5:48 AM.My heart thudded in my chest. My mind wandered back to what happened between Monica and myself the night before.--“Are your eyes closed, bab...?” she called out to me.“Yes, they are. This had better be worth it, you know I hate surprises.”“Don’t worry, you’ll love this one!”“Says everyone, ever,” I muttered to myself.I heard shuffling steps come into the kitchen, and a thump on the countertop.“Open!”I opened my eyes and started laughing. There was a wooden gun case sitting on the table. Only then can we make progress. Now, do you have any questions? No, not really. -I will ask you questions when I need more information about something, but please feel free to give me details about things on your own so that I wouldnt have to constantly interrupt you. Ok ? I nodded and then he asked to start with the day that the trauma occurred and to include details about how the events made me feel and how they had impact on me. That seemed normal, and so I slowly started&hellip,.. I told. " I know," she picked up for me. "'But.'" 'But' is right," I burst out. "All I've been doing for the past week is marking time and hiding out. How long can I keep doing that? I'll have to keep moving, try to stay a step ahead of everybody, and how long can that go on? And what happens when I run out of money and the credit cards get canceled, what then? Become a homeless bum on the streets? I can't work, not in my field, not even schlepping burgers at some fast-food joint, they want ID for that. I sighed again, briefly entertaining the thought of calling her back, but I knew it would be pointless. I threw a shirt and some pants on, and had just headed out to the lounge room to wait when there was a quiet, deceptively polite knock on the door. Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I swore again before throwing the door open.Jo wasn't all that unsteady on her feet, and although she'd been a little liberal in her application of eyeliner, there was nothing about her bearing that made me think.