i think it again- viola and again- viola and he steps back and stumbles over davy 's body , falling backwards along it and down into the rubble- i push myself up- and i run to her- { viola } he runs to me , his hands open and reaching for me , taking my shoulders and rolling me up to a sitting position and saying , `` are you hurt , are you hurt , are you hurt- '' and i 'm saying , `` he 's still got the gun- '' and todd turns- [ todd ] and i turn and the mayor 's getting to his feet and he 's looking at me and here comes his noise again and i roll outta the way and i hear it following me as i scramble over rocks , scramble back to where i dropped my rifle and- and there 's a gunshot- and dust flies up in the air in front of my hands- hands that were reaching for the rifle- and i stop- and i look up- and he 's staring right back at me- and i hear her call my name again- and i know she 's understanding- understanding that i need to hear her say my name- and that way i can use hers as a weapon- `` do n't try it , todd , '' the mayor says , looking down the barrel at me- and i hear his voice in my head- not an attack- the slinky , snaky , twisty verzhun of his voice- the one that 's him taking hold of my choices- the one that 's him turning them into his- `` you wo n't fight any more , '' he says- he takes a step closer- `` you wo n't fight any more and that 'll be the end of it- '' i turn away from him- but i have to turn back- have to look into his eyes- `` listen to me , todd- '' and his voice is hissing twixt my ears- and it would be so easy just to- just to- just to fall back- fall back and do what he says- `` no ! ''