The Challenge That is Tony

by Pedro

Underground, Overground

Late November, Year Eleven

I hear Dad arrive home from work. He's a bit earlier than usual. Is that a good omen or a bad one? I leave my room and go downstairs to meet him.

"Nothing special. Just got to a suitable place to break off," Dad says when I ask him why he is early. Of course he has to get in a return thrust. "Have you finished your homework? You don't usually come down until one of us calls you to eat."

"Yep, all done."

"Did Tony help?"

"No. It's Tony's evening for Scouts." I add a bit of snark. "I did it all on my own. Finished early, too. Aren't I clever?"

I don't see why I shouldn't claim some credit when it's due. Except Dad makes another parry.

"Got done quicker without the distraction, eh?" he chuckles. He redeems himself though, at least partly. "You do seem to be finding things a bit easier this year. Don't you?"

He sounds genuinely pleased for me, so I take the implied compliment and metaphorically polish my halo!

Since Dad is earlier than expected, Mum isn't ready with our evening meal yet. Dad and I decide to sit and watch the telly together, while Mum finishes cooking.

We catch a programme about the London Underground. It's one of a series of little snippets looking at different facets of the system. Abandoned stations and tunnels, old trains and other equipment. Anything and everything from architecture to old posters. All presented in an entertaining way, although the enthusiasm gets close to being annoyingly over-hyped on occasion. The important thing is that Dad and I both enjoy the programme, but we agree it is a bit lightweight on the early history of how the system developed.

After our meal, I decide to find out more about the early history of the Underground, except I fall down the rabbit hole that is the internet and learn about something completely different: the Underground Railroad.

I find out that the Underground Railroad existed in the years prior to the American Civil War and was neither physically underground nor a real railroad. Rather, it was a loose organisation helping enslaved people in the southern states of the USA escape to the North. Although the organisation pre-dated the coming of the railroads, railroad terminology was later used as a cover. For example, safe houses were known as 'stations' or 'depots', guides were 'conductors' and the escapees were 'passengers' or 'cargo'.

All interesting stuff we haven't covered in school. Not surprising, as our focus is, obviously, on British history, and there is more than enough of that to fill our basic courses.

"Dad had me watching that programme about the Underground last night," I tell Tony during break at school the next day.

"The one where the presenter thinks he is still the same size he was at sixteen, judging by his jacket and trousers?"

I have to laugh at Tony's comment. It's so true. "That's the one," I reply.

He's obviously seen at least some of the series. I can tell he is expecting my opinion.

"Dad and I both think the series a bit short on the development of the system."

"The first ever underground railway is part of the sub-surface lines. The deep-level tube system was later. Most of those lines were developed by the American, Charles Tyson Yerkes, whose financial dealings were too shady even for Chicago and New York…"

I should have known Tony would know all about it.

"…but you will have already found out all about it, on-line."

Will, not could? I'll take that as a back-handed compliment!

"I did go on-line," I admit, "but I got side-tracked and ended up learning about the Underground Railroad helping escaped slaves instead."

Tony knows something about that, too. We spend the rest of the break talking about the Railroad and some of the people involved, like Harriet Tubman, an escaped slave herself, who helped many others to freedom in the northern states.

Tony and I are in my room, busy doing our homework. It's either harder than usual or there's more of it, but it seems to take forever. Eventually we finish, and I decide to read my emails as the toolbar on my screen shows I have two messages waiting.

When I click on the one at the top of the list it brings up a large photo of two lads walking towards a railway bridge. The accompanying message reads "Oops! I forgot the attachment!"

"I wish I had a pound for every time I've done that," I comment.

"Me, too." Tony adds.

It's only then that I do what I should have done first: check the header and the sender of the message before opening it. Thankfully, though, I recognise the sender. It's Sam, Mrs O'Reilly's niece from Salem, near Boston, Massachusetts and not some spammer. In fact both messages are from Sam. Presumably the other one will have her news and an explanation of the picture.

I am about to open the second message when there's a voice behind us.

"That's not you two!"

It's Dad. We must have been concentrating on our homework and didn't hear him when he arrived home. He must be able see my screen over our shoulders.

