moreover, increased numbers of elderly offenders will equate to an increased in the medical cost and facilities required for the elderly. With the increase in elderly offenders, setting up an elderly prison might be worthwhile considering as the prison can be tailored to the elderly offenders special needs such as medical and psychological facilities and equipment available for the offenders. In the state of Nevada in United States, the governor implemented a special needs program for different groups of offenders such as the elderly offenders, pregnant offenders, sex offenders and etc (NDOC, 2007). The Ministry of Home Affairs could perhaps set aside certain percentage of the allocated funds to run such program when elderly offenders have increased substantially. For a stronger deterrence message to prevent elderly offenders from committing sexual crimes, the government should also review the Penal Code and relook into the caning requirements, if the countrys law and order is based on classical approach. As brought up earlier, caning for age 49 and below does not coincide with the life expectancy as well as the criteria age for elderly. The government should revise the mandatory caning requirement to age 64 and below for serious offences and caning can still be carried out for age 65 and above subjected to medical examination. In this way, the punishment meted can transmit a stronger deterrence signal to future elderly sex offenders. For a justice system to be more effective and encompassing, the government should consider a mixture of both the classical and positivist approaches. Conclusion While elderly sex offenders only account for a small percentage of sexual crimes committed, it is definitely alarming that an elderly who has lived within the norms of society for their entire life can commit such horrendous acts at such a late stage in their life and turn into a dirty old man. Nevertheless, elderly sex offenders are generally less violent and their intention is never to harm their victims, the crime is committed purely out of personal gratification. With the increase in elderly offenders, dedicated prisons are recommended for elderly offenders and they can make use of the medical facilities for their health and mental treatment.

To Be or Not to Be - Hamlets Answer Essay example -- Shakespeare Haml

To Be or Not to Be - Hamlet's Answer As Hamlet approaches a waiting Ophelia, he begins one of the most famous soliloquies in all of literature with the immortal line: 'To be or not to be?that is the question' (III. i. 64). Yet this obvious reference to suicide only scratches the surface of the heart-rendering conflict felt by the young Dane. Hamlet's impetuous desire to take his own life is only an impassioned reaction to the heavy burden of revenge that his father's murder has placed upon him. His greater struggle, and the focus of Hamlet itself, involves the questioning of the purpose and meaning of a life well-lived. The character of Hamlet pursues this knowledge through his manipulation of reality, his search for the courage necessary to fulfill his quest, and his eventual acceptance of his true responsibility. Soon after the death of his father, Hamlet discovers the deceptive nature of appearances. When the queen questions why he is so distracted by the appearance of those mourning, he replies by describing the facades of others: These indeed ?seem,? For they are actions that a man might play; But I have that within which passes show, These but the trappings and the suits of woe. (I. ii. 86-89) Hamlet knows that his grief is genuine, and he is angered by what he believes are the superficial responses of others. Yet that anger soon turns to introspection as he considers the power of such role-playing. As he banters with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern as they feebly attempt to discover the source of his bizarre behavior, Hamlet tells them that ?there is / nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it / so? (II. ii. 268-270). He has quickly learned that appearances can be altered and actions feigned... ...what is?t to leave betimes? Let be. (V. ii. 234-238) In his search to better understand his own purpose in life, Hamlet has inadvertently answered the question he so profoundly posed earlier in the play. Through observing the nature of reality and man?s ability to shape it, he learned more about the nature of truth. In discovering an inner sense of courage upon which he could draw, he found the strength he needed to follow his convictions. And finally, by accepting the reality of man?s temporal existence, he came to believe that integrity of thought and action is what gives life its meaning. ?To be or not to be (III. i. 64). Shakespeare?s Hamlet offers a resounding answer to this enigma: if life is lived righteously and with conviction of purpose, then ?Let be? (V. ii. 238). WORKS CITED Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. New York: Washington Square, 1992.

