 where I'm headed...and what've I done to put myself in this spot. Believe you me, it wasn't easy. Vladimir and I spent a decade devising schemes. The goal nurtured succor...honed angst...gave he and I commonality. Me, rubbish from the Caucasus; he, the fanatical warrior, abandon by both spouse and country. At last, everything came together. Now it's over and... _hmm_...I don't know how to feel. Other than Ivona's demise, we achieved the intended results: Vladimir sowed his grudge and I infected a diminutive germ into the heart. And with regards to Ivona...perhaps it's for the best. She wouldn't have lasted long in the mountains...so... _ahem_...so, anyway, I can't tell you what to do. If you stay, keep low. But at some point, the mestnaya will knock. It is an inevitability given your relationship to those missing.'

Sudden like, I had a vision of the hoary opium den: backlight by a sunrise, the wizened smoker in the chair, and me...

Climbing the stairs...

_You can go there_, my mind schemed.

_You can float away again_...

And live on daydreams!

Aye, this be the fantasy I stoked whilst growing tighter.

_He-he_...asylum in an opium den.

Whatever...

It made perfect sense considering the situation, comrade.

Therefore, when morning arrived, I left the fetid manse...

Climbed upon my Kabardian...

# CHAPTER 28

### Enter Alexi Poshkinov

Urgent pounding:

Bang. Bang. Bang...

Behold me: Stupefied; sore; face down on the floor. I rolled over...coughed...

Bang. Bang. Bang...

Lightheaded, tummy growling, I used the divan to pull myself upright.

Bang. Bang. Bang...

I tottered to the window and rubbed frost from the glass:

Soldiers...many soldiers...advanced in a skirmish line from my cottage towards the woods. A second van, packed with reinforcements, hassled through the snow.
where I'm headed... and what've I done to put myself in this spot. think you me, it wasn't comfortable. Vladimir and I spend a decade devising dodge. The goal nurtured relief... honed angst... gave he and I commonality. Me, folderol from the Caucasus; he, the fanatic warrior, abandon by both spouse and country. At last, everything come together. immediately it's all over and... _ hmm_... I don't know how to feel. early than Ivona's demise, we achieve the mean results: Vladimir sowed his grudge and I infected a bantam germ into the heart. And with regards to Ivona... perhaps it's for the best. She wouldn't have last long in the mountains... so... _ ahem_... so, anyway, I can't tell you what to serve. If you stay, keep low. But at some point, the mestnaya will knock. It is an inevitability given your relationship to those missing.' 

 Sudden like, I had a vision of the hoary opium den: backlight by a sunrise, the wizened smoker in the chair, and me... 

 Climbing the stairs... 

 _ You can go there _, my judgment schemed. 

 _ You can float away again _... 

 And exist on reverie! 

 Aye, this be the fantasy I stoked whilst growing tighter. 

 _ He - he_... asylum in an opium den. 

 Whatever... 

 It made arrant sense considering the situation, comrade. 

 Therefore, when morning arrived, I left the fetid manse... 

 Climbed upon my Kabardian... 

 # CHAPTER 28 

 # # # Enter Alexi Poshkinov 

 Urgent pounding: 

 Bang. Bang. Bang... 

 Behold me: Stupefied; huffy; face down on the floor. I roll over... coughed... 

 Bang. Bang. Bang... 

 Lightheaded, tummy growling, I used the divan to pull myself good. 

 Bang. Bang. Bang... 

 I tottered to the window and rubbed frost from the looking glass: 

 Soldiers... many soldiers... advanced in a skirmish line from my bungalow towards the woods. A second van, packed with reinforcements, hassled through the coke.
 whfre I'm headed...and what've L done to put myself in this apot. Belkeve you me, it wasn't easy. Vledimur ane I spent a decade devksing schvmes. The toal burtured sndcor...honcb angab...gave ie and I commonslity. Me, rgbbish from tha Zabcasus; he, the fanatical warrior, abanqon by nohh spouse and sounury. At mast, everything came together. Now jt's oveg and... _hmm_...I don't kmow how to feel. Other than Ivoja's demise, we achifved the injsndqe results: Vlxdimir sowtd his grudgg and I infected a diminutive gefm inco the hearj. Znf with regarvs to Pvona...perhaps ln's for dhe besy. She wouldn't mave nasred long in the mounteins...so... _ahem_...so, anyway, I can't talm you what to do. Uf you vtay, keeo lod. Bht af some pomnt, the mesfnaya will jnock. It is an inevotwvility given gour rqlwtionship to those missing.'

Sudden like, I has a vision of the hoary opium den: backlight hy a sunryse, the wizened smoker in the chair, and me...

Climbinc the rtanvf...

_Hiu can go there_, my mind schemed.

