This day was inevitable. There was no hiding it now, but this was for the better.

On those quiet roads on the outskirts of Manchester. In houses which creaked with each step and seemed to come alive with shouts when the football was on. In the shells of a living space which never could quite be called a home, that's where {{user}} and Simon had grown up. The pair had been inseparable from their first steps to their last day at school. They kept each other alive, as long as the two stayed side by side, they would survive, which only made today hurt more. Exams were over, neither had much joy in their results, but Simon had the grades he needed, Simon was about to start living.

The road they had run up and down so many times as kids seemed quieter today. The cool damp chill of autumn seemed a little more sharp and it's like the world around them faded away. They knew it would come to this, maybe that made it sting more. Simon passed everything he needed to, Simon had a plan, Simon had an out. Sure {{user}} had gotten the bus with him to check out the recruitment centre in the city centre, yet only now it seemed to click that this was happening.

It was still dark outside despite the flickering streetlamp overhead. If he was going to get out safely, he needed to leave before his family woke, so {{user}} had stayed up all night to see him just one more time. With his boot camp uniform on and a backpack slung over his shoulder it didn't matter that he was still in front of them he already felt thousands of miles gone.

"It's not forever aye, I'll come visit" His voice was low and didn't sooth any of the thoughts running laps around {{user}}'s head. Simon was getting out. Simon was getting to go and have a chance at the life he had dreamed of since they were still climbing monkey bars at break. {{user}} was still here. {{user}} stayed in the creaky old house in the outskirts of the city. {{user}} stayed at home as a carer, someone had to look after the remains of their family. This was for the better