Chapter 6 -- The Emergency and Tragedy
The following morning, Todd told Cammo he'd enjoyed the night, more probably than he could express, but it wasn't something that was going to happen every day, that wouldn't be right. Cammo begrudgingly agreed, not being too happy with Todd's decision, he thought the night had been way cool. He was happy to try it again any time, but on reflection, realised where Todd was coming from. Todd told him it was for special occasions only, birthdays, good school results and other things, but it wasn't to happen whenever. The weeks grew into months and Cammo had now been with Todd for seven. It hadn't been easy sailing all the way, Cammo had flown off the handle a couple of times, leaving his new home and making his way back to the squalor of his previous existence. Todd just left him there for a couple of days knowing he'd come to his senses again, after all, who would want to live like that again after being in a warm, clean unit. The first time it happened, Todd left him for two days, finally going into the drains himself on the afternoon of the second day, finding Cammo on the concrete shelf looking very forlorn. He'd thrown his arms around Todd and apologised profusely before accompanying him back to the car, after a quick goodbye to the others, for the trip home. The second time wasn't quite as easy. Cammo had lost the plot one evening after Todd told him that even though he was doing well at school, his homework had to be done when he arrived home, the Playstation was for when he finished his schoolwork. Cammo had flung the controller onto the couch and stormed out of the unit, making his way to the drains, a good hour's walk away. Todd had let him go, fairly secure in the knowledge he'd come to his senses after a couple of days, but when these passed and he visited the drains, it appeared to be a different story. Cammo was there again, on the shelf, but when Todd approached him, there was a completely different reaction to what was expected.
"Fuck off Todd, leave me alone," Cammo told him.
A conversation started, during which a group of the others gathered. This could turn nasty; Todd certainly didn't want to be on the wrong end of an argument with Cammo if the others decided he was in the wrong. He finished the conversation.
"OK Cammo, I'll leave you with it."
Todd turned and headed for the mouth of the drain. As he climbed the steps to the road he heard a voice behind him.
"Todd," Cammo's voice sounded almost desperate. "Todd, wait on," Cammo ran to him. "The others are right Todd, I'm being downright selfish. I'm so sorry man."
Todd looked stern. "So you didn't mean to tell me to fuck off, is that what you're saying?"
For the second time since he had known him, Todd saw tears welling in Cammo's eyes, these finally overflowing. "No man, you oughta know that, I let meself get outa control. What can I say Todd? I'm so sorry."
Todd looked at him; he was a complete emotional mess, his clothes were starting to look straggly and he didn't smell too good either.
"So are you coming with me?" Todd wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. "Or do you want to stay here where you seem to think you belong?"
That last question from Todd was the final straw. Cammo broke down completely, tears streaming down his cheeks, utterly unable to speak. Todd put a hand on his shoulder.
"OK Cammo, I think I've got my answer. Come on buddy, let's get to the car."
Todd turned back to the drain, seeing six smiling faces at the entrance, the older male giving him the thumbs up. He knew he'd made the right choice. They drove home, Todd telling Cammo to get himself into the shower. There was definitely a chat needed after this latest episode but that could wait until Cammo had calmed himself down, he wasn't in any condition to chat right now. Cammo had calmed down by the time he emerged from the shower, he was dressed in his PJ's and a dressing gown and they sat together in the lounge room. Todd didn't pull any punches, he told it exactly like it was, watching as Cammo's face became longer and longer. He finished, watching for Cammo's reaction, it was slightly different from what he had expected.
"You're right Todd, I've been selfish and unreasonable and I've got no excuses. You've done so much for me over the last seven months, I'm doing well in school, I get fed regularly, I got a warm bed at night. I can only say how sorry I am and ask you to forgive me, like I said, I got no excuses.
Todd eyed him for several moments. There was no doubt he was sorry, the look on his face spoke a thousand words. "OK, forgiven, but don't ever do anything like that again or I may not be so forgiving."
Cammo was nodding his head, feeling about the size of Tom Thumb.
"You hungry?" This question from Todd got an instant response from Cammo.
"Shit yeah."
"Nothing to eat for the last couple of days then?" Todd asked.
"Not much." Cammo replied.
Todd prepared the evening meal, which was eaten in relative silence. Cammo hardly had time to say anything as it was, the food disappearing inside him in almost record time. He finished, sat back and crossed his hands over his stomach.
"Thanks Todd, that was cool."
Todd had simmered down after the lecture and was now fairly well composed. "You're welcome buddy, now let's wash up and spend a quiet evening in front of the TV."
"Cool." Cammo didn't see any need to say anything more.
Domestic duties finished, they made their way to the lounge room, flopped into chairs and watched TV. There were a few words here and there but nothing deep and meaningful, what needed to be said had been said earlier so there was really no need for conversation. They finally crashed into their beds at eleven o'clock, both exhausted after the last two days.
It had been a strange spring, there had been a lot of rain and at one stage during mid October, this became torrential. The skies opened up for three days in a row, dropping inches instead of the usual centimetres. Cammo was listening to the radio on the Saturday when he heard a news report about flooding under the city streets, the rains had been so heavy, the drains were struggling to cope and the only way the water had to go, was up. Cammo was horror stricken; the kids, what about the kids? He passed his thoughts to Todd who made an immediate phone call to the council, finding out that several of the kids had been rescued but it was known there were more down there. Cammo knew the drains like the back of his hand, he knew of their `disaster plan' if anything like this was to happen. They'd go to the highest part of the drain, up under the hospital where there was a flat shelf below a manhole leading to the street. But it could only hold ten of them, how many had got out so far? He put his question to Todd.
