It had been years. Maybe not years. A long time. Maurice had been gone. No word, no letters. Nothing. We didn't know if he was alive or dead. Brian loved me.

not like Maurice

But we were happy. content. we made do.


We worked, we slept, we kissed.


A peace came over our lives. a stillness, a slow death

And then one night our door burst open and he strode back into our lives

he collapsed in the doorway.

Maurice. Grizzled, looking older, more wild. Magnificent.

Brian held me, tightly by the shoulders.

"What are you doing here?"

"Shut the door hurry! Don't ask questions I'll explain everything just do it!"

I shut the door. Maurice pulled himself up and staggered into our tiny kitchen,grabbing me for support. Brian watched.

"Babydoll, you haven't changed a bit." he smiled, weakly looking into me. Parts long dormant were waking. Warming.

"He treat you good?"

"Y-yes. Brian has"

"Great, great." Maurice sagged into the chair. Only then did I realize he was bleeding.

Brian finally opened his mouth. "How did you find us, why are you here."

Maurice grinned as he began removing his clothing, exposing the huge cut. "Have I got a story for you, big guy." he laughed, a laugh that I had never heard from him before. A weak, hysterical laugh.

Maurice began to tell us everything. How he had been running from debtors, lying low. Taking work where he could. Doing "jobs".

Everything changed. The debtors were slowly fading away. New people chasing him.

Maurice corrected me. "No, babe. Not new people a new thing."


"What?"

"Whatever was chasing me...it wasn't human. Tall, like....here, I've got it somewhere..."

Maurice began going through his coat, looking for something intensely.

He fished out a picture.

You know the stroy from here, I'm sure. The first appearance, the slow dread. Maurice stayed with us. Brian endured. I endured. Maurice and Brian became friends again. We all began looking for a way out. Maurice wouldn't leave, and we had been dragged in as well. We would find a way out.