Favalli: FIRST WE'LL NEED TO MAKE A SEALED SUIT . LIKE A WETSUIT , THAT WILL ALLOW US TO LEAVE AND GET WATER , PROVISIONS , ANY MEDICINE WE MIGHT NEED . AND WEAPONS .

Juan: IT WON'T BE EASY TO MAKE A SUIT THAT PRO TECTS FROM RADIATION ...

Lucas Herbert: LIKE I SAID , JUAN , I DON'T THINK THE SNOW THAT'S KILLED EVERYONE OUTSIDE ..

Lucas Herbert: ... IS RADIOACTIVE . IF IT WERE , MY GEIGER COUNTER WOULD REGISTER THE RADIOACTIVI TY THROUGH THE GLASS OF THE WINDOWS . THE NEEDLE NEVER EVEN MOVED ..

Favalli: LUCAS IS RIGHT , JUAN

Favalli: THOSE DEADLY FLAKES ARE IRRADIATING SOMETHING UNKNOWN AND WEAK : THAT'S WHY WE'RE STILL ALIVE .

Favalli: IT ALSO SOLVES THE PROBLEM OF THE SEALED SUIT : IT SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO MAKE A SUIT THAT PROTECTS OUR SKIN FROM CONTACT WITH THE FLAKES ...

Lucas Herbert: WE CAN MAKE IT FROM RUBBER ! FOR THE HEAD , WE CAN MODIFY JUAN'S SCUBA MASK , THE ONE HE HAS FOR UNDERWATER FISHING ... FOR THE HANDS , RUBBER GLOVES

Lucas Herbert: QUICKLY , CONFIDENTLY , SOLUTIONS EMERGED . I WAS REASSURED SEEING LUCAS , A MO MENT AGO SO SCARED , ENTHUSIASTICALLY TACKLING THE ISSUE OF THE SUIT .

Juan (to himself): HE'S TOO ENTHUSIASTIC .. HE'S TRYING TO DISTRACT HIMSELF ... BECAUSE EVEN SOLVING THE SUIT IS JUST ONE STEP ... AND DOESN'T HE REALIZE THAT NO MATTER WHAT WE DO , WE ARE CONDEMNED TO DIE SOON ?

Juan cont.: NOT ONLY DID WE HAVE THE STRANGE RADIATION TO FEAR , BUT WHAT FAVALLI SAID TOO : THAT WE WOULD HAVE COMPETITION , HAVE TO FIGHT OTHER MEN THAT ...

Juan cont.: ... LIKE US , HAD ESCAPED THE DISASTER .
Juan cont.: WHO KNOWS WHEN HELP WILL ARRIVE . IF IT EVER COMES ... IN THE MEANTIME ...

Juan cont.:... THIS PEACEFUL NEIGHBORHOOD WILL TURN INTO A JUNGLE WHERE IT WILL BE KILL OR BE KILLED ...

[BECAUSE THE FATAL SNOW HAD COVERED THE WHOLE WORLD ...]

[AND WE WERE STRANDED IN MY OWN HOME , INCRED IBLE ROBINSONS LOST IN AN OCEAN OF DEATH ... BUT BEST NOT TO THINK ABOUT ALL OF THIS , BETTER TO FOCUS ON THE IM MEDIATE PROBLEM .]

Favalli: QUICK , WE DON'T HAVE A MO MENT TO LOSE . YOU MAKE THE SUIT ; ASK ELENA FOR HELP .

Favalli: I'LL SEE IF I CAN TRANSFORM THE GARAGE INTO A KIND OF DECONTAMINATION ROOM ... SO WE CAN LEAVE WITHOUT LETTING FLAKES INTO THE HOUSE .

[SO WE DID . JUST OVER AN HOUR LATER , LUCAS , ELENA AND I HAD ALMOST FINISHED THE SEALED SUIT . OUR ATTIC OF HOBBIESTS WAS WELL - STOCKED , AND PROVIDED US WITH EVERYTHING WE NEEDED .]

Lucas Herbert: IT'S HARD TO WRAP MY MIND AROUND THIS ..

Juan: WHAT DO YOU MEAN , LUCAS ?

