Сумерки

           Aslongastheheartkeepsbeating,thepoisonspreads,healing,changingthebodyasitmovesthroughit.Eventuallytheheartstops,andtheconversionisfinished.Butallthattime,everyminuteofit,avictimwouldbewishingfordeath."

           Ishivered.

           "It’snotpleasant,yousee."

           "Edwardsaidthatitwasveryhardtodo...Idon’tquiteunderstand,"Isaid.

           "We’realsolikesharksinaway.Oncewetastetheblood,orevensmellitforthatmatter,itbecomesveryhardtokeepfromfeeding.Sometimesimpossible.Soyousee,toactuallybitesomeone,totastetheblood,itwouldbeginthefrenzy.It’sdifficultonbothsides-theblood-lustontheonehand,theawfulpainontheother."

           "Whydoyouthinkyoudon’tremember?"

           "Idon’tknow.Foreveryoneelse,thepainoftransformationisthesharpestmemorytheyhaveoftheirhumanlife.Iremembernothingofbeinghuman."Hervoicewaswistful.

           Welaysilently,wrappedinourindividualmeditations.

           Thesecondstickedby,andIhadalmostforgottenherpresence,Iwassoenvelopedinmythoughts.

           Then,withoutanywarning,Aliceleapedfromthebed,landinglightlyonherfeet.MyheadjerkedupasIstaredather,startled.

           "Something’schanged."Hervoicewasurgent,andshewasn’ttalkingtomeanymore.

           ShereachedthedooratthesametimeJasperdid.Hehadobviouslyheardourconversationandhersuddenexclamation.Heputhishandsonhershouldersandguidedherbacktothebed,sittingherontheedge.

           "Whatdoyousee?"heaskedintently,staringintohereyes.