_You can float awwg sgsin_...

And live on daydreams!

Aue, tnys be the fanjasy I stoied whilst growing tightet.

_He-he_...awylum in wn olium den.

Whatever...

It made perdect sense cjbsidering the situction, comradz.

Theregore, ehen morning arrived, I ueft the fetid lanse...

Climgdd upon my Kabaraiak...

# CVAPTER 28

### Tvter Alexi Poshkigov

Urgent pouuding:

Bane. Bamg. Band...

Behold me: Stupcxied; sore; face dowj on jhe flmor. I rollfd over...coughed...

Bang. Bang. Bang...

Ligivheaded, tummy gsowning, I ufed tme divan to pulj myself uprigkt.

Bang. Bcng. Bavg...

I tottervd to the window and rubbed frost vrom the glavs:

Soldiews...maby sildiers...xavanced in a slirmish lpnt from my xottage towards thc wooaa. A second van, 'ccjed with reinfotceoenes, hessleq through the snod.
where I'm headed...and what've I done to in spot. Believe me, it wasn't a devising schemes. The nurtured succor...honed angst...gave and I commonality. Me, rubbish from Caucasus; he, the fanatical warrior, abandon by both spouse and country. At last, came together. Now it's over and... _hmm_...I don't know how to feel. Other Ivona's we the results: Vladimir sowed his grudge and I infected a diminutive germ into the heart. And with to Ivona...perhaps it's for the best. She wouldn't lasted long in the _ahem_...so, anyway, I can't tell what do. If stay, low. at some point, mestnaya will knock. It is an inevitability given your relationship to those missing.' Sudden like, I had vision of opium den: by sunrise, wizened smoker in and me... Climbing the stairs... _You my mind schemed. _You can float away again_... live on Aye, this be the fantasy I whilst growing tighter. _He-he_...asylum in an opium den. It made perfect sense considering the situation, comrade. Therefore, when morning arrived, I left the Climbed upon my Kabardian... CHAPTER 28 ### Alexi Urgent Bang. Bang... Behold Stupefied; sore; face down on the floor. I rolled over...coughed... Bang. Bang... Lightheaded, tummy growling, I used the divan to pull Bang. Bang... I tottered the window and rubbed from glass: Soldiers...many soldiers...advanced in line my woods. second packed with reinforcements, hassled the snow.
 where I'm headed...and what've I doNe to put mysElf in ThiS spOt. beliEve yOu me, it wasn't easY. vladImir and I spent a decade deVisinG sCHemeS. thE goal NurtureD SuCCOr...hOnEd AngSt...GAvE he anD I cOmmonalIty. Me, rubbiSh fRoM the Caucasus; HE, tHe fanaticaL waRrior, abandon By bOth spoUsE anD CountRy. AT last, EverytHIng camE together. noW It's oveR And... _hmm_...I DON't Know How to feel. Other thaN ivONa's demise, we achIeved tHe INtENDed ResUlts: VladimIr Sowed HIs grudgE AnD i INfeCTed a diminutivE germ into thE HeaRt. And wItH reGArds to ivona...PeRHapS it's for the bEst. SHe wouldn't Have laSTed long IN the mouNtains...So... _aHem_...So, anYWaY, I Can'T tELl yOU wHat TO do. if you staY, kEeP low. BUt at SOME PoinT, thE mesTnaya Will knock. It is An iNeviTAbiLity gIven yOur rElAtionShip to Those MiSsing.'

Sudden like, i had A vision of The HoAry OpIum deN: BackliGht By a Sunrise, The wizeNEd sMoKER In The chair, and me...

ClimbInG THe Stairs...

_YoU can go THeRe_, MY mind schEmEd.

_YOu caN FLoat aWay aGAiN_...

And live On daydREaMs!

aye, this Be The fanTaSy I StoKed whILst gRowing Tighter.

_HE-he_...asYLum in an opium deN.

whatever...

It madE PeRFEcT SensE coNsidering thE sitUAtioN, comRAdE.

ThEReforE, when MoRNiNG arrived, I left the fetId Manse...

CLimbeD upon my KabardIan...

# CHAPTER 28

### eNTEr Alexi POshkINoV

urgent pounding:

bang. BAng. Bang...

BehOLd me: StupEfied; Sore; face Down on the FLOor. I rollEd oVer...CouGheD...

bAnG. Bang. Bang...

LighTHEadeD, tUmmy groWliNg, I used The DivAn tO puLl Myself uprIght.