Lucas Herbert: IMAGINE IT ! FOR TWELVE YEARS I'VE GONE TO WORK AT THE BANK EVERY DAY ... AND NOW , IN ONE MOMENT , I'M DONE WITH IT ... BECAUSE ALMOST EVERYONE MUST BE DEAD ..

Lucas Herbert: MR . MANRIQUE , THE BOSS , DEAD .... MY CO - WORKERS ! ROSCONI , THE MANAGER , WHO PROMISED ME A PROMOTION AT THE END OF THE YEAR ... ALL GONE , AS THOUGH THEY'D NEVER EXISTED ...

Lucas Herbert: WHAT WILL I DO NOW , WITHOUT WORK ?

Juan: THE SAME AS EVERYONE , LUCAS ... ME WITHOUT MY FACTORY , AND FAVALLI WITH - OUT HIS DEPARTMENT : BEST NOT TO THINK ABOUT WHAT WE'VE LOST .

[BETTER TO FOCUS OUR STRENGTH ON SURVIVING : THAT'S WHAT'S IMPORTANT NOW . NO USE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WILL BE IN A FEW MONTHS ..]

Elena: LISTEN TO JUAN , LUCAS ... IF YOU THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED , YOU'LL GO MAD ... HAND ME THE RUBBER CEMENT : THIS FOOT ISN'T DONE .

[MY BRAVE ELENA ... I DON'T KNOW WHERE SHE GOT THE STRENGTH TO NOT DISSOLVE IN TEARS . TO AVOID THE PAIN SHE IGNORED IT . I THINK IT WAS THINKING ABOUT MARITITA THAT KEPT HER TOGETHER . NEITHER OF US COULD GIVE UP , WE HAD TO OVERCOME DESPAIR .]

[WE BOTH HAD TO SURVIVE FOR MARITITA .]

Lucas Herbert: DESPITE EVERYTHING , YOU THREE HAVE HAD GOOD LUCK . YOU'RE TOGETHER , AND ALIVE .

Lucas Herbert: ME , ON THE OTHER HAND , I'M ALONE . DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT'S LIKE ? ENTIRELY ALONE !

[FOR A MOMENT I THOUGHT LUCAS'S HAD GONE MAD . HE WAS ALWAYS SINGLE , AND DIDN'T HAVE FAMILY .]

[HE'S ALWAYS BEEN ALONE . THEN AGAIN , I THOUGHT , A MAN IS NEVER REALLY ALONE , HE HAS FRIENDS , RELATIVES , CO - WORKERS . UNTIL THE SNOW BEGAN FALL AND IN MINUTES SHATTERED THOU SANDS AND THOUSANDS OF LIVES ...]

Favalli: EVERYTHING'S READY THE GARAGE : I'VE INSTALLED AN EXHAUST FAN TO SUCK OUT THE FLAKES THAT COME IN WHEN WE USE THE DOOR . HOW'S THE SUIT ?

Juan: IT'S ALMOST READY . WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE AIR SUPPLY . HOW TO BREATHE WHILE WEARING THE SUIT . WE HAVE AN OXYGEN TANK , BUT IT WON'T LAST LONG .

Favalli: AIR WON'T BE A PROBLEM . I THINK THAT A FILTER TO STRAIN OUT THE RATIOACTIVE PARTICLES WILL BE ENOUGH .

Favalli: IT MAKES SENSE TO ASSUME THAT THE KEY IS NOT LETTING EVEN ONE OF THE FLAKES TOUCH YOUR SKIN . IF IT WEREN'T THE KASE , WE'D ALL ALREADY BE DEAD .

Juan: THEN , WE CAN CALL THE SUIT DONE . WE CAN TRY IT RIGHT AWAY !

Favalli: GOOD . I HOPE I LOOK GOOD IN IT ... I ALWAYS LIKED CUSTOME-MADE CLOTHES .

[NO COULD HAVE GUESSED FAVALLI HAD THIS MUCH COURAGE . THE DISASTER HAD HIT HIM ...]

[... AS MUCH OR MORE THAN ANY OF US : HIS FRIENDS , HIS STUDENTS , HIS PARTNERS IN THE LAB , THEY WERE ALL DESTROYED . HIS WORLD , UNDOUBTEDLY RICHER THAN OURS , HAD ENDED . AND DESPITE THIS ...]