"It isn't, but how do you know it isn't?" I ask.

"You're not taller than Tony nor do you mince like the boy on the right!"

I should have known better than to ask! At least I can tell Dad isn't being mean with his comment. Tony still challenges him.

"That's a bit unfair. He's probably having difficulty keeping his balance, walking on the rail. That would also explain while the boys are holding hands."

"Anyway, they are not in the UK," Dad deflects. He comes closer and points at the picture. "See, there are none of the legally required fencing and no hand-rails on the viaduct. Probably not Europe either."

Dad is still studying the picture as we talk. I tell him the photo is from Sam in the USA.

"In that case they would have found it easier walking on the sleepers. You can see in the photo that they are much closer together over there. Safer, too, on a viaduct without handrails. One slip and they'd be over the side."

Any further discussion is ruled out by a shout from Mum, downstairs.

"On the table in one minute, and in the dog in five!"

Dad mumbles a confession that he came into my room to call us for our evening meal.

"I didn't see Spencer when we came in from school," Tony says as we leave my room.

I explain it is one of Mum's catch phrases. We are not hosting Mrs Next Door's dog again. I'm surprised Tony hasn't heard Mum say it before.

Tony goes home after the meal, so it is the next day before we have the chance to look at Sam's message together.

Quite a tale it turns out to be, too.

After an opening round of pleasantries, Sam gets to the meat of her news.

"Do you remember," she writes, "the first day we met in your school canteen? We were talking about the level of acceptance for gays. Someone commented, Tony I think, that things were better than for our parents' generation, but they appeared to be getting worse again. They definitely are here!

"I've already told you about the anti-gay leafleteer and the other guy who died on his way to shoot LGBTQ+ kids at our school.

"Now we've got two guys turn up at Halloween, who've come from the Deep South. You know - the Bible Belt. They say they had to run for their lives, things have gotten so bad down there."

I break off reading. "Bible Belt? That's congruent with the old Confederate States, isn't it?" I ask myself aloud.

"Pretty much," Tony agrees. We go back to reading.

"They are called Kyle and Tyler and they found each other in their freshman year at high school. Living in redneck country where the churches run an effective 'mutawa', they knew they had to be very careful. It helped that they lived on opposite sides of the town, limiting opportunities for them to meet. Except that also meant the level of suspicion was higher if they were seen together."

I have to interrupt Tony's reading again to ask what 'mutawa' means. He explains the term refers to the Saudi religious police!

"Tyler got himself a summer job at a diner in the town. Mostly during the day. Regular staff covered the evening shift when the tips were better. However Tyler would occasionally be asked to work late if someone was off work or the place was expected to be busy.

"The owner was a woman called Esmerelda. She was kind-hearted but forceful enough to stand no nonsense. She knew most of the townsfolk as customers or by reputation and hearsay. She knew Tyler's father as a man who would enforce his will on his family, by physical violence if necessary. She had also once over-heard him declare that all queers should be killed '… and if my son turns out to be a faggot, I'll kill him myself.'

"'You'll be paid a week in arrears,' Esmie told Tyler when they had discussed what he would earn. 'Don't hand over all your wages to your father, even if he expects it.' Esmie advised Tyler. 'Give him just equivalent to minimum wage and add a bit to make it look as if people are mean tippers. Save the rest for yourself and hide it. Take it from me, you never know when you will need cash in an emergency.'

"Kyle also had a summer job. One that often allowed him to call in at the diner, ostensibly for a coffee and a snack, but mainly for the chance to share a few words with Tyler. Esmie soon noticed the looks the boys were sharing. 'Y'all need to be very careful,' she had warned. 'Gays might get more acceptance in Yankee territory or on the West Coast, but being outed round here could be dangerous for y'all.'

"Two weeks before school was due to restart, Esmie confronted Tyler when he arrived for work in the morning. 'Are your parents at home?' she asked. Tyler replied that his mom had already gone to work and his dad had been working away that week but was due home the next day. 'Thank the Lord! I want you to go home, pack a bag, preferably a backpack, and then dig out all your money. Get your birth certificate, social security papers and any other ID you can find quick as you can. If anyone asks about the bag, tell them you need a change of clothes because you have to work late!' Of course, Tyler asked what was going on. 'Stay calm, but you and Kyle have been outed. Last night I overheard Kyle's father talking with the minister from the church on Lee Street about a place that does Conversion Therapy. His dad wanted Kyle shipped off straight away, but the minister persuaded him that that would tip you off and they should wait until they could tell your father.'"

