i touched her mind , but it only interred a dead hope , for all the images and memories on the surface were those of the few hours just past ... bolting from the house after seeing jim trying to do things to the woman who looked dead ; running down the street , turning to see the police , being knocked over by some invisible force , getting up and running more , hearing gun shots but not turning to look again ; out of breath minutes later , drained from guilt at abandoning jim ; gaining a second wind which seemed to push her so her feet seemed to skim the ground later : cleaning up in a gas station bathroom , scrounging enough money for a candy bar dinner , taking the longest way home she could , arriving just before i had .