[..HE HADN'T LOST HIS HEAD . FROM THE BEGINNING HE'D BEEN THE LEADER OF OUR LITTLE GROUP .]

Juan: AND NOW HE WANTS TO RISK BEING THE FIRST TO LEAVE THE HOUSE ... WHAT IF THE SUIT DOESN'T WORK ? IF THE RUBBER ISN'T ENOUGH PROTECTION ? o

[IT WAS A HARD DECISION . BUT NO , I COULDN'T LET FAVALLI , THE MOST VALUABLE OF US , THE MOST NECESSARY , TO TAKE THAT RISK .]

Juan: NO , FAVA . YOU WON'T PUT IT ON . WE DON'T KNOW YET WHETHER IT WORKS . I'LL TEST IT .

Favalli: YOU ? ARE YOU CRAZY , JUAN ?

Favalli: YOU HAVE YOUR WIFE AND CHILD . ME , ON THE OTHER HAND , I CAN DISAPPEAR WITHOUT ANYONE BATTING AN EYELASH .

Juan: I ALREADY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS , FAVA.

Juan: IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO ME , ELENA AND MARITITA WILL SUFFER . I KNOW . BUT THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL WON'T BE ANY LESS . BUT IF SOME THING HAPPENS TO YOU , HOW CAN LUCAS AND I MANAGE ...

Juan: ... TO SAVE THEM ? YOU'RE THE EXPERT , FAVA , THE ONE WHO CAN SOLVE ANY PROBLEM

Lucas Herbert: IF I COULD ..

Lucas Herbert: THE LEAST NECESSARY OF US IS ME ... IT SHOULD BE ME

Favalli: NO , LUCAS . THAT'S NOT FAIR . I INSIST ON GO FIRST .

Juan: I SAID I WAS GOING . I KNOW THE NEIGHBORHOOD BETTER THAN YOU AND I CAN FIND EVERYTHING THE FASTEST .

Juan: LET'S DRAW LOTS .

Favalli: YES ! HERE ARE CARDS AND

MARITITA: LOOK !

MARITITA:THERE'S LIGHT ON ACROSS THE STREET !

[A BOMB COULDN'T HAVE HAD A BIGGER IMPACT ...]

Favalli: YES ! IT LOOKS LIKE A CANDLE .

Lucas Herbert: THERE ARE OTHER SURVIVORS !

Favalli: THAT'S RAMIREZ'S HOUSE . HE WORKS FOR THE RAILROAD

Favalli: HE MUST JUST BE GETTING UP ... HE HAS NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED

[WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING WE'D BELIEVED THAT EVERYONE AROUND US WAS DEAD . TO DISCOVER OTHER SURVIVORS SO NEAR ...]

[..WAS TRULY WONDERFUL . NONE OF US IMAGINED WE'D SEE A LIGHT AT THE RAMIREZ'S HOUSE , IT WAS NEARLY SHOCKING .]

Favalli: THEIR HOUSE IS BRAND NEW . NOT EVEN THE SMALLEST FLAKE COULD HAVE SLIPPED IN .

Juan: IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THERE ARE OTHERS .

Favalli: I TOLD YOU THERE MUST BE .

[FAVALLI WAS RIGHT . IT WAS ONLY LOGICAL TO THINK THAT JUST LIKE OUR COTTAGE , SOME OTHER HOUSES HAD ESCAPED THE INSIDIOUS PENETRATION OF THOSE GLOWING FLAKES .]

Lucas Herbert: WE NEED TO TRY TO COMMUNICATE WITH RAMIREZ , TOGETHER OUR GROUP WILL BE EVEN STRONGER .

Elena: YES ... AND WE CAN HELP THEM . I'M SURE THEY DON'T HAVE THE THINGS WE DO IN THEIR HOUSE .

Juan: I'M SURE NOT , ELENA .

Juan: REMEMBER HOW HARD I HAD TO TRY TO CONVINCE ELENA TO LET US BUILD OUR LABORATORY - WORKSHOP HERE , EH FAVA ?

Favalli: RIGHT , JUAN ...

Elena: BUT ,

Elena: NO ! NO !

Juan: ELENA ? WHAT'S WRONG ?

Elena: LOOK ! RAMIREZ IS ABOUT TO OPEN THE WIN DOW !

