Once the community center hall had indeed been secured for an hour each morning for the foreseeable future, Eric managed to return home and back to his bed where he also managed to get at least a full hour of sleep. Whom or what disturbed him from his slumber on this occasion was just exactly what it had been for the whole past week or so, none other than Audrey.

'Come on Eric, get up, let's get outta here, Eric ... Eric.'

'What? What is it now?'

'Time is limited; let's make the most of it.'

'No, go away; you make the most of it.'

Still lying within his bed and still with his eyes closed, Eric turns onto his side and away from Audrey. Audrey is not going to leave or give up so easily. How he would change that if he could go back to that moment long after it happened for indeed ... time was limited, use it to the fullest is the way to go no matter how strong tiredness so happens to be.

'C'mon now, you know our time together is limited, no time to waste. You can sleep all you like after I'm gone.'

'Gone where?'

'You know ... you only have me for ten days and this is day number eight so let's get going.'

'Alright, alright, I'm up ...' Eric sits up and to one side of his bed then begins to rub the tiredness out of his eyes. '... Right then so, tell me where are we heading off to now?'

'For a run down along the beach of course.'

'Of course.'

Sure, what else could he be doing in a moment like this?

Eric scratches his head once more then shakes it for a moment. This is a kind of moment that he definitely has been in a way getting used to. In many ways, he is looking forward to it all coming to an end but knowing that this end is not all that far away has him facing a dread for the first time. Surely it won't all completely end, will it?

The run begins down one end of the beach. Eric is tired though and he feels it. His arms are tired, his legs are tired, his whole being is tired. However, once he gets into a stride and with the cool air hitting him full on in the face he begins to feel energized, he begins to really feel good, whether that is down to the run itself or maybe something else like possibly somehow he may be feeding off of Audrey's seemingly unending energy is another thing.

There is a certain feeling being enhanced here, as to if that is intentional or not may be up for debate. That enhanced feeling accompanies those other feelings that Eric feels while also being somehow separated at the same time. He feels free, free in a way he never has felt before and Eric loves how this free feels.

This moment of feeling free, happy, and alive is soon brought to a horrifying end when both Eric and Audrey spy something off up in the distance. It is a moment where a serious attack takes place.

A young lady is being dragged by a young man while his friends look on.

'C'mon man, enough is enough, don't ya think you should leave her be' speaks one of the two friends.

'I'll say when enough is enough; this little bitch needs to be taught a lesson' is said with the young lady still in tow.

'This is definitely not cool' speaks the other friend; 'Daisy is free to see whoever she wants.'

It is at this point that another lady, an older lady, comes running up to the group.

'Back off lady, this has nothing to do with you.'

'That's my daughter you ... you ... you jerk. Leave her be.'

'What did you just call me?'

A penknife is revealed and though it is clearly seen it does nothing to deter the mother from wanting to get to her daughter. She lunges forward and in reaction more than anything else, the knife is thrust into her sternum. She gasps, her eyes open wide, and she looks downwards to the knife. It is released and the three young men stare for a moment before vacating the beach as quickly as they can.

'Mom!'

Mom drops to her knees then onto her back. Eric and Audrey see everything but have been too far away to have done anything to prevent the current outcome. Of course, they run over to mother and daughter as quickly as possible and kneel at the mother's side. Eric immediately has a question though he already knows the answer, so he doesn't ask out loud. Can Audrey do anything is that question. Unfortunately not is the answer.

Eric and Audrey soon find themselves back at the local hospital, this time round there would be no looking for Johnny Nitro, things are way too serious for that. Mom was taken straight to surgery while Eric and Audrey sat with Lisa as she said she is called by her friends.

'My actual name is Ivie, I was called Lisa once by accident and the name kinda stuck. There is only the two of us. Mom brought us here from Nigeria ten years ago so we could live a good life, a better life to what we were leaving behind. I was eight years old back then. She said we were going in search of Peponi. Peponi means Paradise, this right now is not paradise.'

When the doctor returns, he sits, he brings bad news. Lisa bursts into tears. She soon gets to be at her mother's side. Holding her mum's hand and letting those tears flow she speaks.

'Sleep well in Peponi mama; I will see you there one day.'