ore.

    "Eddie?"Shewasalreadystandingup."Eddie!"

    Istoodbesideher."Edward,whereareyou?ehere."

    Athinshoutfromthetrees,thenanintolerablewait.Iwasalreadymhimwhenhecameclamberingdownandracedacrossthesandtous,hisclothesandhairwetwithsaltspray.

    "Wherehaveyoubeen?"Tessasked.

    "Iwentoutonthatislandasfarasyougo."

    "Dontyouknowhowdangerousthatis?"

    "Iwaoseehowfaryoucouldsee.Agirlisoutthere."

    "Onthatrock?"

    "Shewassittingandstaringattheo."

    "Allbyherself?Whereareherparents?"

    "Forreal,Mom.Shecamealong,longwaytogethere.Likewedid."

    "Edward,youshouldntmakeupstorieslikethat.Theresnotapersonaroundformiles."

    "Forreal,Dad.esee."

    "Imnotgoingouttothoserocks.Itscoldaandslippery."

    "Henry"—Tesspoitothefirtrees—"lookatthat."

    Darkhairflyingbehindher,ayounggirlemergedfromthefirs,ranlikeagoatdowntheslopingface,asthinandlissomeasthebreeze.Fromthatdistanceshelookedunreal,asifwovenfromthemist.Shestoppedwhenshesawusstandingthere,andthoughshedidnoteclose,shewasner.Wepeeredateachotheracrossthewater,andthemomentlastedasbrieflyasthesnappingofaphotograph.Thereandgohesametime.Sheturowardthewaterfallandran,vanishingbeyondinahazeofrodevergreen.

    "Wait,"Tesscried."Dontgo."Sheracedtowardthegirl.

    "Leaveher,"Ihollered,