Juan: WE HAVE TO WARN HIM NOT TO ! THE FLAKES WILL GET IN AND KILL THEM !

Favalli: WE CAN'T DO ANYTHING .

[WE SCREAMED , BUT HE COULDN'T HEAR US . WE WATCHED HIM GRAPPLE WITH THE WINDOW ... TERRIFIED . RAMIREZ HAD UNDOUBTEDLY SEEN ...]

[..THE HORRIFIC SCENE IN THE STREET .]

[WE COULDN'T SCREAM , COULDN'T MAKE A NOISE . LIKE A SCENE FROM A SILENT MOVIE . THE WINDOW STAYED OPEN , AND I SHUDDERED ...]

[..IMAGINING THE SLOW MOVEMENT OF THOSE TINY FLAKES CARRIED BY THE AIR THROUGH THE HOUSE , INTO THE INNER BEDROOMS , BRINGING DEATH ...]

Lucas Herbert: HOW MANY HOMES HAS THE SAME THING HAPPENED IN ? HOW MANY , JUST GETTING UP , WILL ADD TO THE TRAGEDY ?

Juan: WE HAVE TO HURRY WITH THE SUIT , FAVA . MAYBE WE CAN STILL SAVE SOME FAMILY .

Favalli: I DOUBT IT , JUAN . INDEED , THOUGH WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESCUE SOME ..

Favalli: ... WE CAN ONLY TRY ONCE OUR OWN SITUATION IS SECURED , WE CAN'T SAVE OTHERS IF IT WILL ENDANGER US .

Elena: HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT , FAVALLI ?

Favalli: UNDERSTAND ME , ELENA ... NO MAT TER HOW HARD IT IS TO HEAR . WE'VE RETURNED TO PREHISTORY : WE MUST THINK OF OURSELVES FIRST .

Favalli: ONLY THE STRONG WILL SURVIVE . THOSE THAT CAN TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES . WE CAN'T WASTE MORE TIME . I'M GOING TO TEST THE SEALED SUIT .

Juan: NO , FAVA . WE DECIDED THAT I WOULD TRY IT .

Favalli: WE DIDN'T DECIDE ANYTHING !

[FAVALLI WAS SINCERE IN HIS DETERMI NATION TO BE THE FIRST TO TRY THE " FLAKE - PROOF " SUIT .]

[THAT INSISTENCE IN THE FACE OF DANGER MADE UP FOR HIS HARSHNESS . IF HE DIDN'T WANT TO SAVE OTHERS , IT WASN'T BECAUSE HE WAS A COWARD BUT BECAUSE HE SIMPLY COULDN'T .]

Lucas Herbert: I STILL THINK I SHOULD PUT IT ON FIRST .

Favalli: I KNOW , LUCAS , I EXPECTED NO LESS FROM YOU .

[LUCAS'S EFFORT TO SHOW COURAGE WAS TOUCHING .]

Favalli: THE BEST THING IS TO DRAW LOTS . HERE'S A DIE : WE'LL EACH THROW IT AND WHOEVER GETS THE HIGHEST NUM BER WILL TRY THE SUIT FIRST .

Favalli: I'LL GO FIRST ... HERE GOES...

Favalli: CMON SIX ....

Favalli: A TWO ! I NEVER HAVE LUCK WITH DICE ... YOUR TURN , LUCAS .

Lucas Herbert: UMM .... YES .

Lucas Herbert: A SIX .... CMON SIX

[IT WAS A LITTLE SAD THE STRENGTH IT TOOK LUCAS TO PRETEND TO WANT TO WIN . I WAS SURE ...]

[... THAT IN THAT MOMENT HE HATED FAVALLI FOR ROLLING SO LOW .]

Juan: HERE GOES ..

Lucas Herbert: ANOTHER TWO ! THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL BAD LUCK

Juan: YOU TWO ARE ALL THUMBS . WATCH , LUCAS , WHILE I SHOW YOU HOW TO ROLL A SIX .

Elena: JUAN !

Juan: BE CALM , MY LOVE ... SOME ONE HAS TO GO ..

[I CONFESS MY CALM WAS FAKED .]

