her voice sounded croaky even to her . the sounds grew louder as she got closer , and the sick feeling in her stomach grew worse with every moan . like that stream that runs behind the barn . then he pressed his foot to the floor and followed his friend 's last wishes . i packed up my notebook and nodded . help me sit on the edge of the bed . '' i was n't expecting her to actually agree . in many ways he knew her better than anyone else , but in others , not at all . 