2 new moon新月-第27节

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〃Jacob；　it　won't　stay　up；〃　I　complained。　

〃It　will　when　you're　moving；〃　he　promised。　〃Now　where's　your　brake？〃　

〃Behind　my　right　foot。〃　

〃Wrong。〃　

He　grabbed　my　right　hand　and　curled　my　fingers　around　the　lever　over　the　throttle。　

〃But　you　said—〃　

〃This　is　the　brake　you　want。　Don't　use　the　back　brake　now；　that's　for　later；　when　you　know　what　you're　
doing。〃　

〃That　doesn't　sound　right；〃　I　said　suspiciously。　〃Aren't　both　brakes　kind　of　important？〃　

〃Forget　the　back　brake；　okay？　Here—〃　He　wrapped　his　hand　around　mine　and　made　me　squeeze　the　
lever　down。　〃That　is　how　you　brake。　Don't　forget。〃　He　squeezed　my　hand　another　time。　

〃Fine；〃　I　agreed。　

〃Throttle？〃　

I　twisted　the　right　grip。　

〃Gearshift？〃　

I　nudged　it　with　my　left　calf。　

〃Very　good。　I　think　you've　got　all　the　parts　down。　Now　you　just　have　to　get　itmoving。〃　

〃Uh…huh；〃　I　muttered；　afraid　to　say　more。　My　stomach　was　contorting　strangely　and　I　thought　my　voice　
might　crack。　I　was　terrified。　I　tried　to　tell　myself　that　the　fear　was　pointless。　I'd　already　lived　through　the　
worst　thing　possible。　In　comparison　with　that；　why　should　anything　frighten　me　now？　I　should　be　able　to　
look　death　in　the　face　and　laugh。　

My　stomach　wasn't　buying　it。　

I　stared　down　the　long　stretch　of　dirt　road；　bordered　by　thick　misty　green　on　every　side。　The　road　was　
sandy　and　damp。　Better　than　mud。　

〃I　want　you　to　hold　down　the　clutch；〃　Jacob　instructed。　

I　wrapped　my　fingers　around　the　clutch。　

〃Now　this　is　crucial；　Bella；〃　Jacob　stressed。　〃Don't　let　go　of　that；　okay？　I　want　you　to　pretend　that　I've　
handed　you　a　live　grenade。　The　pin　is　out　and　you　are　holding　down　the　spoon。〃　

I　squeezed　tighter。　

〃Good。　Do　you　think　you　can　kick…start　it？〃　

〃If　I　move　my　foot；　I　will　fall　over；〃　I　told　him　through　gritted　teeth；　my　fingers　tight　around　my　live　
grenade。　

〃Okay；　I'll　do　it。　Don't　let　go　of　the　clutch。〃　

He　took　a　step　back；　and　then　suddenly　slammed　his　foot　down　on　the　pedal。　There　was　a　short　ripping　
noise；　and　the　force　of　his　thrust　rocked　the　bike。　I　started　to　fall　sideways；　but　Jake　caught　the　bike　
before　it　knocked　me　to　the　ground。　

〃Steady　there；〃　he　encouraged。　〃Do　you　still　have　the　clutch？〃　

〃Yes；〃　I　gasped。　

〃Plant　your　feet—I'm　going　to　try　again。〃　But　he　put　his　hand　on　the　back　of　the　seat；　too；　just　to　be　safe。　

It　took　four　more　kicks　before　the　ignition　caught。　I　could　feel　the　bike　rumbling　beneath　me　like　an　angry　
animal。　I　gripped　the　clutch　until　my　fingers　ached。　

〃Try　out　the　throttle；〃　he　suggested。　〃Very　lightly。　And　don't　let　go　of　the　clutch。〃　

Hesitantly；　I　twisted　the　right　handle。　Though　the　movement　was　tiny；　the　bike　snarled　beneath　me。　It　
sounded　angry　and　hungry　now。　Jacob　smiled　in　deep　satisfaction。　

