cheers rise up and drown out most of the other sounds in the room . `` are you sure he 's ... '' `` sweetheart , look at him . '' i thought i 'd break it to her gently . i broke the silence , trying to put my focus on work . he had killed from much further during the war . `` we do n't know what he might have run into . the blank stare the woman wore on her face had goose flesh rising on her arms . you 're like an old soul . '' 