"Those conversion therapies don't work," Tony comments. "And a high proportion of those being reprogrammed commit suicide."

"I bet the minister would claim that as a success." When did I get to be so cynical?

"Scroll down so we can see the next bit." Tony instructs. He reads faster than me, but I've got command of the mouse.

"Tyler told Esmie that his dad would beat him up or worse. 'The Greyhound south to Jackson leaves at ten,' she replied. 'You need to be on it.' Seeing his quizzical look, she reminded him the northbound bus didn't leave until the evening. He couldn't risk waiting that long. She then gave him more instructions: keep his phone off - it would give away his location, pay cash for the bus, where to go when he got to Jackson and who to ask for. Then she handed him an envelope telling him it was his outstanding wages. Finally, she told him to keep calm, wished him good luck '…and if Kyle gets on the same bus, don't acknowledge him before you have left the bus terminal in Jackson!'

"Tyler worried that he might be spotted, hanging around, waiting for the bus, but by the time he had gathered up all his stuff and got to the bus stop, it had already arrived. He only just made it. He climbed aboard, paid the driver his fare and found a seat about two thirds down towards the back. As the bus pulled away from the stop he thought he saw Esmie watching but judged it best not to acknowledge her.

"With Esmie's warning in mind, Tyler was not surprised when Kyle got on the bus at the next town. Thankfully, Kyle sat down in the first empty seat, so Tyler didn't have to pretend not to know him.

"Both boys got worried when a police cruiser pulled over the bus on the interstate. A trooper climbed on, talked to the driver then looked along the bus at the seated passengers. Everyone was relieved when the trooper stepped down and the bus resumed its journey. The driver explained the plate for the state had expired and said he had told the company several times already. So the fine was on them!

"Eventually, the bus arrived at the terminal in Jackson and the two boys could meet. They discovered that they had both been told to go to a house on Jefferson Street, opposite the museum, and to ask for Mrs. Gladys Kravitz, who they should treat as their aunt.

"The name on the bell-push wasn't Kravitz, but they pressed it anyway and asked for Aunt Gladys when the intercom buzzed. There was a pause before the reply 'Oh, Silly me, I forgot I'm Gladys. I've been expecting you. I'll let you in.' The boys breathed a sigh of relief.

"In spite of first impressions, Mrs. Kravitz wasn't a bit dotty. She just didn't use the name Gladys very often, only when expecting visits from her 'nephews' and 'nieces'. She asked how the boys had got to Jackson and they told her they had come on the Greyhound. 'You won't be able to stay here long then, only a couple of days. Anybody looking for you will guess you are in Jackson and it won't take long to find you. Hopefully we'll have time to find you somewhere else to stay. Meanwhile, my husband will find you some work that keeps you out of sight!'

"They met Mr. Kravitz at supper. He said they should call him Abner. He explained he owned a second hand book business and they would be updating his stock listings on computer and helping him pack and dispatch orders.

"After supper, Gladys showed them to what was to be their room until they had to move on. There were two queen beds. They expected to be one in each bed, but Gladys had other ideas. 'You can share if you like. We won't mind and it saves laundry.' So, not only would it be the first time they had slept in the same room, it would be the first in the same bed!

"Not that they had the energy to do anything more than hug each other after the day's adrenaline rush. Before they fell asleep, Kyle did manage to tell Tyler what had happened to him.

"He was cycling home after work when he was flagged down by Mr. Owens, the math teacher from school. 'I've bad news for you,' he told Kyle. "There's been a break-in at the school. As you might expect, the Headmaster wanted to review the footage from the security cameras. Except for some reason the cameras had stopped recording at the end of last term. Perhaps the janitor had turned them off before he went on vacation. So there was no new footage to help to the police. But it still had the recordings from the last day of school, and one of the cameras showed you and Tyler embracing in one of the more secluded areas of the school.'