The Glass Menagerie Role Of Laura English Literature Essay

The function that Laura played in The Glass Menagerie can non be overlooked as it contributed to the development of the overall subject of the book. The drama is based on the battles that worlds face in accepting world as this is the major subject of the book and Laura Wingfield is one character in the drama that had jobs accepting the challenges that life presented her with. Laura was described as a physically handicapped miss and she had troubles in accepting the world of her status ( Williams ) . Laura wanted a life that was better and would hold loved it, if she was non in the sort of state of affairs she found herself in. Though, it could be argued that, Laura did non truly play a outstanding function in the drama, but the fact remains that, the secret plan and the subjects of the drama are centered on her. Some of the symbols that lend acceptance to the importance of Laura to the overall subject of the drama are the glass unicorn, bluish roses, fire flight and the rubric of the narrative as these symbols represents the character of Laura. Laura could non come to footings with world and this is the ground that she was described as populating a slightly illusional life style in The Glass Menagerie. Due to the challenges and jobs she was faced with, Laura preferred to remain in her comfort zone and she lived in an illusional universe. Laura ‘s life was full of semblances as she lived in what could be described as a universe of glass animate beings. It is this trouble of accepting world that really bonds the Wingfield household together, as each one of them, Tom, Amanda and Laura at one point in clip, had jobs get bying with the worlds of life and its many challenges ( Williams 16-25 ) . Laura could be described as a unit of ammunition nog that suits a unit of ammunition hole as the illusional universe of glass animate beings that she lived is merely a clear representation of the existent universe that was described in the drama. This could be seen in the fact that, the people in the drama tend to deduce more satisfaction in phantasies instead than existent events. Laura created an semblance that is a representation of her inability to accept world as she fantasized about a glass ball ( of glass animate beings ) and a group of people waltzing in the Paradise Dance Hall ( Williams ) . The Glass Menagerie clearly showed that, semblances and worlds inability to accept world has become the norm in our society and Laura absolutely fits into this type of illusional universe. Harmonizing to Williams Laura ‘s fond regard to the glass universe she created is seen when â€Å" there is a ting of shattering glass. Laura cries out as if wounded. † ( qtd in Bloom 38 ) The troubles that Laura faced in accepting world could be traced to her glass menagerie, which was a aggregation of wild animate beings and this is really the chief symbol in The Glass Menagerie. This menagerie represents the illusional universe of Laura in its entirety. It is a universe that is notional and anachronic, but based on the phantasies of Laura. Laura devotes more of her clip to this illusional creative activity of hers and she is merely an illustration of people that, instead than confront the worlds of life, they prefer populating a life of phantasies that does non truly be in the existent universe. The aggregation of animate beings that Laura created was borne out of the defeat and her trouble in accepting the world that, she did non finish high school, she was crippled, and that she could non acquire the love that she desired. It could so be argued that, Laura created her ain universe of glass animate beings to get away from a universe that she felt did non in any man ner favour her. As a consequence of the crippling of one leg that made it shorter than the other, Williams explains that, â€Å" Steming from this, Laura ‘s separation additions till she is like a piece of her ain glass aggregation excessively finely delicate to travel from the shelf. † ( qtd. In Bloom 11 ) . A symbol that appears in the inventive universe of Laura is the glass unicorn and the fact that she used the unicorn merely shows the inexistent universe that Laura lives in. Unicorns are nonextant animals and the visual aspect of a unicorn in Laura ‘s glass menagerie shows that, merely like the unicorn that is nonextant and different from other Equus caballuss, Laura lived an unusual life and was different from other people. Williams says of Laura that, â€Å" the lovely breakability of glass which is her image. † ( qtd. in Bloom 26 ) . Due to the fact that, Laura saw herself different from other people, she lived a alone life and it could besides be said that, she forced herself into being unable to accommodate to the universe and people around her. In position of this fact, it could so be argued that, Laura ‘s trouble in accepting world made her to populate like an castaway. The blue rose is another symbol in the drama that shows Laura ‘s unusual and unrealistic nature. Blue Roses was the name given to Laura by Jim and it symbolizes Laura ‘s unusual but attractive quality. It is pertinent to observe that, bluish roses do non be in the existent universe and the fact that, Jim relates Laura with Blue Roses lets readers know that, Jim besides realized the unrealistic nature of Laura. Another incident that is worthy of note in the book was when Laura slipped on the fire flight in the 4th scene and this shows that, Laura was unable to get away from the hard state of affairs in her life. The drama lacked pragmatism in its entirety as this fact was established by the narrator-character, Tom. The fact that Laura was non realistic in her ideas underlines the importance of her character to the subject of the drama. The abstractionism in the drama could be seen in the assorted sorts of symbols that were used in the drama and Laura was one character that lived a life of semblances

