and they head for home. They are upset that the storm is not coming because; they wanted to see the house get hit by lightning.
             Charles Halloway wants to run home with the boys, but he stops himself. He thought, "Will runs because running is its own excuse. Jim runs because there is something up ahead. Yet they run together." He wonders why the boys are together because they are complete opposites. He tries to place it, but can't. He heads to the bar for a drink, talks to some people about things, and what was a long time ago.
             The boys get down town and take their time. The shop lights are on and people are scurrying about. Will comments, "Folks run like they thought the storm was here!" "It is." Jim shouted, "Us." Then the city became dead as they rounded the cigar shop. They saw Mr. Tetley and said, "Hi." They heard something far away on the wind, but couldn't say what it was. They see Mr. Crosetti crying, as they run by. Jim and Will sell Licorice and cotton candy, they stop to talk to Mr. Crosetti about the smells, they can't agree on where it comes from.
             Charles heads for home whistling Christmas songs. He passes a store with two sawhorses with a block of ice on them and a man leaving the shop waved to him, he had hairy palms on his hands. Charles reads a sign for a carnival inside, and it's written in bold, "THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD." He did not believe it, it was nothing but frozen river water to him yet he stared long and hard at the block.
             Jim stopped at the corner of Hickory Street where he saw Will. This is the street where they used to steal apples, plums, and apricots, but the "thing" happened, it changed the houses, the taste of the fruit, the air. The street changed from houses, trees, plums, apples, and apricots, to one house with a window, than a stage with actors. The boys looked...