closing my eyes , bits and pieces of my memory came back to me . `` if that 's what he told you , he was just being polite . `` this used to be a river , '' i commented quietly after what felt like hours of quiet walking . she backed away slowly , whispering , `` go away . '' as it turned out , i need not have worried . i do not want to scare the beast and send it running . `` what future do you have in mind ? '' 