he still was n't too far from town . they were , or had been , friends ... `` would you care to tell me which choice you intend to make ? '' next , i went out into the courtyard and picked up pebbles until i had a handful . you needed to have the truth kicked into you . '' there were many wooden shops and houses , all of them relatively new , all of them completely void of furniture and residents . i breathed a sigh of relief when old man winter appeared at the top of the steps . 