'You all ready for this?'

At seven twenty-seven in the morning, Eric is once again awoken by loud playing music, the song which is playing this time round is 2 Unlimited's 'Get Ready for This'. Having seen and actually still watching a group aerobic session on television, Audrey thought that this would be a great way to begin the day. Being groggy and tired, Eric gets up out of bed as quickly as the tired grogginess would let him get up. He heads straight down to the kitchen's adjoining dining room and observes Audrey joining in on that televised aerobic session.

Unlike previous loud music mornings, the neighbours do make a point of coming round to complain but rather than get to complain something else happens and this something else completely mystifies Eric. With ease Audrey convinces two neighbours to join in on the work out. Before long two neighbours joining in on an aerobic session turns into four neighbours joining in on an aerobic session then four neighbours turn into eight and eight into sixteen.

Sixteen of Eric's nearest neighbours have joined Audrey for an exercise session in Eric's dining room, a gathering which concludes happily and somewhat peacefully just before eight in the morning. He has seen it all now, Eric is sure of it, but then again maybe not, there is still plenty of time left for some more surprises to come Eric's way.

Once the house had been cleared of visitors and breakfast had been devoured, Audrey suggests that a walk could be the next order of business. When Eric inquires as to where the walk could be to, Audrey would reply that it would be on a no ask no tell basis and that would be strangely enough of an answer for Eric.

It wouldn't be long before Eric would realize where it is that Audrey is leading him, the town cemetery. Knowing where he is indeed going Eric could not help but be hit by emotion. It may be a long time since he was just seven years old but for him time does not heal all wounds. A knot twists his stomach, a lump grows within his throat, his eyes begin to well and Eric would have to fight to keep back the tears.

'What are you doing? Why have you brought me here?' asks Eric standing at the cemetery gates doing his best to gain his composure.

'You have to let go Eric, there is only one way to do this, you have got to face things head on or you may never fully recover. You never done anything wrong, so you need to go in there and regain your sanity.'

'I am standing here talking with a humanoid plant, but my sanity lies in there?' he says trying to lighten the mood, possibly even trying to change how it is he feels. 'You are coming with me, right?'

'Unfortunately, I won't be, this is something you need to do by yourself.'

For a brief moment Eric considers leaving, wanting more to go home rather that to face a dark moment from his past. He does not leave, not yet, not without visiting the grave of his childhood friend Shawn Matthews. Despite the fact that he has not been back to the cemetery since the day his friend was buried, Eric knew, he remembered the spot right where his best friend from so long ago had been laid to rest.

Eric stands in front of and stares at Shawn's tombstone for a moment before taking another moment to look around the graveyard. The gates he entered through also hold his attention briefly, time to say what needs to be said.

'It is not easy my friend, it never has been easy. It should be me down there and not you or at the very least I should be there with you. I should have been with you back then; I should never have let you go alone. It doesn't matter how many times people tell me that it was not my fault or that I am not to blame, you see I am to blame. I shouldn't have let you go; I should never have let you go.'

Emotion would indeed get the better of Eric, tears could not be held back any longer. Once again Eric would look around; this time would be more in an effort to calm his emotion.

'I can make you a promise right now; never again will I let so much time go by without coming to see you. Never again will you be alone, you will never be forgotten, as long as I am around you have a friend, a best friend.'

A few minutes pass, Eric regains himself. He takes a few deep breaths. The air here is oddly refreshing, but maybe it is this moment that is refreshing. Unloading a weigh or burden to at least some extent, fills him with something ... good. It is not long before he reunites with Audrey at the cemetery gates.

'So how do you feel?' asks Audrey.

'Good and bad, a bit guilty too, but I did need to be here, this has been something I should have done a long time ago. So, thank you very much for bringing me here. We may not know each other very long but you have been a good friend to me Audrey. You have shown me the way, a way I badly needed to go.'

And on they go, together.