"According to his secretary, the Headmaster went into a rant about immoral behavior and asked her to summon the minister to discuss what should be done. While they were talking, she had called Mr. Owens to try and warn the boys that they'd been outed. Like Esmie, Mr. Owens gave Kyle instructions to pack a bag and gather up his savings and identity papers. Unlike Tyler, Kyle would have to go home and risk being challenged by his parents. He would have to choose his moment to leave the house without arousing suspicion. They agreed where and when the teacher would meet him in the morning with further instructions.

"Later that evening, Mr. Owens had spoken with Esmie to arrange what should be done to get the boys to safety. Kyle, meanwhile, had used some thorns from one of the roadside bushes to puncture his bicycle tires to make it appear he had had to walk to work the next morning and could be expected to be late getting there."

"Thank heavens for Esmie and Mr Owens," I say as I scroll down to the next page.

"Early in the morning, Mr. Owens met Kyle and drove him to the next town. On the way he told Kyle about getting the bus to Jackson, ignoring Tyler, if he saw him, and told him about the Kravitz' place. He also gave Kyle and envelope that he said contained the school reports for both boys that would be needed when they had to enroll at a new school wherever they ended up. Mr. Owens didn't wait to see Kyle get the bus. He wanted to get back to their home town and establish an alibi before the bus had picked up Tyler.

"Kyle and Tyler had been with the Kravitz for four days when Abner told them at supper they were to go with a courier who would be collecting a load of books in the morning. The move was not a moment too soon. As the van driver was driving through the city to join the road west, Tyler was sure that he saw his father on the sidewalk turning into Jefferson Street.

"The van driver took the boys the short distance to Vicksburg and left them and the books with another bookseller. They thanked him for the ride and helped with the unloading."

"Why do I know the name Vicksburg?" I ask Tony.

"It's a town on the Mississippi that was the scene of a major battle during the American Civil War. Its fall to Union forces gave the North effective control of the river, denying it as a supply route for the Confederates. It was a turning point in the war."

Why don't I remember this stuff?

"The Vicksburg bookseller gave the boys coffee and a snack and let them rest up in a room at the back of the shop. 'Don't get too comfortable, though,' he had said. 'I'm expecting someone to call for you later today.'

"About five o'clock, a man came into the shop. The boys heard him ask the bookseller if he had anything on the history of cargo traffic on the river. 'I've got two just come in. They are in the back. Come through, I'll show them to you.' There was no time for Kyle and Tyler to hide, not that there was anywhere to do that anyway.

"The man was about fifty and was smartly dressed in a pilot shirt and dark blue cargo shorts. It was obviously a work uniform. He checked out the boys. It was then that they realized 'cargo traffic' referred to them. It put them on edge. It didn't sound a good thing.

"' Can either of you cook?' the man asked. Tyler was thankful that Esmie had made him learn some basics. 'Simple stuff I picked up working in a diner,' he replied. The man smiled. 'Good. That will make things easier. You will be cooking for four, six including you two. Try not to poison us!' The quip let the boys relax a bit. The man seemed genuine. 'You need to do some shopping. We have our food but not enough for six. Get yourselves enough for five days, although we usually make the trip in four.'

"Tyler had an idea. 'Can you give me an idea of what you have already, please? We can then buy the same or stuff that is complimentary. It will make meal planning easier.' The man liked Tyler's thinking and quickly scribbled down a list and handed it to him. He also gave him some $10 bills, saying: 'That should cover it. Meet me at the dock at 8 p.m. It should be dark enough then for you to pass as part of my crew. Don't be late or you will miss the boat - literally!' When the man laughed at his own joke, the boys realized he must be the captain of some vessel working on the river.

"Before he left the bookshop, the captain gave them directions to the meeting place on the dock. They would pass a 7-11 on the way and could get their provisions there.

"When they got to the dock, the boys stayed in the evening shadows until they saw the captain arrive with three other men. They hustled over to join the group. The captain explained to the others that the boys were going with them to Memphis. The three men nodded their understanding. 'Trainee deck hands?' queried one. 'If anyone asks! Although this one…' the captain indicated Tyler. '…has agreed to cook for us.' That got murmurs of approval. The three crew men were introduced to the boys as chief engineer and first and second mate.