[INSIDE I WAS SHAKING . BECAUSE IF I ROLLED HIGHER THAN A TWO , IT MEANT I HAD TO LEAVE THE PROTECTION OF THE HOUSE IN THAT SEALED SUIT WE'D MADE . AND IF THE RUBBER WASN'T ENOUGH TO PROTECT AGAINST THE DEADLY FLAKES ?]

[AND IF WE'D MADE A MISTAKE ? TESTING THE SUIT COULD MEAN A QUICK DEATH ... BUT I KEPT PRETENDING THAT I WANTED TO TAKE THE RISK ..]

Juan: HERE GOES THE SIX ... WATCH

[A ONE OR TWO , I'D BE SAVED FROM TAKING THE RISK . THE CHANCE OF ROLLING EITHER WAS SMALL ... BUT WHY NOT ?]

Juan: SEE ? THAT'S HOW YOU DO IT ! HELP ME PUT IT ON .

Elena: JUAN ...

[FATE HAD DECIDED . I'D WON , BUT THE PRIZE WASN'T THE LEAST DESIRABLE , IT WAS , VERY POSSIBLY , DEATH IN THE NEXT TEN OR FIFTEEN MINUTES .]

[I PUT IT ON IN THE GARAGE , WHERE I'D LEAVE FROM.]

Elena: BUT ... HOW WILL YOU BREATHE ?

Favalli: DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR HUSBAND , ELENA ... THE HELMET HAS A FILTER THAT WILL KEEP OUT EVEN THE SMALLEST FLAKES

Favalli: MY THEORY IS THAT THE FLAKES KILL ONLY WHEN THEY COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE SKIN : TO SURVIVE YOU ONLY NEED TO MAINTAIN A SEPARATION OF EVEN A FEW MILLIMETERS .

[THIS WAS FAVALLI'S THEORY . BUT ... IF HE WAS WRONG ? IT WOULD MEAN DEATH FOR ME]

Lucas Herbert: ARE YOU SURE THE AIR FILTER YOU INSTALLED IN THE GARAGE WILL WORK , FAVA ?

Favalli: I'M SURE , LUCAS : WHEN JUAN LEAVES , ANY FLAKES THAT COME IN WILL BE PULLED OUT BY THE EXTRACTOR .

Favalli: IF ANY STICK WHEN YOU RETURN JUAN , BLOW THEM INTO THE EXTRACTOR WITH ELENA'S HAIRDRYER : IT'S OVER THERE

Elena: BUT , HOW ARE THE EXTRACTOR AND HAIRDRYER WORKING ? WE DON'T HAVE ELECTRICITY !

Favalli: EVERYTHING'S BEEN CONVERTED , ELENA ...

Favalli: DON'T FORGET THAT OUR WORKSHOP - LABORATORY IS WELL PREPARED : SINCE THE DAYS OF POWER OUTAGES WE'VE HAD OUR OWN GAS - POWERED GENERATOR . I TRIED IT , AND IT WORKS WITH EVERYTHING .

Favalli: OF COURSE , IT GUZZLES GAS . GAS IS A PRIORITY FOR THE THINGS YOU'LL NEED TO BRING BACK .

Favalli: BUT DON'T FORGET , JUAN : THE FIRST THING IS TO GET WEAPONS . THEN FOOD , AND THEN EVERYTHING ELSE .

[IT SOUNDS GRUESOME , BUT FAVA WAS RIGHT . THERE WERE NO AUTHORITIES OR POLICE . SOON , THE FEW SURVIVORS WOULD FALL BACK ON THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE . SURVIVAL WOULD BE A QUESTION OF KILL OR BE KILLED ...]

Juan: THE FIRST THING IS TO TRY THE SUIT . GO BACK INTO THE HOUSE AND SHUT THE DOOR

[AS THE MOMENT OF MY DEPARTURE INTO THE DEADLY FLAKES APPROACHED ..]

[..MY ANXIETY INCREASED : DEATH COULD TAKE ME AS SOON AS I LEFT THE HOUSE . THE UNCERTAINTY WAS BECOMING INTOLERABLE , I WANTED TO GET IT OVER WITH .]

Favalli: DON'T FORGET THE RIFLE , JUAN ... AND GOOD LUCK !

Elena: YOU DIDN'T KISS ME , JUAN .

Juan: YOU'RE RIGHT : I PUT THE HELMET ON TOO SOON . BUT IT DOESN'T MATTER : I'LL BE BACK SOON TO GET EVEN .

