Сумерки

           But,evenasthecalmspreadoverme,IknewIcouldn’ttrustmyfeelingswithJasperthere.

           Itwasaverylongday.

           Westayedintheroom.Alicecalleddowntothefrontdeskandaskedthemtoignoreourmaidservicefornow.Thewindowsstayedshut,theTVon,thoughnoonewatchedit.Atregularintervals,foodwasdeliveredforme.ThesilverphonerestingonAlice’sbagseemedtogrowbiggerasthehourspassed.

           MybabysittershandledthesuspensebetterthanIdid.AsIfidgetedandpaced,theysimplygrewmorestill,twostatueswhoseeyesfollowedmeimperceptiblyasImoved.Ioccupiedmyselfwithmemorizingtheroom;thestripedpatternofthecouches,tan,peach,cream,dullgold,andtanagain.SometimesIstaredattheabstractprints,randomlyfindingpicturesintheshapes,likeI’dfoundpicturesinthecloudsasachild.Itracedabluehand,awomancombingherhair,acatstretching.Butwhenthepaleredcirclebecameastaringeye,Ilookedaway.

           Astheafternoonworeon,Iwentbacktobed,simplyforsomethingtodo.Ihopedthatbymyselfinthedark,Icouldgiveintotheterriblefearsthathoveredontheedgeofmyconsciousness,unabletobreakthroughunderJasper’scarefulsupervision.

           ButAlicefollowedmecasually,asifbysomecoincidenceshehadgrowntiredofthefrontroomatthesametime.IwasbeginningtowonderexactlywhatsortofinstructionsEdwardhadgivenher.Ilayacrossthe

           bed,andshesat,legsfolded,nexttome.Iignoredheratfirst,suddenlytiredenoughtosleep.