It was midnight before Erin finally put her plan into action. The house had fallen silent a few hours ago and she could hear Leo's gentle breathing from across the hall. She padded down the stairs and slipped out of the front door. Erin didn't look back. That was rule number one; don't look back no matter how much it hurts

The street was so quiet and still. Erin started to pick up her pace as the cold started to set in. She shivered in the cold air, she'd forgotten just how cold nights could be. Erin was starting to wish she'd put another jumper on, all she was wearing was a thin t-shirt and jeans covered by a threadbare hooded jacket. She was starting to wish she hadn't left at all but Erin knew she had passed the point of no return and there was no going back now.


Leo felt his heat sink as soon as he saw the folded piece of paper propped up against the fruit bowl. If Erin not rising early and bright like she usually did, hadn't confirmed his fears then this certainly had. With a heavy sorrow weighing upon his mind he shakily unfolded the paper and squinted at Erin's loopy handwriting

Dear Leo,

By the time you read this I will be long gone. Oh that sounded dreadfully clichéd…I suppose I'm struggling to explain myself properly and have resorted to stereotypes and platitudes. I thought angst was meant to spur on creativity not stop it.

But I'm just deviating from the real crux of the matter. I don't know how I can ever explain how I'm feeling right now and I doubt you'll ever be able to understand it. Leo, as much as it pains me to do this I have to go.

Do you remember the day we first met? You told me then that I was in charge of my situation and only I could decide where to go. I shall always remember that day fondly and you were right. I am in charge of my life and now I have made a decision. I can't stay here any longer. No matter how high you build walls to protect me, something will always come crashing in. My present is haunted by my past. I cannot see a future, only echoes and memories of a past life which I have tried to get away from.

The last safe place has been destroyed. My sanctuary is no more. I have to move on. I don't know if you will ever understand this. Please don't blame yourself; this is my decision and my decision only.

Please don't look for me because I won't let you find me

Love

Erin xxxx

PS. Tell Harry and Nikki that I'm sorry

PPS. I love you even if i never showed it


When Erin opened her eyes she had a sinking feeling it was not going to be a good day. She was soaked from the night's downpour; she was lying in a patch of mud and had a rather sharp stick poking her back. As she stumbled to her feet and crawled out from the undergrowth where she had been hiding, she took stock of her current situation.

She had been on the streets for three days, five hours and thirty-three minutes. At least that was as best as she could calculate, time was rather relative when you only have the sun and moon to judge by. Erin was soaked right down to the skin and her stomach screamed angrily for food. The cold had set into her joints and her injured leg was really starting to ache.

Currently she was sitting in the undergrowth next to a main road. She wasn't quite sure where she was but she wanted to keep out of the way of the public. It was instinctive to her now; the rules and regulations she had learnt the first time she was sleeping rough had come flooding back to her rather quickly. Dusting herself off, but only managing to smear the mud further across her jeans, Erin made her way onwards. She didn't look back. She never looked back. That was rule number one: Don't look back no matter how much it hurts


Harry Cunningham pulled up in the car park early one morning with only one thought on his mind: Erin. She had been missing for nearly two weeks now and despite numerous police campaigns there was no sign of her. The three pathologists weren't surprised; Erin clearly didn't want to be found.

Leo had been hit the hardest. He would just wander about with a horrible lost look in his eyes. He was trying to deal with things the best he could but Harry could see the strain was taking its toll on the young man. Everyone was feeling Erin's departure, even little Alice who didn't quite understand what was going on, was miserable. Nikki said that the young absorbed things more quickly than they were able to put words of meaning to the situation.

Harry got out of the car and trudged towards the lab. Suddenly out of the corner of his eyes he saw a dark lump lying in the corner. The lump wasn't moving but as Harry stared at it for longer he could make out the form of a human. He moved over slowly to the form with an air of caution. He crouched down in front of it but the form didn't move, clearly it hadn't noticed his arrival


Erin had been wondering around without meaning or direction. She wasn't in a good state by anyone's standards. Her hair was lank and lifeless, a look that was reflected in her pale eyes. The weight had dropped off her and she was back to her stick thing frame. Her joints were frozen stiff and her leg ached with a pain Erin hadn't felt in a long time. She felt weak and frail.

Erin had tried to go on but her body didn't have the energy and her mind was soon following. She had no idea where she was and the last thing she remembered was the darkness setting in around her and she quite frankly welcomed it.

Someone was shaking Erin. She tried to open her eyes but it was just too hard. They were calling her name now but they sounded far and distant. They were persistent in their task much to Erin's annoyance. Finally Erin gave in and turned over. She broke rule number one.

Erin looked back.