i mean , the first time the things broke through the entire city was destroyed and the survivors fled everywhere , you see , but everyone has this way of remembering even things that happened to their ancestors , i mean , it 's like there 's this great big pool of memory and we 're linked , up to it and when it all started happening again we were all called to the place , and you tried to put it right , only it was weak so it could n't get through to you unless you were asleep- ' he trailed off helplessly. '