The bright light that penetrated the skylights of the hall awoke Helen, who stretched and, turning on herself, fell off the couch. Still dazed, she stood up, wondering why she was sleeping there. Then she stared in dismay at the inside of her house, that looked like it had been crossed by a tornado. Just an instant later she was plagued by a million doubts and memories, thoughts and feelings, so many and all at the same time, that her head immediately began to hurt. She understood that she would never be able to face them because they were really too many. She knew that, if she let that whirlwind of emotions pass by this time, she wouldn't get away with it. She then used all her strength to hide in something like a state of mental apnea. When she was sure she had succeeded in building a f