Maritita: DON'T GO , DADDY !

Juan: DON'T BE SILLY , NOTHING WILL HAPPEN . IF FAVALLI HAD ANY DOUBTS HE WOULDN'T LET ME GO .

[THIS WAS THE MAIN ARGUMENT I'D BEEN USING TO ENCOURAGE MYSELF . MYSEL BUT IT WASN'T DO IT WASN'T THAT CONVINCING : WHY SHOULD FAVALLI KNOW MORE THAN ME ABOUT THAT DAMED SNOW ? IF EVEN THE EXPERTS WE'D HEARD ON THE RADIO DIDN'T KNOW ...]

[ALONE , I WENT TO THE DOOR AND TOOK THE RIFLE .]

Juan (to himself): FAVALLI'S RIGHT , WHO KNOWS WHAT I'LL FIND OUTSIDE . I ONLY HOPE I CAN USE IT : IT WILL MEAN THE FLAKES DIDN'T KILL ME .

Juan (to himself): FAVALLI THOUGHT OF EVERYTHING : IN MY POUCH HE'D PUT AT LEAST FIFTY BULLETS , EVEN A KNIFE ...

Juan (to himself): HERE GOES .

[I PAUSED . UNTIL NOW THIS SMALL DOOR HAD SEPARATED ME FROM THE DEATH THAT REIGNED OUTSIDE . OPENING IT WOULD IMMERSE ME IN THAT SNOW ... IN THAT DEATH ...]

[BUT I HAD TO LEAVE . I HAD TO ABANDON THE HOUSE , THAT ISLAND OF LIFE IN A LETHAL OCEAN . LIKE ROBINSON HAD TO JUMP INTO THE SEA TO REACH THE GROUNDED SHIP ... I OPENED THE DOOR .]

[I SHUT IT QUICKLY : FAVALLI TOLD ME TO LET AS FEW FLAKES IN AS POSSIBLE .]

[BUT I DID IT MECHANICALLY : MY WHOLE BEING WAS SHRINKING , PREPARING FOR THE VIO LENT DARKNESS OF DEATH AT ANY MOMENT ...]

[I HAD RAMIREZ AND POLSKY'S DEATHS TO LEARN FROM . THEY HAD FALLEN WITHIN SECONDS OF BEING EXPOSED TO THE SNOW ...]

Juan (to himself): IF SOMETHING WAS GOING TO HAPPEN , IT WOULD HAVE ALREADY .

[A WEIGHT LIFTED .]

[THERE , NEARBY , IN THE WINDOW .]

Juan (to himself): THEY WANT TO KNOW IF I'M OK ...

[THEY COULDN'T HEAR ME , BUT I WANTED TO REASSURE THEM . I POUNDED MY CHEST , LIKE TARZAN ...]

[IT HAD THE EFFECT I'D HOPED FOR . THOUGH I WAS A THOUSAND LEAGUES FROM FEELING SAFE .]

[IT WAS HARD TO MASTER MY FEAR WITH THOSE FLAKES NEARLY TOUCHING MY FACE , BUT I HAD TO GET USED TO IT .]

[I WAVED AT THE WINDOW AND WENT OUT THROUGH THE GARDEN .]

[JUST THEN I NOTICED THAT THE PHOSPHORESCENCE OF THE FLAKES HAD CHANGED , THEY SEEMED WEAKER .]

Juan (to himself): I KNOW WHAT IT IS ... IT'S THE SUNRISE ... IT SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE THE WORLD KEEPS TURNING ..

[I TRIPPED OVER SOMETHING SOFT ...]

Juan (to himself): MARTITA'S CAT ! HE'S A VICTIM TOO ...

[THERE , NEXT TO THE CAT , WHO HAD JUST TURNED ONE , WAS A SPARROW . DEAD , LIKE THE GRASS , THE MARIGOLDS , THE ROSES ...]

[NEVER ... I NEVER IMAGINED SUCH A SAD DAWN ... BETTER NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT ...]

[YES , BEST NOT TO THINK ABOUT IT ...]

[THINKING ABOUT IT WOULD DRIVE ME MAD . I REACHED THE GATE , OPENED IT , AND STEPPED ONTO THE SIDEWALK .]