'let me take your coat , ' i said . another two beats followed , and then a voice came on the line : hello ? i glanced down at my phone and saw that i had been in the store for more than an hour . when we want to close the gate again , we just tell your people to let go of the ropes . people were rare , but several man-made paths led through the forests . it was sharp and she had to be careful not to slice her leg open as she shoved it down . 