My mood was more hopeful, now that I had a goal.
La Push was empty. It was almost sultry out today, warm and close under the thick clouds. No rain to drive anyone indoors. The vacant yards and sidewalks seemed suspicious, but I was probably being paranoid. La Push was never a bustling hot spot.
I was glad that Quil‘s family lived on the opposite side of the village from the Blacks. I didn‘t want anyone to guess what I was up to and target Quil earlier than expected. I wished my truck were much quieter. It was the loudest thing in town — so much for stealth.
There was no sign of life outside the Ateara home. I couldn‘t tell if the lights were on inside the store in front of it.
I shut the truck off and hurried up the short dirt path to the front door. I couldn‘t help looking over my shoulder every other second, though it made me feel ridiculous. I rapped my knuckles hard and fast against the faded blue door, then listened, waiting for a response.
Nothing. I beat my fist against the wood twice again, this time generating a muffled thud that seemed to shiver in the walls.
As I waited — discouragement beginning to conquer hope — I was reminded of those movies on the sci-fi channel that I always flipped through quickly, the movies where someone finds herself all alone, the only person left on the planet. I shivered.
I raised my fist for one last, futile attempt, and the door swung open under my hand. I nearly punched the shriveled white-haired man in the face.
―Oh,‖ I gasped, quickly dropping my hand.
―Hey, you‘re Chief Swan‘s girl,‖ the little man accused.
―Yes,‖ I admitted.
―You hang out with Billy‘s kid.‖
―Sometimes.‖ I wondered if he treated all visitors this way. Maybe just the ones who almost assaulted him.
―What do you want? He‘s not here.‖ He shut the door halfway.
―Um, Mr. Ateara?‖ I guessed, easing my foot surreptitiously around the doorjamb so he couldn‘t shut me out until I wanted him to.
―Yeah, that‘s right.‖ He seemed displeased that I knew his name.
―Is your grandson Quil here?‖
―No.‖
A few seconds passed.
―Could you tell me where I can find him?‖ I prompted.
―Can‘t tell you what I don‘t know. He‘s out.‖
Did they guess what I was up to? Was Sam taking preemptive action against me?
―Do you know if he‘s with Jacob?‖ I asked anxiously. There hadn‘t been enough time for that, had there? Did they guess what I was up to? Was Sam taking preemptive action against me?
―Don‘t think so,‖ the old man said reluctantly. ―He goes off on his own now.‖
Relief rushed through me. ―Okay, I guess I‘ll just come back later.‖
The only answer I got was a sour look as he slammed the door. I yanked my foot out of the way, barely avoiding some broken toes.
Well, that was welcoming.
I decided I would drive around and hope to find Quil walking along the road, as I had yesterday. I‘d much rather talk to him without his grandfather present.
―NARCOTICS‖
This outtake shows another approach to the scene at the end of New Moon‘s chapter 2.
I collapsed back onto my pillow, gasping, my head spinning. My arm didn‘t hurt anymore, but I didn‘t know whether that was due to the painkillers or the kiss. Something tugged at my memory, elusive, on the edges….
―Sorry,‖ he said, and he was breathless, too. ―That was out of line.‖
To my own surprise, I giggled. ―You‘re funny,‖ I mumbled and giggled again.
He frowned at me in the darkness. He looked so serious. It was hysterical.
I covered my mouth to muffle the laughter so Charlie wouldn‘t hear.
―Bella, have you ever had Percocet before?‖
―I don‘t think so.‖ I giggled. ―Why?‖
He rolled his eyes, and I couldn‘t stop laughing.
―How‘s your arm?‖
―I can‘t feel it. Is it still there?‖
He sighed as I giggled on. ―Try to sleep, Bella.‖
―No, I want you to kiss me again.‖
―You‘re overestimating my self-control.‖
―You‘re overestimating my self-control.‖
I snickered. ―Which is bothering you more, my blood or my body?‖ My question made me laugh.
―It‘s a tie.‖ He grinned in spite of himself. ―I‘ve never seen you high. You‘re very entertaining.‖
―I‘m not high.‖ I tried to choke back the giggles to prove it.
―Sleep it off,‖ he suggested.
I realized that I was making a fool of myself, which wasn‘t uncommon, but it was still embarrassing, so I tried to follow his advice. I put my head on his shoulder again and closed my eyes. Every now and then another giggle would escape. But that became more infrequent as the drugs lulled me toward unconsciousness.
I felt absolutely hideous in the morning. My arm burned and my head ached. Edward said I had a hangover, and recommended Tylenol rather than the Percocet before he kissed my forehead casually and ducked out my window.
It didn‘t help my outlook that his face was smooth and remote. I was so afraid of the conclusions he might have come to during the night while he watched me sleep. The anxiety seemed to ratchet up the intensity of the pounding in my head.
I took a double dose of Tylenol and threw the little bottle of Percocet into the bathroom trash.
Q. WHAT DO THE COVERS OF THE BOOKS REPRESENT?
A. The apple on the cover of Twilight represents the knowledge of good and evil. Eve ate this forbidden fruit in Genesis, and Twilight has an epigraph from this book of the Bible: ―But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.‖ The question inherent in the apple is ―Do you want to know?‖ It asks if you are going to bite in and discover the frightening possibilities around you or refuse and stay safe in the comfortable world you know.
Unlike the other covers, Stephenie was not involved in choosing the cover for New Moon.
The author originally proposed a clock image, as time is such a key theme in the book. But ultimately the team that chose the tulip focused on the theme of loss. The image of the flower losing its petal was chosen to reflect that. They felt the fallen petal could also be interpreted to represent the drop of blood from Bella‘s paper cut in the first chapter.
The not-quite-broken ribbon on the cover of Eclipse is a metaphor for Bella trying to leave her human life behind her, but being unable to make a clean break. There are some threads she is unable to cut — she can‘t completely divorce herself from her past.
The two chess pieces on the cover of Breaking Dawn both represent Bella. They show her moving from the least significant player, the pawn, at the beginning of the Saga to the most important player, the queen, at the end of the series. The chessboard also hints at Breaking Dawn‘s resolution, where the battle with the Volturi is one of wits and strategy, not physical violence.