But then, just as suddenly as it had come on, the lightness was being replaced by a strange heaviness—and not the usual heaviness he felt inside. It was an even heavier heaviness. And it made him feel like it was going to pull him to the ground.

Chad fought the feeling that he was going to fall, and, as he did, Randy suddenly hopped up—so fast that it felt like he had singlehandedly jumpstarted the cosmos and made everything start moving again, and the stillness gave way to motion and the silence gave way to sound as Randy got to his feet.

And Randy decided that he was going to ignore what Chad had just said—whatever it was that he had just said—and carry on as if it had never been said—if it had even been said at all.

“Well, I’m gonna head,” Randy said gruffly, and he started bending down to grab his flashlight and his bag of beer when Chad realized that he could no longer fight the strange feeling that he was going to fall.

And then he fell.

His knees buckled.

And his legs crumpled.

And he couldn’t get his hands out of his pants pockets in time to brace his fall.

And he face-planted onto the snow.

Suddenly and completely—and almost in slow motion.

Randy witnessed Chad’s strange face-plant.

And tried to figure out what had just happened.

And wondered if Chad had had a seizure or something. His cousin from Frenchville had a miniature pony that had some sort of neurological disorder and would periodically collapse. Maybe Chad had a similar condition.

“What is wrong with you?” demanded Randy, implying that a lot was wrong with Chad. Because something was definitely wrong with Chad. Because of what he had just done. And because of what he had just said.

Chad didn’t answer Randy’s question. And slowly started getting up, brushing the snow off his beard and his face and his coat and his jeans as he did.

When he was on his feet again, he looked completely bewildered.

And so did Randy. “You all right or what?” he asked in a way that let Chad know that the only answer he would accept was yes.

“Yeah,” answered Chad unconvincingly.

“All right. Well, I’m gonna head,” Randy said again, and he grabbed his flashlight and his bag of beer.

“Yeah,” said Chad. “Me, too.”

“I gotta work in the mornin’,” said Randy, and he started to make his way up the snowbank.

“Yeah, well, let me know when you’re done, and I’ll pick you up whenever you want.”

Randy didn’t really want to hang out with Chad tomorrow and felt like maybe he didn’t want to hang out with him ever again, and said, “Oh, I don’t know, Chad. I’m helpin’ Lendall—he brought me on to work on Marvalyn and Eric’s roof, and—”

“Well, whenever you’re done, just let me know.”

“Well, their roof collapsed, you know? So it’s gonna be a big job.”

“Well, just give me a call when you’re done.”