The Twilight Saga 3: Eclipse Chapter 21. TRAILS

I HATED TO WASTE ANY PART OF THE NIGHT IN SLEEP, but that was inevitable. The sun was bright outside the window-wall when I woke, with small clouds scuttling too quickly across the sky. The wind rocked the treetops till the whole forest looked as if it was going to shake apart. He left me alone to get dressed, and I appreciated the chance to think. Somehow, my plan for last night had gone horribly awry, and I needed come to grips with the consequences. Though I'd given back the hand- me-down ring as soon as I could do it without hurting his feelings, my left hand felt heavier, like it was still in place, just invisible. This shouldn't bother me, I reasoned. It was no big thing – a road trip to Vegas. I would go one better than old jeans – I would wear old sweats. The ceremony certainly couldn't take very long; no more than fifteen minutes at the most, right? So I could handle that. And then, when it was over, he'd have to fulfill his side of the bargain. I would concentrate on that, and forget the rest. He said I didn't have to tell anyone, and I was planning to hold him to that. Of course, it was very stupid of me not to think of Alice. The Cullens got home around noon. There was a new, businesslike feel to the atmosphere around them, and it pulled me back into the enormity of what was coming. Alice seemed to be in an unusually bad mood. I chalked it up to her frustration with feeling normal, because her first words to Edward were a complaint about working with the wolves. â€Å"I think† – she made a face as she used the uncertain word – â€Å"that you're going to want to pack for cold weather, Edward. I can't see where you are exactly, because you're taking off with that dog this afternoon. But the storm that's coming seems particularly bad in that general area.† Edward nodded. â€Å"It's going to snow on the mountains,† she warned him. â€Å"Ew, snow,† I muttered to myself. It was June, for crying out loud. â€Å"Wear a jacket,† Alice told me. Her voice was unfriendly, and that surprised me. I tried to read her face, but she turned away. I looked at Edward, and he was smiling; whatever was bugging Alice amused him. Edward had more than enough camping gear to choose from – props in the human charade; the Cullens were good customers at the Newton's store. He grabbed a down sleeping bag, a small tent, and several packets of dehydrated food – grinning when I made a face at them – and stuffed them all in a backpack. Alice wandered into the garage while we were there, watching Edward's preparations without a word. He ignored her. When he was done packing, Edward handed me his phone. â€Å"Why don't you call Jacob and tell him we'll be ready for him in an hour or so. He knows where to meet us.† Jacob wasn't home, but Billy promised to call around until he could find an available werewolf to pass the news to. â€Å"Don't you worry about Charlie, Bella,† Billy said. â€Å"I've got my part of this under control.† â€Å"Yeah, I know Charlie'll be fine.† I didn't feel so confident about his son's safety, but I didn't add that. â€Å"I wish I could be with the rest of them tomorrow.† Billy chuckled regretfully. â€Å"Being an old man is a hardship, Bella.† The urge to fight must be a defining characteristic of the Y chromosome. They were all the same. â€Å"Have fun with Charlie.† â€Å"Good luck, Bella,† he answered. â€Å"And . . . pass that along to the, er, Cullens for me.† â€Å"I will,† I promised, surprised by the gesture. As I gave the phone back to Edward, I saw that he and Alice were having some kind of silent discussion. She was staring at him, pleading in her eyes. He was frowning back, unhappy with whatever she wanted. â€Å"Billy said to tell you ‘good luck.'† â€Å"That was generous of him,† Edward said, breaking away from her. â€Å"Bella, could I please speak to you alone?† Alice asked swiftly. â€Å"You're about to make my life harder than it needs to be, Alice,† Edward warned her through his teeth. â€Å"I'd really rather you didn't.† â€Å"This isn't about you, Edward,† she shot back. He laughed. Something about her response was funny to him. â€Å"It's not,† Alice insisted. â€Å"This is a female thing.† He frowned. â€Å"Let her talk to me,† I told him. I was curious. â€Å"You asked for it,† he muttered. He laughed again – half angry, half amused – and strode out of the garage. I turned to Alice, worried now, but she didn't look at me. Her bad mood hadn't passed yet. She went to sit on the hood of her Porsche, her face dejected. I followed, and leaned against the bumper beside her. â€Å"Bella?† Alice asked in a sad voice, shifting over and curling up against my side. Her voice sounded so miserable that I wrapped my arms around her shoulders in comfort. â€Å"What's wrong, Alice?† â€Å"Don't you love me?† she asked in that same sad tone. â€Å"Of course I do. You know that.† â€Å"Then why do I see you sneaking off to Vegas to get married without inviting me?† â€Å"Oh,† I muttered, my cheeks turning pink. I could see that I had seriously hurt her feelings, and I hurried to defend myself. â€Å"You know how I hate to make a big deal out of things. It was Edward's idea, anyway.† â€Å"I don't care whose idea it was. How could you do this to me? I expect that kind of thing from Edward, but not from you. I love you like you were my own sister.† â€Å"To me, Alice, you are my sister.† â€Å"Words!† she growled. â€Å"Fine, you can come. There won't be much to see.