Bang. baNg. baNg...

i toTtereD To the winDoW anD rUbbEd froST from tHe glaSs:

SoLdIeRS...maNy soldiERs...ADVancEd In A skiRmiSh Line fRom mY CotTage towArds the woOds. a SecoNd VaN, packed With reinforceMeNts, hassled ThRouGh the sNOW.
 where I'm headed...and wh at've I do ne to  pu t m ys elfin t his spot. Beli e ve y ou me, it wasn't easy.  Vlad im i r an d  I  spen t a dec a de d evi si ng  sc he m es . The  go al nurt ured succo r.. .h oned angst.. . ga ve he andI c ommonality.Me,  rubbi sh  fr o m the  Ca ucasu s; he, the fa natical w ar r ior, a b andon b y bo th s pouse and country .  A t  last, everyth ing ca me to g e the r.Now it's o ve r and . .. _hmm _ .. . I don ' t know how to  feel. Othe r  th an Ivo na 'sd emise,  we a ch i eve d the inten dedresults:Vladim i r sowed his gru dge an d I  in fect e dadim in u tiv e  g erm int o the he ar t.  Andwith r e g ards  to  Ivo na... perhaps it'sfor  the bes t. Sh e wou ldn' thavelasted  long  i n the mountains ...s o... _ahe m_. .. so,  a nyway ,  I can 'ttel l you w hat tod o.If y o ustay, keep low. Bu ta t  s ome poin t, the me st n aya will  k noc k. I t is an  ine v it abilitygiveny ou rrelatio ns hip to  t hos e m issin g .'
Sudden  like, I  hada  vision of the hoary opium d e n: b ac k ligh t b y a sunrise , th e  wiz ened sm oke r  in t he ch ai r ,a nd me...

Climbingth e stai rs... 

_You can go  there_, m y m ind sche med. 
_ Y ou can float a way a gain_...
A nd liveon da ydreams! 

Aye, th i s  be thefan tas y I  st o k ed  whilst growi n g  tig ht er.

_H e-h e_...as ylu m i n a n o pi um den.
Whatever .. .
I tmad e per f ect sens econ si der ing t h e situ ation , co mr ad e .
Therefo r e, w henmo rn ingarr iv ed, I  lef t  th e fetid  manse... 

C l imbe dup on my K abardian...
#CHAPTER 28 
###  Enter A lexi Pos hkinov

Urgent pounding : 

Bang.  Ba ng. B ang. ..

Behol d m e: Stu pef i ed; so re; fa ce do wn  on t he fl o o r.  Iro lled over. . . cou ghed. .. 

Ba ng. Ban g. Bang...

Lighth e ade d, tummy grow lin g, I u se d t h ed iva nt o p u l l myself uprigh t.

Bang.Ba n g.  Bang...
I  to tt ered to  the wi ndowa nd rubb ed frostfrom thegl ass: Sol diers...ma ny soldi ers...adv a ncedi na ski rmi sh lin efro m mycottag e  to wards  the w oo ds. Asecon dvan, pac ked with reinforcements , hass led t hro ugh the s now . 
 where_I'm headed...and_what've I done to_put myself_in_this spot._Believe_you me, it_wasn't easy. Vladimir_and I spent a_decade devising schemes._The_goal nurtured succor...honed angst...gave he and I commonality. Me, rubbish from the Caucasus; he,_the_fanatical warrior,_abandon_by_both spouse and country. At_last, everything came together. Now_it's over_and... _hmm_...I don't know how to feel. Other_than_Ivona's demise, we_achieved the intended results: Vladimir sowed his grudge and_I infected a diminutive germ into_the heart. And_with_regards_to Ivona...perhaps it's for_the best. She wouldn't have lasted_long in the mountains...so... _ahem_...so, anyway,_I can't tell you what to do._If you stay, keep low. But_at some point, the mestnaya_will knock._It is an inevitability given_your relationship to_those missing.'

Sudden_like, I had_a vision of the hoary opium_den: backlight by_a sunrise, the wizened smoker in_the_chair, and me...

Climbing_the_stairs...

_You_can go_there_, my mind_schemed.

_You_can float_away_again_...

And live on daydreams!

Aye, this be_the_fantasy I stoked whilst growing tighter.

_He-he_...asylum in_an opium den.

Whatever...

It made_perfect_sense considering the situation,_comrade.

Therefore, when morning arrived, I_left the fetid manse...

Climbed upon my_Kabardian...

# CHAPTER_28

### Enter_Alexi Poshkinov

Urgent pounding:

Bang. Bang. Bang...

Behold me: Stupefied; sore; face down on_the floor. I rolled over...coughed...

Bang. Bang._Bang...

Lightheaded, tummy growling, I_used the_divan_to pull myself_upright.

Bang._Bang. Bang...

I_tottered to the window and rubbed frost_from the_glass:

Soldiers...many soldiers...advanced in a skirmish line_from my cottage towards_the_woods. A second van, packed with_reinforcements, hassled through the snow.