it felt as if his tongue was swollen so large that it would n't move . `` he pulled tyler aside a few minutes ago . to think everything through from every possible angle . that , in fact , it never disappeared but instead went underground , where it continued to grow silently and spread its influence . i 'd be out of baker city with signed documents in less than twenty-four hours . i think he cut it or pulled it out of the wall . ' he smiled as she shivered and sat up slowly . 