† She was still grimacing. â€Å"What?† I demanded. â€Å"How much do you love me, Bella?† â€Å"Why?† She stared at me with pleading eyes, her long black eyebrows slanting up in the middle and pulling together, her lips trembling at the corners. It was a heart-breaking expression. â€Å"Please, please, please,† she whispered. â€Å"Please, Bella, please – if you really love me . . . Please let me do your wedding.† â€Å"Aw, Alice!† I groaned, pulling away and standing up. â€Å"No! Don't do this to me.† â€Å"If you really, truly love me, Bella.† I folded my arms across my chest. â€Å"That is so unfair. And Edward kind of already used that one on me.† â€Å"I'll bet Edward would like it better if you did this traditionally, though he'd never tell you that. And Esme – think what it would mean to her!† I groaned. â€Å"I'd rather face the newborns alone.† â€Å"I'll owe you for a decade.† â€Å"You'd owe me for a century!† Her eyes glowed. â€Å"Is that a yes?† â€Å"No! I don't want to do this!† â€Å"You won't have to do anything but walk a few yards and then repeat after the minister.† â€Å"Ugh! Ugh, ugh!† â€Å"Please?† She started bouncing in place. â€Å"Please, please, please, please, please?† â€Å"I'll never, never ever forgive you for this, Alice.† â€Å"Yay!† she squealed, clapping her hands together. â€Å"That's not a yes!† â€Å"But it will be,† she sang. â€Å"Edward!† I yelled, stalking out of the garage. â€Å"I know you're listening. Get over here.† Alice was right behind me, still clapping. â€Å"Thanks so much, Alice,† Edward said acidly, coming from behind me. I turned to let him have it, but his expression was so worried and upset that I couldn't speak my complaints. I threw my arms around him instead, hiding my face, just in case the angry moisture in my eyes made it look like I was crying. â€Å"Vegas,† Edward promised in my ear. â€Å"Not a chance,† Alice gloated. â€Å"Bella would never do that to me. You know, Edward, as a brother, you are sometimes a disappointment.† â€Å"Don't be mean,† I grumbled at her. â€Å"He's trying to make me happy, unlike you.† â€Å"I'm trying to make you happy, too, Bella. It's just that I know better what will make you happy . . . in the long run. You'll thank me for this. Maybe not for fifty years, but definitely someday.† â€Å"I never thought I'd see the day where I'd be willing to take a bet against you, Alice, but it has arrived.† She laughed her silvery laugh. â€Å"So, are you going to show me the ring?† I grimaced in horror as she grabbed my left hand and then dropped it just as quickly. â€Å"Huh. I saw him put it on you. . . . Did I miss something?† she asked. She concentrated for half a second, furrowing her brow, before she answered her own questions. â€Å"No. Wedding's still on.† â€Å"Bella has issues with jewelry,† Edward explained. â€Å"What's one more diamond? Well, I guess the ring has lots of diamonds, but my point is that he's already got one on -â€Å" â€Å"Enough, Alice!† Edward cut her off suddenly. The way he glared at her . . . he looked like a vampire again. â€Å"We're in a hurry.† â€Å"I don't understand. What's that about diamonds?† I asked. â€Å"We'll talk about it later,† Alice said. â€Å"Edward is right – you'd better get going. You've got to set a trap and make camp before the storm comes.† She frowned, and her expression was anxious, almost nervous. â€Å"Don't forget your coat, Bella. It seems . . . unseasonably cold.† â€Å"I've already got it,† Edward assured her. â€Å"Have a nice night,† she told us in farewell. It was twice as far to the clearing as usual; Edward took a long detour, making sure my scent would be nowhere near the trail Jacob would hide later. He carried me in his arms, the bulky backpack in my usual spot. He stopped at the farthest end of the clearing and set me on my feet. â€Å"All right. Just walk north for a ways, touching as much as you can. Alice gave me a clear picture of their path, and it won't take long for us to intersect it.† â€Å"North?† He smiled and pointed out the right direction. I wandered into the woods, leaving the clear yellow light of the strangely sunny day in the clearing behind me. Maybe Alice's blurred sight would be wrong about the snow. I hoped so. The sky was mostly clear, though the wind whipped furiously through the open spaces. In the trees it was calmer, but much too cold for June – even in a long-sleeved shirt with a thick sweater over the top, there were goose bumps on my arms. I walked slowly, trailingmy fingers over anything close enough: the rough tree bark, the wet ferns, the moss- covered rocks. Edward stayed with me, walking a parallel line about twenty yards away. â€Å"Am I doing this right?† I called. â€Å"Perfectly.† I had an idea. â€Å"Will this help?† I asked as I ran my fingers through my hair and caught a few loose strands. I draped them over the ferns. â€Å"Yes, that does make the trail stronger. But you don't need to pull your hair out, Bella. It will be fine.† â€Å"I've got a few extras I can spare.† It was gloomy under the trees, and I wished I could walk closer to Edward and hold his hand. I wedged another hair into a broken branch that cut through my path. â€Å"You don't need to let Alice have her way, you know,† Edward said. â€Å"Don't worry about it, Edward. I'm not going to leave you at the altar, regardless.† I had a sinking feeling that Alice was going to get her way, mostly because she was totally unscrupulous when there was something she wanted, and also because I was a sucker for guilt trips. â€Å"That's not what I'm worried about. I want this to be what you want it to be.