"The captain then led the group to the dockside, down a walkway and onto a pontoon. A small launch was moored there. The boys were helped on board. The engineer got the motor running then switched on the navigation lights. The captain gave to order to cast off and the first mate drove the boat out into river. On the way, the captain told the boys that they were going out to relieve the crew of a pusher-tug working a flotilla of barges upriver. Neither the tug nor the launch would stop during the change-over. He explained the order the crew members would swap so that neither the tug nor the launch were without crew at any time. He also showed the boys how to hold hands to help someone transfer. Not hand to hand, but hand to wrist. That way there were two points of contact and if one person's grip failed the other's would still hold.

"The boys were relieved when the crew change was successfully completed. Neither ever having been on a boat before, they had found it really scary, especially as it was in the dark.

"While the chief and the captain checked over their charge and read the logs left by the previous crew, the second mate helped the boys stack away the food that they had bought in the galley. He then explained all the equipment and in which drawers and cupboards all the utensils, crockery and flatware were kept. 'Make sure you put everything back where you found it. And keep it neat. There's not enough room to be untidy. That applies throughout the ship. There's nothing we crew hate more than not being able to find stuff in a hurry when it's been put away in the wrong place.'

"After the lecture in the galley, the mate showed them round the rest of the tug ending at the block of six cabins. 'This one can be yours,' he said opening one of the doors. The space was small but neat and tidy. 'I assume you want to share.' Both boys blushed, causing the man to smile. 'Relax. I'll tell you now because you'd find out soon enough. I bunk with the chief and the first mate bunks with the captain. Welcome aboard!' The mate left them to sort themselves out. His parting words were to ask them to make some coffee when they were done.

"Thankfully, there were no dramas on the voyage up river to Memphis. The new experience was excitement enough. Sometimes the crew would talk to the boys about the river and its hazards or the landscape they were passing through. But mostly they were kept busy either cooking or doing various jobs to help keep the tug running smoothly as it shepherded its barges upstream.

"There were times the boys would get their phones out to have taken photos of things they saw on the trip, but put them away again when they remembered why they were switched off. The chief had seen them do this a few times and asked why. 'That's easily solved,' he said when it was explained to him. "Take the sim out before you switch the phone on!' The boys were skeptical but Kyle tried it and it worked. He still turned the phone off to save the battery.

"As they approached Memphis, the boys thanked the captain and crew for the trip. They in turn thanked the boys for their help. 'You've made things easier for us. These boats were designed for a crew of six, but corporate expects us to manage with only four. It's hard work.'

"The flotilla actually docked in the port, saving Tyler and Kyle from another scary on-the-fly crew transfer. The captain directed the boys to a haulage contractor's depot in the port area. 'You're looking for your uncle, Larry Tate. He's the dispatcher. He should be able to fix you up with your next ride. His office is just inside the gate.'

"When they got to the depot they slipped past the security guard while he was dealing with an inbound truck and nipped into the office and were about to ask for the uncle they didn't know they had when they realized there was only one person in the room and he was on the phone. They stood at the counter and waited.

"'Hi, I'm Larry', said the man once he had finished his call. He came over to the counter and held out his hand. 'You must be my cousin's kids.' 'Kyle' and 'Tyler' they each answered as he shook their hands in turn.

"'I've got you a ride with a driver I trust, but he won't load until tomorrow morning. He's only going as far as Lexington, Kentucky, I'm afraid, but he's said he will help you find your next trip.' They went home with Larry for the night.

"The three of them were having breakfast the next morning when Larry's cell rang. Larry looked at the number. 'It's Alan, your ride. Best see what he wants.' Larry connected and put the call on speaker. 'Larry, you old bastard. I'm doing you a favor and you stitch me up with a pick-up with no loaders and no fork lift. It'll take me all day to load!'

"' Can't you use your Moffat?' Larry asked.

"'No, I can't get it on the dock. Any chance the two boys you want to ride with me can help? At least this place has got a couple of pallet trucks they can use.'

"Larry looked across at the boys. They could hardly refuse to help so nodded their agreement. 'Ok, they'll help. I'll drop 'em off on my way to the office. We'll leave now.'

