"Kirjava?" Lyra flushed in anticipation. It was as if time had stopped. In fact, time HAD stopped. Mr. Yomani was halfway out of the donut shop, chocolate old-fashioned stuck between his teeth. Leaves were suspended halfway between the branch and sidewalk. Cars were still, their drivers paralyzed. The little cat walked up to Lyra. She leaped onto the bench, and, ignoring Lyra herself, spoke directly to her daemon. "I've come to warn you..." the image of Kirjava flickered, as if fading. "Scientists in another world have learned about dust and..." the cat was hardly visible... "they are going to destroy the barriers. Will is fixing the knife..." the cat all of a sudden turned it's head at something invisible to Pantalaimon and Lyra. It disappeared.
Time started again. Mr Yomani eased the speechless Lyra into the empty schoolbus and started the motor. "That was a delicious donut."
"Oh, Pan, what can we do?"