"Peter! Peter! We need to leave here!" Cosmos shook his sleeping friend's shoulder. Peter jerked to a sitting position, fear in his eyes; then relaxed. "I . . . I was dreaming it all over again . . . Wait. What did you say?" "I said, Peter, we need to leave! I'll tell you later, but we can't be here!"

Again, they ran. Ran from a danger Peter didn't know, but a very real one to his friend. They ran until long after dark, feeling their way as best as they could through the pitch-blackness of the forest. Ten miles later, hidden in a grove of trees, Peter asked his friend, "Why are we hiding? Isn't it safe at the hospital? Why did you have to scare me like that?"

"After you left, Peter, I walked around the house, heading back to the doctor's hut, but when I came around to level with Mr. Kosiki's window, I heard him mention our names. So I hid there and listened. Maybe I shouldn't have, but I'm glad I did. Peter, he's called the police! He wants to turn us both in as illegal immigrants! I searched everywhere for you, but I couldn't find you. I was terrified that the police would get there before I could find you. It took me two hours to find you, and then all I wanted was to run as far away as I could as fast as possible. I'm sorry, but I had to get us away!"

"It's ok." Peter's countenance was hard. All of the earth hated him, apparently. It didn't matter whether he lived or not; his family was gone; he was a failure. There wasn't any reason to live. He appreciated it that Cosmos had cared about his miserable self, but he'd be just as happy dead.

The sun had set long ago. Now Peter sat and pulled a leaf to pieces as he tried not to think. Cosmos lay still, but watched and listened to every sound. He thought about commenting on God's providence in keeping them alive, and letting him listen to Mr. Kosiki's conversation so they could escape. But he decided not to. The night passed quietly, with no interruptions of either beast or man.