"Larry introduced the boys to Alan when he dropped them at the consignor's yard. Alan showed them how to work the hand trucks, indicated what was to be loaded and explained how he wanted it stacked and secured in his trailer. He watched them do the first couple of moves, pointed out some potential problems they might run into, and then told them he was going to his cab for a nap. 'I was late getting tipped last night,' he said, 'and didn't sleep as long as I should. You don't want me falling asleep at the wheel!'

"When they had finished loading, Tyler got down from the loading dock and went round to the tractor to wake Alan. Climbing into the cab was harder than he expected, especially after the work of loading. No wonder Alan didn't want to do it all himself.

"Alan inspected his load and was satisfied with the job the boys had done. He checked that there was nothing left behind on the dock, then climbed back into the tractor to pull the rig off the dock far enough to be able to close the rear doors of the trailer. He also re-mounted his little Moffat fork lift that rode kangaroo style below the rear of the trailer. Although he found it useful, it was a pain that it had to be dismounted to open the rear doors.

"Alan collected the dispatch paperwork from the office, and they finally left the yard mid-morning. It was earlier than he had expected when he first saw the load, and he had also got in a couple of hours shut-eye as well.

"The journey to Lexington was uneventful. Alan carefully kept his speed a couple of mph below the limit, avoiding the fate of a tanker rig that had gone flying past them only to be pulled over by state troopers a few miles along the road.

"The boys had to help Alan unload when they got to the delivery point. Of course Alan rang Larry to complain. He also called a contact who ran local deliveries to the eastern end of the state. If they could cross the border, West Virginia would be marginally safer for gays than Kentucky and definitely safer than where they had come from. The boys were in luck. Alan's contact had a delivery to make to a place near the border the next day. They might not have been so keen if they had known exactly where!

"Alan arranged to meet his contact at a truck stop on the edge of town early the next day. Alan drove round there straight away. They could park there for the night. Alan had a bunk in the back of his cab. The boys would have to sleep in the seats.

"In the morning Alan and the boys had time to grab a quick breakfast before the other driver arrived. By the way he and Alan embraced in greeting, Kyle and Tyler understood there was some romantic history between the two. Alan introduced his former lover as Carl then took his leave. He had to move on and pick up his next load.

"Carl drove a large panel van. It rattled a bit and was nowhere near as comfortable as Alan's truck. The journey took them out on the Mountain Parkway then down to the small town of Pilgrim. From there the sat-nav sent them up the winding Wolfe Creek to a mine complex. After three hours everyone was glad to get out of the van.

"'I'm sorry. I hadn't realized the place was in the middle of nowhere,' said Carl as the walked towards the mine office to confirm they were in the right place for the delivery. They were, and the goods were to be brought into the office.

"After the order was unloaded from the van and the paperwork signed, Carl asked if there was any way the two lads could get down to the river and across into West Virginia. He wasn't worried of any repercussions. Mountain folk don't usually ask too many questions.

"A man in the corner, who they hadn't noticed, piped up. 'I'm doing a track inspection. The railroad goes from here down the valley and crosses the river near Lovely. I'll be leaving when I've finished my coffee. They can come with me. There's room enough on the speeder."

"Carl was relieved. The trip out had taken longer than he expected and he still had to do a timed drop in Booneville on the way back to Lexington. He apologized to the boys as they fetched their bags out of the van.

"The speeder turned out to be little more than a petrol engine between two tool cupboards on wheels. And it had a rudimentary roof. Unsprung, the ride was rudimentary, too. It was a fun experience - once!

"The narrow, twisting valley broadened out before the creek joined the river. The inspector stopped the speeder. The boys could see the line divided ahead.

"'I checked the north curve on my way up the valley this morning,' the man announced. 'I need to go round the south curve.' He got out of the speeder and set the switch for the direction he wanted. Climbing back on the speeder, he moved it forward enough to pass over the switch. Then he stopped again to reset the switch to the north curve. 'It has to be left set for that route,' he explained.

