Message

Mara was finishing her report on the international tungsten trade when Pasi's e-mail arrived. "Just a few lines to let you know I'm still alive" began the message, as always. "I'm in hospital now, they take good care of me but sometimes I feel over-protected. A nurse is reading this over my shoulder as I type. These past weeks have been worse than anything I've been through, I hardly remember anything but my eyes are sore from crying and my body aches all over. I swim through a malstroem of long forgotten memories, and faceless children haunt me in my sleep and keep me from eating. Last night I couldn't stand it any more. I tried to take the easy way out, but luckily I was found and saved. And so I soldier on. I will get better, I know. One day I will get out of here and I will come and visit you, and we will have coffee on a terrace with the sun in our faces. I have to go now. Pray for me if you still can. Pasi"

Mara's secretary walked into the office without knocking. "The boss needs your report right now, he says the director will make all our lives a living hell unless we publish on Wednesday."

Mara finished her spell-check with tears in her eyes. As if redemption was that easy.