just the thought of change is scary . without another word , he reaches under his bed and pulls out the rifle that he used to take down that monster in arkansas , pumping a shell into place . his hands were warm and inviting against her skin . the woman grabs his elbow again . from the neck up and the waist down , he looked like some kind of flattened serpent . he takes the entire weight of the blow with a quick turn of his shoulder . 