he gets halfway out of the kitchen before stopping and turning back around . he glanced down at the image again as if a thought had struck him , and lowered the death of rats to the floor . he had said that first day in the garden that painting was like meditation . the tube is just long enough to prevent the lead shot from blowing out the sides . a yawning pit of darkness stretched before me . she 'd reached for him , knowing he was in trouble , and it was his brother she found . 