Boxing 34. BOXING ‘It’s kind of beautiful in the sunset,’ Ryan announced, as he turned slowly with arms held out wide. Christmas Day sun was setting and the thick frost in the valley around the Kremlin had taken on an orange hue. ‘And the air’s so much better now. When the planes were coming in and out, you always had that petrol smell clinging to the back of your throat.’ While Ryan eulogised, Natalka stood a few steps further up the valley, wearing a scowl and a thick purple ski jacket. The end of her cigarette glowed red and smoke wafted from her nostrils as she spoke. ‘I’m freezing. Let’s go back.’ Ryan snorted. ‘We’ve barely walked a kilometre.’ ‘And what’s gonna happen in the next kilometre?’ Natalka asked. ‘Will magic bunnies jump out of the snow and grant me three wishes? I don’t think so. I’ll just get more bored and more bloody cold.’ ‘All right,’ Ryan said. He sounded annoyed, because although he was nuts about Natalka, when you did stuff with her you did what she wanted or nothing at all.
