Сумерки

           We’veonlyfound

           oneotherfamilylikeours,inasmallvillageinAlaska.Welivedtogetherforatime,butthereweresomanyofusthatwebecametoonoticeable.Thoseofuswholive...differentlytendtobandtogether."

           "Andtheothers?"

           "Nomads,forthemostpart.We’vealllivedthatwayattimes.Itgetstedious,likeanythingelse.Butwerunacrosstheothersnowandthen,becausemostofusprefertheNorth."

           "Whyisthat?"

           Wewereparkedinfrontofmyhousenow,andhe’dturnedoffthetruck.Itwasveryquietanddark;therewasnomoon.TheporchlightwasoffsoIknewmyfatherwasn’thomeyet.

           "Didyouhaveyoureyesopenthisafternoon?"heteased."DoyouthinkIcouldwalkdownthestreetinthesunlightwithoutcausingtrafficaccidents?There’sareasonwhywechosetheOlympicPeninsula,oneofthemostsunlessplacesintheworld.It’snicetobeabletogooutsideintheday.Youwouldn’tbelievehowtiredyoucangetofnighttimeineighty-oddyears."

           "Sothat’swherethelegendscamefrom?"

           "Probably."

           "AndAlicecamefromanotherfamily,likeJasper?"

           "No,andthatisamystery.Alicedoesn’trememberherhumanlifeatall.Andshedoesn’tknowwhocreatedher.Sheawokealone.Whoevermadeherwalkedaway,andnoneofusunderstandwhy,orhow,hecould.Ifshehadn’thadthatothersense,ifshehadn’tseenJasperandCarlisleandknownthatshewouldsomedaybecomeoneofus,sheprobablywouldhaveturnedintoatotalsavage."

           Therewassomuchtothinkthrough,somuchIstillwantedtoask.