it had all happened in an odd , almost disconnected slow motion : she could see it plainly in her minds eye : the mephastophian had slashed at her , at her throat , but she had seen it coming with an eyesight she never knew she had , one beyond eyeballs and pupils and optic nerves ; the inch-wide instant of time had miraculously stretched a foot wide ; she had moved a moment too late , but had moved so swiftly that the beast could not finish her , ducking past its forward assault and under , spinning around and away to face it .