If you are bored with your books at the moment, how about this, we write our own - you are allowed 5 sentences, max.

 I was just turning into my street when I saw him.  I was relieved in a way.  I felt I'd been followed all day, but just couldn't see anyone.  "Thank God it's you!" I said.  "Are you?" he replied.

His tone surprised - no - alarmed me.

"Of course," I said, forcing a smile.

His laugh did nothing to reassure  me.

"Are you alone?" I enquired after a moment, trying hard not to show my nervousness.

He raised an eyebrow.

"no, I'm with you"

He looked at me in that way he had - as though I was completely mad.  And at that moment, do you know, I think that I was.

He linked his arm to mine.  "Coffee?"

I wanted to resist, but I didn't. In fact I found myself relaxing in his hold.

"OK," I said. The fact that I had an appointment the other side of town in twenty minutes meant nothing to me now. "Let's go."

We made our way down the tiny cobbled street and found a cafe with with vacant seats outside in the sunshine. "Now" he said, settling himself into his chair, "I have a proposition for you "......

"I'm intrigued ",I said, "Do go on ..."

I kept my tone light but I looked down and saw my fist was clenched. I saw too that he had noticed.

"You look like a rabbit in the headlights," he laughed. "For Pete's sake lighten up. I'm not about to propose a murder pact!"

I tried to relax, but that of course was easier said than done....with conscious effort I unclenched my fists and took a sip of coffee. The coffee was hot and burned my mouth, but with his next words all was forgotten...."I want your help to get me out of the country " he whispered...."I need to get to Paris.....fast !"....

"Well, in that case" i said "avoid Heathrow Terminal 5 at all costs as they seem to be having some operational difficulties"

He didnt look terribly amused....

im serious he said crossly

Something made me glance away for a moment and as I half closed my eyes to the glare of the sun I was sure I spotted somebody gazing at us.

They stood at the corner of the street, dressed in a grey suit, which glinted with silver underneath the bright sky.

When I blinked and looked again, there was nothing.

"Shall we" he said to me....

" I think we'd better - "

I stood up hurriedly, and caught the heel of my shoe on the table leg. His hands gripped my arms as I stumbled and he stared into my eyes.

"Why are you so jumpy? I haven't even told you yet what this is about."

"I'm not sure I want to know." I said nervously, chewing on my lip. He sighed.

Chapter two

Jack had been a friend at college.  I had always found him a bit "off the wall", but he was fun, especially at gatherings, when he was often the life and soul.  He could be intense, and he was now.  He wanted to get to Paris, and in a moment of madness I had agreed to help.

But thinking back to that day, I wonder now if I was being manipulated - after all, he'd been a friend, not a lover; and not my closest buddy at that.

The problem wasn't Paris as such, it was how we were going to get there....neither of us had a passport or much money but we did have a certain amount of charm....we could perhaps bluster our way across the channel and I was always very sharp with computers and he was so good at forgery..

"Drink up" I said," we need to get active.."

We got active.

The next few hours were a blur. In the end I thought the passports were good, and the tickets would pass muster, but something was still nagging at me. Why the big hurry? What had Jack done?