it was as if he wished to blend into the earth ... to disappear into its very bowels . he walked inside , to the booth . two six-foot thin brown shadows backed out of the cloud and then dashed back into it . from somewhere in the center of the room , a thin voice shouted : `` we 're not going out there ! '' anna quickly finished putting the flowers in the vase , and they left the apartment . it felt like someone was watching his every move . 