〃Do　you　remember　how　to　put　it　into　first　gear？〃　he　asked。　

〃Yes。〃　

〃Well；　go　ahead　and　do　it。〃　

〃Okay。〃　

He　waited　for　a　few　seconds。　

〃Left　foot；〃　he　prompted。　

〃I　know；〃　I　said；　taking　a　deep　breath。　

〃Are　you　sure　you　want　to　do　this？〃　Jacob　asked。　〃You　look　scared。〃　

〃I'm　fine；〃　I　snapped。　I　kicked　the　gearshift　down　one　notch。　

〃Very　good；〃　he　praised　me。　〃Now；　very　gently；　ease　up　on　the　clutch。〃　

He　took　a　step　away　from　the　bike。　

〃You　want　me　to　let　go　of　the　grenade？〃　I　asked　in　disbelief。　No　wonder　he　was　moving　back。　

〃That's　how　you　move；　Bella。　Just　do　it　little　by　little。〃　

As　I　began　to　loosen　my　grip；　I　was　shocked　to　be　interrupted　by　a　voice　that　did　not　belong　to　the　boy　
standing　next　to　me。　

〃This　is　reckless　and　childish　and　idiotic；　Bella；〃　the　velvet　voice　fumed。　

〃Oh！〃　I　gasped；　and　my　hand　fell　off　the　clutch。　

The　bike　bucked　under　me；　yanking　me　forward　and　then　collapsing　to　the　ground　half　on　top　of　me。　The　
growling　engine　choked　to　a　stop。　

〃Bella？〃　Jacob　jerked　the　heavy　bike　off　me　with　ease。　〃Are　you　hurt？〃　

But　I　wasn't　listening。　

〃I　told　you　so；〃　the　perfect　voice　murmured；　crystal　clear。　

〃Bella？〃　Jacob　shook　my　shoulder。　

〃I'm　fine；〃　I　mumbled；　dazed。　

More　than　fine。　The　voice　in　my　head　was　back。　It　still　rang　in　my　ears—soft；　velvety　echoes。　

My　mind　ran　swiftly　through　the　possibilities。　There　was　no　familiarity　here—on　a　road　I'd　never　seen；　
doing　something　I'd　never　done　before—no　deja　vu　So　the　hallucinations　must　be　triggered　by　something　
else…　I　felt　the　adrenaline　coursing　through　my　veins　again；　and　I　thought　I　had　the　answer。　Some　
combination　of　adrenaline　and　danger；　or　maybe　just　stupidity。　

Jacob　was　pulling　me　to　my　feet。　

〃Did　you　hit　your　head？〃　he　asked。　

〃I　don't　think　so。〃　I　shook　it　back　and　forth；　checking。　〃I　didn't　hurt　the　bike；　did　I？〃　This　thought　worried　
me。　I　was　anxious　to　try　again；　right　away。　Being　reckless　was　paying　off　better　than　I'd　thought。　Forget　
cheating。　Maybe　I'd　found　a　way　to　generate　the　hallucinations—that　was　much　more　important。　

〃No。　You　just　stalled　the　engine；〃　Jacob　said；　interrupting　my　quick　speculations。　〃You　let　go　of　the　clutch　
too　fast。〃　

I　nodded。　〃Let's　try　again。〃　

〃Are　you　sure？〃　Jacob　asked。　

〃Positive。〃　

This　time　I　tried　to　get　the　kick…start　myself。　It　was　complicated；　I　had　to　jump　a　little　to　slam　down　on　
the　pedal　with　enough　force；　and　every　time　I　did　that；　the　bike　tried　to　knock　me　over。　Jacob's　hand　
hovered　over　the　handlebars；　ready　to　catch　me　if　I　needed　him。　

It　took　several　good　tries；　and　even　more　poor　tries；　before　the　engine　caught　and　roared　to　life　under　
me。　Remembering　to　hold　on　to　the　grenade；　I　revved　the　throttle　experimentally。　It　snarled　at　the　
slightest　touch。　My　smile　mirrored　Jacob's　now。　

〃Easy　on　the　clutch；〃　he　reminded　me。　

〃Do　you　want　to　kill　yourself；　then？　Is　that　what　this　is　about？〃　the　other　voice　spoke　again；　his　tone　
severe。　

I　smiled　tightly—it　was　still　working—and　ignored　the　questions。　Jacob　wasn't　going　to　let　anything　
serious　happen　to　me。　

〃Go　home　to　Charlie；〃　the　voice　ordered。　The　sheer　beauty　of　it　amazed　me。　I　couldn't　allow　my　memory　
to　lose　it；　no　matter　the　price。　

