before that moment , he had n't realized he 'd even been gone , but now he slammed back , hard and fast and all at once on a heaving red tide of agony . large gray squirrels and jack rabbits twice as big as their cousins back east could be seen in the tree tops and hopping through the woods . they wouldnt give a contract like this to a stranger . i grabbed the nearest table , heavy and metal , and heaved it at him . that just makes me move faster . 