the herd of deer scattered , filling the air with the scent of their fear and pounding the ground with their fleeing hooves . eric breathed deeply , feeling her finger trail over his flesh . her gentle manner encouraged everybody to come to her with their problems , and her wisdom kept them coming back . his grandma would n't be here when his father arrived . he gazed at me with dull eyes . the only one he had was the one frank gave him . 