Сумерки

           Justthewhiteskin,thecircledeyesI’dgrownsousedto.Heworeapaleblue,long-sleevedshirtandfadedbluejeans.

           "Isupposeyou’regoingtotellmethatyourboyfriendwillavengeyou?"heasked,hopefullyitseemedtome.

           "No,Idon’tthinkso.Atleast,Iaskedhimnotto."

           "Andwhatwashisreplytothat?"

           "Idon’tknow."Itwasstrangelyeasytoconversewiththisgenteelhunter."Ilefthimaletter."

           "Howromantic,alastletter.Anddoyouthinkhewillhonorit?"Hisvoicewasjustalittlehardernow,ahintofsarcasmmarringhispolitetone.

           "Ihopeso."

           "Hmmm.Well,ourhopesdifferthen.Yousee,thiswasalljustalittletooeasy,tooquick.Tobequitehonest,I’mdisappointed.Iexpectedamuchgreaterchallenge.And,afterall,Ionlyneededalittleluck."

           Iwaitedinsilence.

           "WhenVictoriacouldn’tgettoyourfather,Ihadherfindoutmoreaboutyou.TherewasnosenseinrunningallovertheplanetchasingyoudownwhenIcouldcomfortablywaitforyouinaplaceofmychoosing.So,afterItalkedtoVictoria,IdecidedtocometoPhoenixtopayyourmotheravisit.I’dheardyousayyouweregoinghome.Atfirst,Ineverdreamedyoumeantit.ButthenIwondered.Humanscanbeverypredictable;theyliketobesomewherefamiliar,somewheresafe.Andwouldn’titbetheperfectploy,togotothelastplaceyoushouldbewhenyou’rehiding-theplacethatyousaidyou’dbe.

           "ButofcourseIwasn’tsure,itwasjustahunch.IusuallygetafeelingaboutthepreythatI’mhunting,asixthsense,ifyouwill.