I did not say anything to anyone, and I left town like you asked. What more can I do for you?"I said, in perfect gutter Russian, "We are not the peopl... you bargained with. They are our enemies, and we want to know everything you know about them. Answer our questions or you will face a very painful alternative." I can't tell you anything or they will kill my wife and me." If you tell us what we want to know, and tell us now, we will protect you. If you don't cooperate, you will feel monstrous. My breath smells like cigarette smoke, I know. I know smoking's bad for me, you don't have to tell me. But you're not kissing an ashtray by any means. I walk along the alabaster floor of the shopping centre, my heeled boots giving me blisters the size of marbles. Ouch! Stop your whinging, you're almost done shopping.It's going to be a small Christmas this year. Times are bad. I just started my job so I don't have much money in my bank, but I think I got pretty decent gifts. I kept wondering. E 11th b and ma 11th a ma tha.Phir vo mere pass chutti k waqt aai aur thank you bolke thodi baatein ki aur hum dono apne raste chale gye.Phir sham hui aur ma badminton khelne roz jata tha aur vo bhi aati thi vahin but humne kabhi baat nahi ki but uss din vo aai aur mujhse baat karne lagi.As vo kabhi mix doubles k match ma nahi jeeth pai thi toh is bar usne muje bola k tum mere partner bano mix doubles ma.Maine haan kardi.Aur uss din pehli bar vo mix doubles jeeth gayi.Vo bhot kush thi as humne. Have fun." Sure you won't join us?" the offering mother said. "We've got plenty of room." Positive," he said. "Thanks."They waved goodbye to the kids as they drove off in the minivan. "They'll forget about us as soon as they turn the corner," she said."Good."Except for a generator coughing its incessant death rattle one street over and several houses down, an oppressive cast-iron stillness weighed upon the area. Theirs was the only occupied home on the block, the others having having been.