〃Ease　off　slowly；〃　Jacob　encouraged　me。　

〃I　will；〃　I　said。　It　bothered　me　a　bit　when　I　realized　I　was　answering　both　of　them。　

The　voice　in　my　head　growled　against　the　roar　of　the　motorcycle。　

Trying　to　focus　this　time；　to　not　let　the　voice　startle　me　again；　I　relaxed　my　hand　by　tiny　degrees。　
Suddenly；　the　gear　caught　and　wrenched　me　forward。　

And　I　was　flying。　

There　was　wind　that　wasn't　there　before；　blowing　my　skin　against　my　skull　and　flinging　my　hair　back　
behind　me　with　enough　force　that　it　felt　like　someone　was　tugging　on　it。　I'd　left　my　stomach　back　at　the　
starting　point；　the　adrenaline　coursed　through　my　body；　tingling　in　my　veins。　The　trees　raced　past　me；　
blurring　into　a　wall　of　green。　

But　this　was　only　first　gear。　My　foot　itched　toward　the　gearshift　as　I　twisted　for　more　gas。　

〃No；　Bella！〃　the　angry；　honey…sweet　voice　ordered　in　my　ear。　〃Watch　what　you're　doing！〃　

It　distracted　me　enough　from　the　speed　to　realize　that　the　road　was　starting　a　slow　curve　to　the　left；　and　I　
was　still　going　straight。　Jacob　hadn't　told　me　how　to　turn。　

〃Brakes；　brakes；〃　I　muttered　to　myself；　and　I　instinctively　slammed　down　with　my　right　foot；　like　I　would　
in　my　truck。　

The　bike　was　suddenly　unstable　underneath　me；　shivering　first　to　one　side　and　then　the　other。　It　was　
dragging　me　toward　the　green　wall；　and　I　was　going　too　fast。　I　tried　to　turn　the　handlebar　the　other　
direction；　and　the　sudden　shift　of　my　weight　pushed　the　bike　toward　the　ground；　still　spinning　toward　the　
trees。　

The　motorcycle　landed　on　top　of　me　again；　roaring　loudly；　pulling　me　across　the　wet　sand　until　it　hit　
something　stationary。　I　couldn't　see。　My　face　was　mashed　into　the　moss。　I　tried　to　lift　my　head；　but　there　
was　something　in　the　way。　

I　was　dizzy　and　confused。　It　sounded　like　there　were　three　things　snarling—the　bike　over　me；　the　voice　in　
my　head；　and　something　else…　

〃Bella！〃　Jacob　yelled；　and　I　heard　the　roar　of　the　other　bike　cut　off。　

The　motorcycle　no　longer　pinned　me　to　the　ground；　and　I　rolled　over　to　breathe。　All　the　growling　went　
silent。　

〃Wow；〃　I　murmured。　I　was　thrilled。　This　had　to　be　it；　the　recipe　for　a　hallucination—adrenaline　plus　
clanger　plus　stupidity。　Something　close　to　that；　anyway。　

〃Bella！〃　Jacob　was　crouching　over　me　anxiously。　〃Bella；　are　you　alive？〃　

〃I'm　great！〃　I　enthused。　I　flexed　my　arms　and　legs。　Everything　seemed　to　be　working　correctly。　〃Let's　do　
itagain。〃　

〃I　don't　think　so。〃　Jacob　still　sounded　worried。　〃I　think　I'd　better　drive　you　to　the　hospital　first。〃　

〃I'mfine。〃　

〃Um；　Bella？　You've　got　a　huge　cut　on　your　forehead；　and　it's　gushing　blood；〃　he　informed　me。　

I　clapped　my　hand　over　my　head。　Sure　enough；　it　was　wet　and　sticky。　I　could　smell　nothing　but　the　damp　
moss　on　my　face；　and　that　held　off　the　nausea。　

〃Oh；　I'm　so　sorry；　Jacob。〃　I　pushed　hard　against　the　gash；　as　if　I　could　force　the　blood　back　inside　my　
head。　

〃Why　are　you　apologizing　for　bleeding？〃　he　wondered　as　he　wrapped　a　long　arm　around　my　waist　and　
pulled　me　to　my　feet。　〃Let's　go。　I'll　drive。〃　He　held　out　his　hand　for　t