thoughts banged against his skull like a swarm of bees , each one demanding to be spoken , immediately . but there he was in front of me , smiling like he had n't caught me huddled in his office cupboard just a day earlier . thunderbird probably knew , i figured , and was protecting her . i ca n't even imagine spending one day on the streets now , let alone when i was that age . god , what the hell do i do ? speed was half of the battle . and how she wished he had just kept going . 