† I repressed a sigh. It would hurt his feelings if I told the truth – that it didn't really matter, because it was all just varying degrees of awful anyway. â€Å"Well, even if she does get her way, we can keep it small. Just us. Emmett can get a clerical license off the Internet.† I giggled. â€Å"That does sound better.† It wouldn't feel very official if Emmett read the vows, which was a plus. But I'd have a hard time keeping a straight face. â€Å"See,† he said with a smile. â€Å"There's always a compromise.† It took a while for me to reach the spot where the newborn army would be certain to cross my trail, but Edward never got impatient with my pace. He had to lead a bit more on the way back, to keep me on the same path. It all looked alike to me. We were almost to the clearing when I fell. I could see the wide opening ahead, and that's probably why I got too eager and forgot to watch my feet. I caught myself before my head bashed into the nearest tree, but a small branch snapped off under my left hand and gouged into my palm. â€Å"Ouch! Oh, fabulous,† I muttered. â€Å"Are you all right?† â€Å"I'm fine. Stay where you are. I'm bleeding. It will stop in a minute.† He ignored me. He was right there before I could finish. â€Å"I've got a first aid kit,† he said, pulling off the backpack. â€Å"I had a feeling I might need it.† â€Å"It's not bad. I can take care of it – you don't have to make yourself uncomfortable.† â€Å"I'm not uncomfortable,† he said calmly. â€Å"Here – let me clean it.† â€Å"Wait a second, I just got another idea.† Without looking at the blood and breathing through my mouth, just in case my stomach might react, I pressed my hand against a rock within my reach. â€Å"What are you doing?† â€Å"Jasper will love this,† I muttered to myself. I started for the clearing again, pressing my palm against everything in my path. â€Å"I'll bet this really gets them going.† Edward sighed. â€Å"Hold your breath,† I told him. â€Å"I'm fine. I just think you're going overboard.† â€Å"This is all I get to do. I want to do a good job.† We broke through the last of the trees as I spoke. I let my injured hand graze across the ferns. â€Å"Well, you have,† Edward assured me. â€Å"The newborns will be frantic, and Jasper will be very impressed with your dedication. Now let me treat your hand – you've gotten the cut dirty.† â€Å"Let me do it, please.† He took my hand and smiled as he examined it. â€Å"This doesn't bother me anymore.† I watched him carefully as he cleaned the gash, looking for some sign of distress. He continued to breathe evenly in and out, the same small smile on his lips. â€Å"Why not?† I finally asked as he smoothed a bandage across my palm. He shrugged. â€Å"I got over it.† â€Å"You . . . got over it? When? How?† I tried to remember the last time he'd held his breath around me. All I could think of was my wretched birthday party last September. Edward pursed his lips, seeming to search for the words. â€Å"I lived through an entire twenty-four hours thinking that you were dead, Bella. That changed the way I look at a lot of things.† â€Å"Did it change the way I smell to you?† â€Å"Not at all. But . . . having experienced the way it feels to think I've lost you . . . my reactions have changed. My entire being shies away from any course that could inspire that kind of pain again.† I didn't know what to say to that. He smiled at my expression. â€Å"I guess that you could call it a very educational experience.† The wind tore through the clearing then, lashing my hair around my face and making me shiver. â€Å"All right,† he said, reaching into his pack again. â€Å"You've done your part.† He pulled out my heavy winter jacket and held it out for me to slide my arms in. â€Å"Now it's out of our hands. Let's go camping!† I laughed at the mock enthusiasm in his voice. He took my bandaged hand – the other was in worse shape, still in the brace – and started toward the other side of the clearing. â€Å"Where are we meeting Jacob?† I asked. â€Å"Right here.† He gestured to the trees in front of us just as Jacob stepped warily from their shadows. It shouldn't have surprised me to see him human. I wasn't sure why I'd been looking for the big red- brown wolf. Jacob seemed bigger again – no doubt a product of my expectations; I must have unconsciously been hoping to see the smaller Jacob from my memory, the easygoing friend who hadn't made everything so difficult. He had his arms folded across his bare chest, a jacket clutched in one fist. His face was expressionless as he watched us. Edward's lips pulled down at the corners. â€Å"There had to have been a better way to do this.† â€Å"Too late now,† I muttered glumly. He sighed. â€Å"Hey, Jake,† I greeted him when we got closer. â€Å"Hi, Bella.† â€Å"Hello, Jacob,† Edward said. Jacob ignored the pleasantry, all business. â€Å"Where do I take her?† Edward pulled a map from a side pocket on the pack and offered it to him. Jacob unfolded it. â€Å"We're here now,† Edward said, reaching over to touch the right spot. Jacob recoiled from his hand automatically, and then steadied himself. Edward pretended not to notice. â€Å"And you're taking her up here,† Edward continued, tracing a serpentine pattern around the elevation lines on the paper. â€Å"Roughly nine miles.† Jacob nodded once. â€Å"When you're about a mile away, you should cross my path. That will lead you in. Do you need the map?† â€Å"No, thanks. I know this area pretty well. I think I know where I'm going.† Jacob seemed to have to work harder than Edward to keep the tone polite. â€Å"I'll take a longer route,† Edward said. â€Å"And I'll see you in a few hours.† Edward stared at me unhappily. He didn't like this part of the plan. â€Å"See you,† I murmured. Edward faded into the trees, heading in the opposite direction. As soon as he was gone, Jacob turned cheerful. â€Å"What's up, Bella?