"They set off again but only went a hundred yards or so before the speeder stopped again. They were now on a low viaduct approaching an iron bridge. The man turned to the boys. 'The bridge you can see crosses the Tug Fork River. The river is the state boundary. I'm guessing you both under eighteen. It is illegal transport minors across the state boundary without parents' consent. I don't give a fuck for the law, but I would lose my job if the railroad found out. There's plenty busy-bodies out there who would sneak if they saw you on the bridge with me. Please get out and walk across. I'll wait for you on the other side.'

"Kyle and Tyler alighted with their bags which they had been gripping all the way down from the mine. They waited for the speeder to move off before starting to walk.

"As they got closer to the bridge the trees on the opposite bank seemed to form a tunnel over the line. Kyle thought the light through the trees and the bridge was symbolic of their journey to a new, hopefully better, life. He suggested that they should take a photo as memento.

"Kyle stacked the bags and propped his phone on top. He set the timer for 30 seconds and then the boys both started walking along the rails towards the bridge, holding hands. Walking on rails had been a fun thing to do when they were little. Keeping their balance as adults was harder than they expected and Kyle was twisting with the effort by the time the shutter went on the phone's camera.

"They retrieved the phone and bags and set off to cross the bridge. This time they walked on the cross-ties. More sensible and quicker. They didn't want to keep the inspector waiting any longer. He might leave without them.

"The inspector had moved the speeder onto the main line heading north by the time the two boys caught up with him. They climbed aboard.

"'I'm based in Kermit a mile or two north from here,' the inspector told the boys. 'I haven't got room for you. But my sister also lives in the town and she's always taking in strays. I rang her while I was waiting for you. You can stay with her for a few days.'

"The boys thanked the man and he set the speeder in motion again.

"It was less than thirty minutes before the boys were being introduced to the sister, Orenda. She showed them to a bedroom and told them she would have a meal ready for them in an hour.

"They both had a shower to wash off the sweat and grime of the last few days. They thought they both must stink. Afterwards they waited in the lounge to be called for the meal.

"While they were waiting, Kyle looked at the titles on the bookshelves. There were several books about the history of witchcraft in West Virginia and in the Appalachians.

"To make conversation during the meal, Kyle asked Orenda about her interest in the subject. 'Oh, yes,' she replied. 'I find it fascinating. I'm a member of a local society. We have associate societies all through the Appalachians and beyond.'

"The boys only stayed with Orenda for a couple of days before she announced that she felt that their spirits needed to be further north. She had arranged for them to stay with an acquaintance about thirty miles to the northeast. They were collected that afternoon.

"It was to be the first of several such moves. All in a northeasterly direction following the line of the Appalachians. A day or two here, a day or two there. Always in small towns, never the big cities. Eventually they ended up at a place on the Connecticut/Massachusetts border not far from Winsted.

"That's where they were when Mom heard about them. She belongs to the 1692 Society here in Salem. One of the members was asking if anyone was prepared to take in two gay boys, either temporarily or better still permanently."

"What do you think is the purpose of the 1692 Society," I ask Tony before I scroll down for the last bit of Sam's message.

"Wasn't that the date of the Salem witch trials?" he replies. "I bet it's something to do with that."

We read on.

"Mom had always wanted a son, so she asked Dad, and he told her to ask for more information. The place they were in said they were of good character, so the parents asked me and Patricia if we had any objections to their coming to us for a trial period with the expectation it would be permanent. We did say it would be best if we all met them first, so Dad drove us over one weekend.

"We liked them and they liked us, so they were fetched over to Salem in time for Halloween. They've been enrolled to start at our school after Thanksgiving, so Pat and I are giving them elocution lessons. Deep South is not a good look round here at the moment. They are also learning a back story as our cousins.

"So Mom has found us two new cousins we never knew we had and they have come to live with us."

Sam signs off with best wishes to all our friends and special wishes for us.

She also says she has attached the photo, which, as we know she hasn't!

Tony and I try to formulate a reply, except there is not much we can say except 'Wow!' and wish good luck to Kyle and Tyler for the future. Of course, we add thanks to Sam for the email and best wishes to her and Pat.

"I wonder what Aunt Clara and Merkin make of it all." Tony posits as he puts his coat on to go home.

I wonder, indeed!

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