Trust me, its paradise. Its where the hungry come to feed. For mine as a generation as it circles the globe, in search of something we haven´t tried before. so never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay your welcome. just keep your mind open, and suck in the experience, and if it hurts... you know what, its probably worth it.

It was the last thing India heard before the sun crept over the mountains and flooded into the bus, it covered the seats, and the faces of the weary passangers. she turned back to the window, and stared out, soon, the world she had missed and longed for for so long would envelop her again, and, with her heart pounding against her ribs, she watched the familiar but long forgoten landscape flash by, so many things had changed, so many things that she had loved and looked out for where gone, yet, it was, unmistakably, home.

she got off at her stop, her backback on her bag, headphones still on her head, blaring Orbital into her ears. she walked up the gentle hill, all around her, streetlights where going out, cars where appearing, early morning walkers passing her.

the cracks in the pavement showed up, as the sun was only just shining all the way down the hill. Once she reached their park, that old beaten up playground, she sat down by the swing base, and ran her finger over his name, carved into the wood, and remembered that day, that day when she felt like she was free and invincible, that she could do anything, just because love was at her side.

India thought about that day. Her superman day, he had called it, she had run down the road, laughing, reckless, happy, unbroken.

That was before the world but things in their place, before everything was smashed, before the nightmares that hid in the darkness surged into the world, and overcame her.

She pulled out her notepad, and opened it at the first page.

she wrote:

One perfect sunrise

As happiness leaks into the souls

around the sweet yellow dawn

all that leaks into this soul is sunlight.

because as the world rages on

caught in its ever lasting torment,

all that continues is the dawn

sick with the melody

of this ever lasting storm.

but as the heat hits land

and nothing can detain us

our storm will carry on

invincible, eternal, unbeatable

all in the moment of one perfect sunrise.

She tilted her head back to admire the orange flames in the sky for just a second, but she made herself look away, knowing that the beauty of that view would remind her of the beauty that she had left behind, alone, but this was something that needed to be done.

She flicked to the last page of the nottepad, and found, as she knew she would, the reason she had come back after all this time, back to a place she had loved beyond belief, back to a world that had beaten her, and hurt her, but taught her to be strong...

One day in heaven

When I saw you leave

saw your eyes empty of light

saw your grip loosen

on what you once held so tight

Saw my heart in your hand,

slip and fall away

saw my soul in the other

I watched it rip and fray

I swore I would keep

that very last kiss

keep it alive

let it no go amiss

On that day that was ours

I come back home

And let you consume me

and stop you being alone

let all those sweet words

that you whispered to me

let me think your still here

not gone, but still free.

Because for one day in heaven

id give away the stars

to feel your arms around me

to say, not mine, but ours.

My heart and my soul

Are now underground

still clasped in your hands

gone, but still sound.

guard them with love

because I promised our May

you, me, and her,

will be together one day.

India took one more look at the sky, and then turned to go.

Tears stream down your face, when you loose something you cant replace, but lights will guide you home, and ignight your soul, and i will try to fix you.

Six hours later, India was walking back down a road on the other side of the country. she took slow steps. Phil Collins now playing into her headphones. she pulled that jacket that he loved so much tighter around her.

She reached the door, and put the key in the lock. there was mail on the mat, but she ignored it, and droped her bag in the hall.

- Mamma! your home!

May ran out of the kitchen, her blue pijamas had jam on and her hair was still sticking up, but she looked seriously at her mother.

-Did you see Papa?

India knelt down and pulled her close.

-Yes, I did

The infant opened her eyes very wide;

-What did he say Mamma?

India shut her eyes, and said

- He told me to tell you that he loves you very much, and that he misses you with all his heart. He told me to tell you that you should not worry about him, because hes not lonely, he's got grandpa. But he wants you to be a stong girl, and that you should not cry when you think of him, because one day, we will all be together again, but you must wait.

May looked at her mother, and she returned the strong, sincere, loving gaze. sitting in that hall, the letters still on the mat, the rain now shimmering on the window in the door, the two of them smiled.

Because no amount of distance can brake love, so, even if it seems imposible to carry on, dont ever give in.

Lara May