you think i wanted to be this way ? any way we could get one for my mother as well ? '' he reached between the bars and stroked her left cheek , his fingernails grazing the skin from near her ear to the corner of her mouth . careful with his footing , and quickly out of breath , he slowed and looked up . another heavy foot slid across the floor upstairs in the attic . `` this is n't going to work the way you think it will . '' 