music continued to come from the other side of the small lake . i whirled around and shoved tara hard , her back crashed against the counter . there were scattered clouds hanging over the eastern horizon , and the sun , which as yet had not risen , touched them with glorious color of many shades . amber did n't know what to expect . `` i have to be alone now , '' i said . are you going to hit me , or what ? '' `` it only happened about twenty years ago . '' 