and so you pick your careful way through what appears to be landmines or what looks like the outlines of ones or their shadows on the ground around you.
meanwhile you wave your super sensitive mine detector slowly in front of, behind and over you : the only magic wand you have while your fear its powers fading.
but the landmine makers have chosen their fuses carefully : an eyeblink, a tone of voice, a soft last footfall, a catchphrase a reminder to you of that other who flicked the fuse.
and you are left alone : to defuse them : one by one because you can never ever be blown up again.