† he asked with a big grin. I rolled my eyes. â€Å"Same old, same old.† â€Å"Yeah,† he agreed. â€Å"Bunch of vampires trying to kill you. The usual.† â€Å"The usual.† â€Å"Well,† he said as he shrugged into his jacket to free his arms. â€Å"Let's get going.† Making a face, I took a small step closer to him. He bent down and swept his arm behind my knees, knocking them out from under me. His other arm caught me before my head hit the ground. â€Å"Jerk,† I muttered. Jacob chuckled, already running through the trees. He kept a steady pace, a brisk jog that a fit human could keep up with . . . across a level plane . . . if they weren't burdened with a hundred-plus pounds as he was. â€Å"You don't have to run. You'll get tired.† â€Å"Running doesn't make me tired,† he said. His breathing was even – like the fixed tempo of a marathoner. â€Å"Besides, it will be colder soon. I hope he gets the camp set up before we get there.† I tapped my finger against the thick padding of his parka. â€Å"I thought you didn't get cold now.† â€Å"I don't. I brought this for you, just in case you weren't prepared.† He looked at my jacket, almost as if he were disappointed that I was. â€Å"I don't like the way the weather feels. It's making me edgy. Notice how we haven't seen any animals?† â€Å"Um, not really.† â€Å"I guess you wouldn't. Your senses are too dull.† I let that pass. â€Å"Alice was worried about the storm, too.† â€Å"It takes a lot to silence the forest this way. You picked a hell of a night for a camping trip.† â€Å"It wasn't entirely my idea.† The pathless way he took began to climb more and more steeply, but it didn't slow him down. He leapt easily from rock to rock, not seeming to need his hands at all. His perfect balance reminded me of a mountain goat. â€Å"What's with the addition to your bracelet?† he asked. I looked down, and realized that the crystal heart was facing up on my wrist. I shrugged guiltily. â€Å"Another graduation present.† He snorted. â€Å"A rock. Figures.† A rock? I was suddenly reminded of Alice's unfinished sentence outside the garage. I stared at the bright white crystal and tried to remember what Alice had been saying before . . . about diamonds. Could she have been trying to say he's already got one on you? As in, I was already wearing one diamond from Edward? No, that was impossible. The heart would have to be five carats or something crazy like that! Edward wouldn't – â€Å"So it's been a while since you came down to La Push,† Jacob said, interrupting my disturbing conjectures. â€Å"I've been busy,† I told him. â€Å"And . . . I probably wouldn't have visited, anyway.† He grimaced. â€Å"I thought you were supposed to be the forgiving one, and I was the grudge-holder.† I shrugged. â€Å"Been thinking about that last time a lot, have you?† â€Å"Nope.† He laughed. â€Å"Either you're lying, or you are the stubbornest person alive.† â€Å"I don't know about the second part, but I'm not lying.† I didn't like having this conversation under the present conditions – with his too-warm arms wrapped tightly around me and nothing at all I could do about it. His face was closer than I wanted it to be. I wished I could take a step back. â€Å"A smart person looks at all sides of a decision.† â€Å"I have,† I retorted. â€Å"If you haven't thought at all about our . . . er, conversation the last time you came over, then that's not true.† â€Å"That conversation isn't relevant to my decision.† â€Å"Some people will go to any lengths to delude themselves.† â€Å"I've noticed that werewolves in particular are prone to that mistake – do you think it's a genetic thing?† â€Å"Does that mean that he's a better kisser that I am?† Jacob asked, suddenly glum. â€Å"I really couldn't say, Jake. Edward is the only person I've ever kissed.† â€Å"Besides me.† â€Å"But I don't count that as a kiss, Jacob. I think of it more as an assault.† â€Å"Ouch! That's cold.† I shrugged. I wasn't going to take it back. â€Å"I did apologize about that,† he reminded me. â€Å"And I forgave you . . . mostly. It doesn't change the way I remember it.† He muttered something unintelligible. It was quiet then for a while; there was just the sound of his measured breathing and the wind roaring high above us in the treetops. A cliff face rose sheer beside us, bare, rough gray stone. We followed the base as it curved upward out of the forest. â€Å"I still think it's pretty irresponsible,† Jacob suddenly said. â€Å"Whatever you're talking about, you're wrong.† â€Å"Think about it, Bella. According to you, you've kissed just one person – who isn't even really a person – in your whole life, and you're calling it quits? How do you know that's what you want? Shouldn't you play the field a little?† I kept my voice cool. â€Å"I know exactly what I want.† â€Å"Then it couldn't hurt to double check. Maybe you should try kissing someone else – just for comparison's sake . . . since what happened the other day doesn't count. You could kiss me, for example. I don't mind if you want to use me to experiment.† He pulled me tighter against his chest, so that my face was closer to his. He was smiling at his joke, but I wasn't taking any chances. â€Å"Don't mess with me, Jake. I swear I won't stop him if he wants to break your jaw.† The panicky edge to my voice made him smile wider. â€Å"If you ask me to kiss you, he won't have any reason to get upset. He said that was fine.† â€Å"Don't hold your breath, Jake – no, wait, I changed my mind. Go right ahead. Just hold your breath until I ask you to kiss me.† â€Å"You're in a bad mood today.† â€Å"I wonder why?† â€Å"Sometimes I think you like me better as a wolf.† â€Å"Sometimes I do. It probably has something to do with the way you can't talk.