through the window he could hear the sound of the stream in the woods . i do n't care what color they are . i close my book and move to set it aside , but he speaks again . without her presence , without touching her mind , he would have been completely insane , and he knew it . her full pink lips curl up . `` and today is the first track meet . rain dripped somewhere , hollow and mysterious in this stone throat . `` i needed to hear that right now . '' 