can i buy you an ice cream cone ? '' carefully , she tried to stretch them out as far as she could . the disbelief in his voice stings . chapter eight `` i like the neon lights . '' said sam , and through a long silence waited , listening in vain . i replied , thinking back to some detail i had evidently missed . something it might be just as well not to think about . `` hello , '' moses said , and they echoed his greeting with a wave of their hands . 