† He pursed his broad lips thoughtfully. â€Å"No, I don't think that's it. I think it's easier for you to be near me when I'm not human, because you don't have to pretend that you're not attracted to me.† My mouth fell open with a little popping sound. I snapped it shut at once, grinding my teeth together. He heard that. His lips pulled tightly across his face in a triumphant smile. I took a slow breath before I spoke. â€Å"No. I'm pretty sure it's because you can't talk.† He sighed. â€Å"Do you ever get tired of lying to yourself? You have to know how aware you are of me. Physically, I mean.† â€Å"How could anyone not be aware of you physically, Jacob?† I demanded. â€Å"You're an enormous monster who refuses to respect anyone else's personal space.† â€Å"I make you nervous. But only when I'm human. When I'm a wolf, you're more comfortable around me.† â€Å"Nervousness and irritation are not the same thing.† He stared at me for a minute, slowing to a walk, the amusement draining from his face. His eyes narrowed, turned black in the shadow of his brows. His breathing, so regular as he ran, started to accelerate. Slowly, he leaned his face closer to mine. I stared him down, knowing exactly what he was trying to do. â€Å"It's your face,† I reminded him. He laughed loudly and started jogging again. â€Å"I don't really want to fight with your vampire tonight – I mean, any other night, sure. But we both have a job to do tomorrow, and I wouldn't want to leave the Cullens one short.† The sudden, unexpected swell of shame distorted my expression. â€Å"I know, I know,† he responded, not understanding. â€Å"You think he could take me.† I couldn't speak. I was leaving them one short. What if someone got hurt because I was so weak? But what if I was brave and Edward . . . I couldn't even think it. â€Å"What's the matter with you, Bella?† The joking bravado vanished from his face, revealing my Jacob underneath, like pulling a mask away. â€Å"If something I said upset you, you know I was only kidding. I didn't mean anything – hey, are you okay? Don't cry, Bella,† he pled. I tried to pull myself together. â€Å"I'm not going to cry.† â€Å"What did I say?† â€Å"It's nothing you said. It's just, well, it's me. I did something . . . bad.† He stared at me, his eyes wide with confusion. â€Å"Edward isn't going to fight tomorrow,† I whispered the explanation. â€Å"I'm making him stay with me. I am a huge coward.† He frowned. â€Å"You think this isn't going to work? That they'll find you here? Do you know something I don't know?† â€Å"No, no. I'm not afraid of that. I just . . . I can't let him go. If he didn't come back . . .† I shuddered, closing my eyes to escape the thought. Jacob was quiet. I kept whispering, my eyes shut. â€Å"If anyone gets hurt, it will always be my fault. And even if no one does . . . I was horrible. I had to be, to convince him to stay with me. He won't hold it against me, but I'll always know what I'm capable of.† I felt just a tiny bit better, getting this off my chest. Even if I could only confess it to Jacob. He snorted. My eyes opened slowly, and I was sad to see that the hard mask was back. â€Å"I can't believe he let you talk him out of going. I wouldn't miss this for anything.† I sighed. â€Å"I know.† â€Å"That doesn't mean anything, though.† He was suddenly backtracking. â€Å"That doesn't mean that he loves you more than I do.† â€Å"But you wouldn't stay with me, even if I begged.† He pursed his lips for a moment, and I wondered if he would try to deny it. We both knew the truth. â€Å"That's only because I know you better,† he said at last. â€Å"Everything's going to go without a hitch. Even if you'd asked and I'd said no, you wouldn't be mad at me afterwards.† â€Å"If everything does go without a hitch, you're probably right. I wouldn't be mad. But the whole time you're gone, I'll be sick with worry, Jake. Crazy with it.† â€Å"Why?† he asked gruffly. â€Å"Why does it matter to you if something happens to me?† â€Å"Don't say that. You know how much you mean to me. I'm sorry it's not in the way you want, but that's just how it is. You're my best friend. At least, you used to be. And still sometimes are . . . when you let your guard down.† He smiled the old smile that I loved. â€Å"I'm always that,† he promised. â€Å"Even when I don't . . . behave as well as I should. Underneath, I'm always in here.† â€Å"I know. Why else would I put up with all of your crap?† He laughed with me, and then his eyes were sad. â€Å"When are you finally going to figure out that you're in love with me, too?† â€Å"Leave it to you to ruin the moment.† â€Å"I'm not saying you don't love him. I'm not stupid. But it's possible to love more than one person at a time, Bella. I've seen it in action.† â€Å"I'm not some freaky werewolf, Jacob.† He wrinkled his nose, and I was about to apologize for that last jab, but he changed the subject. â€Å"We're not far now, I can smell him.† I sighed in relief. He misinterpreted my meaning. â€Å"I'd happily slow down, Bella, but you're going to want to be under shelter before that hits.† We both looked up at the sky. A solid wall of purple-black cloud was racing in from the west, blackening the forest beneath it as it came. â€Å"Wow,† I muttered. â€Å"You'd better hurry, Jake. You'll want to get home before it gets here.† â€Å"I'm not going home.† I glared at him, exasperated. â€Å"You're not camping with us.† â€Å"Not technically – as in, sharing your tent or anything. I prefer the storm to the smell. But I'm sure your bloodsucker will want to keep in touch with the pack for coordination purposes, and so I will graciously provide that service.† â€Å"I thought that was Seth's job.† â€Å"He'll take over tomorrow, during the fight.