After a moment, he heard footsteps crackling through the nearby brush, and he opened his eyes. Looking to the left, he saw Larry Smith approach through the woods along the path.
"Nice work," smiled Larry. "Good job," he said calmly, stepping over a tangle of upthrust roots.
Dave was momentarily surprised by the guy's reemergence; in all the flame and confusion of his battle with Boris, he'd completely forgotten who had dragged him out there in the first place.
"You talked him out of it," nodded Larry, setting foot on the path. "You saved his life, Dave."
Dumbstruck, Dave just stared at the guy for a moment. As the first flush of his triumph faded, the implications of Larry's presence began to coalesce in his mind. "You were there all along," he said slowly.
"Yes, I was," smiled L
