" She turned to go back upthe stairs."Lisa wait! It just needs a little more time!" I'm done giving you more time! That thing has sucked every last...centout of our bank account, and it has sucked every bit of life out of me!You stay down here day and night for what? To try to become a woman? Ifyou wanted to be one, you should have said that to begin with so wecould've paid for the surgery. Now we can't even do that!"I ran to put myself between her and the door. I beat her there and. . you..." And, like a summer squall overpowering a hot and humid day, her face collapsed into a series of sobs she could not stop. She stood there, hands to her cheeks, looking forlornly at me, and cried.As hard as I tried to be, I could not be that cold-hearted. I took her hand and led her into the living room, and sat down beside her on the couch facing the cold fireplace. I waited until the squall passed, holding her hand passively, until she took it away to rummage in her coat pocket for a. " What-?" Nimrod starts to ask, I shush him."I need to tell this my way," I stop for moment, I haven't thought about the past. I had been hiding behind the now. Nimrod can see through all that.I take deep breath and continue. "I was blown up. Well not into little pieces or I would not be here. I was at the center of one of the bombs that you folks call the big blast." That- is not possible," Nimrod breaks in again."Please, Nim there is more to this than you can possible understand," I chide. Not so loud."He keeps his hand over my mouth for longer than necessary. I almost have to brush him off. Our kidnapper unlocks the door, and Danny drops down and shuts his eyes, pretending to do be asleep. I do the same. Our kidnapper comes in, and I hear his footsteps. The next thing I know, I am grabbed, dragged off the bed, and literally thrown on the ground."Ow!" I cry out in pain.I open my eyes, and find the kidnapper there standing over me, looking meaner than usual."Hey Danny, why don't.