Anyone know the name of these books?

[FinallyDomesticated]

I'm stumped and I'd appreciate any help. I'm trying to remember the name of two books and the names are simply escaping me - repeatedly.

The first book is possibly by Dean Koontz or some other such creepy novelist. In the book, everyone has a 'soul line' that sort of floats above their head like a balloon string. It tells of two guys who keep up with these lines and speak of how its a person's time to have their line cut and how sometimes deaths are accidental - that lines are cut before their time. I think this book may have come out in the 90s.

The second is actually a short story which is in a book of short story compilations. Its told from a school girl's aspect, she refers to herself only as a number, as in I am Number 14,138. She is telling a story of going to school with all the other numbers, all dressed in the same drab gray garb. One day she has had enough of being just a number so she takes a gun to school and climbs a clocktower and just begins shooting everyone. In the end, she refers to herself again - this time not by a number, but by her name. The book was most likely published in the 70s or 80s.

Again, I'd really appreciate if someone could help me remember the names of these.

[Drezzt]

I read the first book, it's almost surely in my library or in a box in the garage. I'll take a look-see tonight :)

The second one I've not had the pleasure of reading.

Edited to add..
<begin hijack>
I've been looking for a book too that I read in 3rd grade...It's main char. was named Gina and she could mentally "turn a corner" and enter a different dimension. While she could do this at will, scientists were using some device to transport people and objects through the same "dimension" but ended up tearing up space-time itself in the process.
If anyone knows what the title is, gimme a heads up! :) :)
</end hijack>

[Edited on 10-10-2005 by Drezzt]

[Ylena]

The first book sounds a great deal like parts of Insomnia by Stephen King.

[Drezzt]

Insomnia, by Stephen King :)

BAH, Ylena beat me to it.

[Edited on 10-10-2005 by Drezzt]