Erik came quietly into the living room. He looked at Nadir and told him, "Not tonight. Tomorrow." Nadir nodded as Erik went into the kitchen. Darius came out and went into his room.

Nadir wrote about the day's events in his notebook. Soon Erik emerged and said to Nadir, "The kitchen is clean. I am going for a walk. You can either join me by my side or walk behind me with your little book."

Nadir quickly stood up and walked towards Erik. Together they left the house, neither of them knowing exactly where they were going. They walked down the path to the boulevard and headed north.

Erik was clenching his fists as though frustrated, and Nadir asked, "Is everything ok?" Erik unclenched his fists and began flexing his fingers, replying "I feel this need. This urge for some type of drug. You don't have any cigarettes do you?"

Nadir shook his head. "You are not giving up one addiction for another." He told Erik. The two walked down the boulevard until Erik suddenly darted left, and then raced across the street.

Nadir immediately followed, and when he reached Erik he asked scoldingly, "What in the world was that for?" Erik began to chuckle, and replied, "I just, wanted to see if you'd actually follow. You are like a dog Nadir." Nadir knew that in his strange, unorthodox way, Erik had just complimented him.

The two walked back down the boulevard until Erik asked, "Why did you choose to come to France after your release?" Nadir replied, "I remembered how you used to talk. You told me how beautiful, and pristine it was here. I needed somewhere to go and I chose France."

Erik nodded and looked up at the stars. Nadir watched as Erik asked, "Did you ever think, your life would turn out the way it has?" Nadir answered, "We all have a chosen path. We each are born into a caste, and we have duties to that caste and the people within. Allah chooses our life and our goals, and we must fulfill them in order to be reborn."

Erik folded his arms and said quietly, "Catholism teaches that God has wisdom, and we must follow that wisdom to a better life. It teaches that we are not reborn, that we each have one shot at life and what we do condemns us to heaven or hell."

He looked at Nadir and asked softly, "Do you think I'll go to hell?"

Nadir was startled at Erik's question, and tried to reply as honestly as he could. "I can not say where you will go when you die. My belief is that you will be reborn into a harder, more difficult life so that you may learn what you have not learned in this life. If you belive what you have done is wrong, there is still time to correct it. Do not wallow in remorse for the past. Rectify it in the future."

Erik looked back at the stars and said, "I have learned so much in this life, but it feels as if I have learned nothing." Nadir quietly responded, "Educational knowledge, talented knowledge, is not wisdom. To know how to juggle is far different than to know self-control and restraint."

Erik nodded in agreement and turned to Nadir. "I have learned one thing throughout this ordeal. A friend is a necessary item in life. I could live without morphine, without lavish clothes or fine meals, but I could not live without a friend." Erik held out his hand and Nadir took it.

They shook each other's hands and turned. Together they walked down the boulevard to Nadir's home. In the morning, they would walk together to Erik's home.

THE END

Authors Note: This story will not be continued. It was a story of friendship and the powerful effect of drugs. I'm sorry to those who may have wished to read more. If you or a loved one may have an addiction, remember there are support groups in your community or online.