† The reminder silenced me for a second. I stared at him, worry springing up again with sudden fierceness. â€Å"I don't suppose there's any way you'd just stay since you're already here?† I suggested. â€Å"If I did beg? Or trade back the lifetime of servitude or something?† â€Å"Tempting, but no. Then again, the begging might be interesting to see. You can give it a go if you like.† â€Å"There's really nothing, nothing at all I can say?† â€Å"Nope. Not unless you can promise me a better fight. Anyway, Sam's calling the shots, not me.† That reminded me. â€Å"Edward told me something the other day . . . about you.† He bristled. â€Å"It's probably a lie.† â€Å"Oh, really? You aren't second in command of the pack, then?† He blinked, his face going blank with surprise. â€Å"Oh. That.† â€Å"How come you never told me that?† â€Å"Why would I? It's no big thing.† â€Å"I don't know. Why not? It's interesting. So, how does that work? How did Sam end up as the Alpha, and you as the . . . the Beta?† Jacob chuckled at my invented term. â€Å"Sam was the first, the oldest. It made sense for him to take charge.† I frowned. â€Å"But shouldn't Jared or Paul be second, then? They were the next to change.† â€Å"Well . . . it's hard to explain,† Jacob said evasively. â€Å"Try.† He sighed. â€Å"It's more about the lineage, you know? Sort of old-fashioned. Why should it matter who your grandpa was, right?† I remembered something Jacob had told me a long time ago, before either of us had known anything about werewolves. â€Å"Didn't you say that Ephraim Black was the last chief the Quileutes had?† â€Å"Yeah, that's right. Because he was the Alpha. Did you know that, technically, Sam's the chief of the whole tribe now?† He laughed. â€Å"Crazy traditions.† I thought about that for a second, trying to make all the pieces fit. â€Å"But you also said that people listened to your dad more than anyone else on the council, because he was Ephraim's grandson?† â€Å"What about it?† â€Å"Well, if it's about the lineage . . . shouldn't you be the chief, then?† Jacob didn't answer me. He stared into the darkening forest, as if he suddenly needed to concentrate on where he was going. â€Å"Jake?† â€Å"No. That's Sam's job.† He kept his eyes on our pathless course. â€Å"Why? His great-granddad was Levi Uley, right? Was Levi an Alpha, too?† â€Å"There's only one Alpha,† he answered automatically. â€Å"So what was Levi?† â€Å"Sort of a Beta, I guess.† He snorted at my term. â€Å"Like me.† â€Å"That doesn't make sense.† â€Å"It doesn't matter.† â€Å"I just want to understand.† Jacob finally met my confused gaze, and then sighed. â€Å"Yeah. I was supposed to be the Alpha.† My eyebrows pulled together. â€Å"Sam didn't want to step down?† â€Å"Hardly. I didn't want to step up.† â€Å"Why not?† He frowned, uncomfortable with my questions. Well, it was his turn to feel uncomfortable. â€Å"I didn't want any of it, Bella. I didn't want anything to change. I didn't want to be some legendary chief. I didn't want to be part of a pack of werewolves, let alone their leader. I wouldn't take it when Sam offered.† I thought about this for a long moment. Jacob didn't interrupt. He stared into the forest again. â€Å"But I thought you were happier. That you were okay with this,† I finally whispered. Jacob smiled down at me reassuringly. â€Å"Yeah. It's really not so bad. Exciting sometimes, like with this thing tomorrow. But at first it sort of felt like being drafted into a war you didn't know existed. There was no choice, you know? And it was so final.† He shrugged. â€Å"Anyway, I guess I'm glad now. It has to be done, and could I trust someone else to get it right? It's better to make sure myself.† I stared at him, feeling an unexpected kind of awe for my friend. He was more of a grown-up than I'd ever given him credit for. Like with Billy the other night at the bonfire, there was a majesty here that I'd never suspected. â€Å"Chief Jacob,† I whispered, smiling at the way the words sounded together. He rolled his eyes. Just then, the wind shook more fiercely through the trees around us, and it felt like it was blowing straight off a glacier. The sharp sound of wood cracking echoed off the mountain. Though the light was vanishing as the grisly cloud covered the sky, I could still see the little white specks that fluttered past us. Jacob stepped up the pace, keeping his eyes on the ground now as he flat out sprinted. I curled more willingly against his chest, recoiling from the unwelcome snow. It was only minutes later that he dashed around to the lee side of the stony peak and we could see the little tent nestled up against the sheltering face. More flurries were falling around us, but the wind was too fierce to let them settle anywhere. â€Å"Bella!† Edward called out in acute relief. We'd caught him in the middle of pacing back and forth across the little open space. He flashed to my side, sort of blurring as he moved so swiftly. Jacob cringed, and then set me on my feet. Edward ignored his reaction and caught me in a tight hug. â€Å"Thank you,† Edward said over my head. His tone was unmistakably sincere. â€Å"That was quicker than I expected, and I truly appreciate it.† I twisted to see Jacob's response. Jacob merely shrugged, all the friendliness wiped clean from his face. â€Å"Get her inside. This is going to be bad – my hair's standing up on my scalp. Is that tent secure?† â€Å"I all but welded it to the rock.† â€Å"Good.† Jacob looked up at the sky – now black with the storm, sprinkled with the swirling bits of snow. His nostrils flared. â€Å"I'm going to change,† he said. â€Å"I want to know what's going on back home.† He hung his jacket on a low, stubby branch, and walked into the murky forest without a backward glance.