"They got seventeen of them out Cammo but they know there're more down there. You know the place better than most mate, where would they go?"
Cammo explained the shelf under the manhole. It was usually a secret between the kids, no one else really knew of it. Todd made a call to the police, explaining the location of the manhole and asking them to get the council to check it, before grabbing Cammo and running to the car. This can't be,' he thought, if they can only get ten on that shelf, what's happened to the other three?' Todd drove fast to the city, getting the car out of shape a few times on corners in the wet conditions. Cammo's mind was in a whirl; he'd done his calculations as well. Their arrival at the manhole saw police and council workers busy attempting to lift the old cover; it hadn't been lifted for many years and was proving difficult to budge even with the right tools. Finally, after an extreme effort by three council workers, an edge lifted, followed by the remainder of the cover. A police sergeant peered into the hole, horrified by what confronted him. There, ten feet below the surface, ten frightened faces stared up; the still rising waters only mere centimetres below their feet. They had tried to release the cover but had been unable to do so, only able then to stay on the shelf and wait. They were told to climb the ladder to safety and slowly, one at a time, they did this, emerging wet and cold into the welcoming arms of hospital staff and being wrapped in blankets. Cammo told the police their names as they emerged, he'd already been handed a list of the ones already rescued, and as the last one emerged, found Shelly, Tommy and Gus were missing. Where were they? Surely not, oh jeez shit this couldn't be. He knew there was no way rescue teams could be activated to search for them, the water was at the top of all the tunnels, they'd just have to wait until the waters subsided before checking the high galleries of the drains, hoping against hope they'd find something. The water subsided sufficiently three days later, Cammo being asked by police to assist in the search as he knew the drains inside out. After five hours, the search was abandoned, every nook and cranny had been searched with negative results and Cammo had to come to terms with the fact he'd never see his three buddies again. Why did this have to happen? Gus was rough, yeah but he had a good heart. Shelly? She'd slept with Cammo numerous times and was considered a close friend, and Tommy, poor little Tommy, only thirteen, what a way to end it, Cammo could only hope it had been quick, for all of them. All twenty seven of the `kids' were now being cared for in the hospital, most of them were suffering hypothermia so would be in there a few days. The Department of Child Welfare would see to their rehabilitation on their discharge. Cammo visited each of them, finding out from Rocky he'd seen Gus and Shelly swept away by the waters the day before. There were tears in Rock's eyes as Cammo told him about Tommy; Rock had known him well, real well just lately, nearly as well as Joey. The others, although somewhat bedraggled, didn't look too much the worse for their experience, there were a few tears when they were told of the missing three but on the whole, they turned their minds more to getting well again.
Four days later, Todd received the news that Shelly and Tommy's bodies had been recovered but there was still no sign of Gus. He passed this on to Cammo, watching his face as the realisation hit him that never again would he see his friends. At least without bodies there was some hope, however slight.
"At least they can have a decent burial," Cammo said, his eyes brimming with tears.
Todd comforted him as best he could, this was hard for a kid of sixteen, he'd known Shelly for the three years he'd been there and Tommy for six months, since he'd arrived one wet night after having been thrown out by his parents. Cammo went to his room to reflect on the situation, sitting on his bed, running the events over and over in his mind. He felt saddened that fate had chosen the course it had, it didn't seem fair to him. Shit, none of those kids had been there because they wanted to be, they were simply a case of circumstance, unloved and in most cases, uncared for. The Department of Child welfare had been busy, finding homes for all twenty-seven kids. They had been placed in care throughout the city and suburbs and Cammo knew, after their experience, there would be very few who returned to the drains. The day of the funeral arrived, both kids being farewelled at the same service as their parents and relatives could not be located. Todd and Cammo arrived shortly before the service started and Cammo was astounded to see the twenty-seven `kids' in the chapel, their new families with them. This was the farewell these kids deserved, this was so cool. The service complete, Todd drove home. Cammo had missed three or four days school over the last week and a half, but under the circumstances this couldn't be helped, his knowledge of the drains had been required by the police in order for them to properly search the area and anyway, he'd just lost three close friends. The end of the school year was approaching and a week before the break up, Todd received Cammo's report. It had been compiled by the Guidance Counsellor in conjunction with Cammo's teachers. Todd read the report, finding good attendance and exemplary student comments in each subject. The final comments from the Counsellor said it all.
"When Cameron was presented to this school, half way through first term, as I told you, I didn't hold much hope for his education given his circumstances. As you can see by this full report, I have been proved wrong and am the first one to admit it. Cameron has proved to be an exemplary student who is hard working. His depth of knowledge has increased several fold since he started, and I can only offer my congratulations to him. He will be commencing year eleven next year and will no doubt show the same enthusiasm he has shown this year. It is regretted he missed six days during the year, but under the circumstances explained, these days can be made up next year with slightly more homework. Once again, well done Cameron, it has been a pleasure for your teachers and especially for myself."
The note was signed by the Guidance Counsellor.
Todd showed the report to Cammo after studying it fully himself, Cammo reading it with pride. Todd could see the look in his eyes as he read, a look of pride and satisfaction at his achievement. He passed the report back to Todd.
"Is this, um, well, is this considered one of those special occasions we talked about?"
Todd smiled. Nothing had happened between them since Cammo's birthday, Cammo hadn't even mentioned it till now.
"Do you think it's special?" Todd asked.
"Yeah, I think it is and I think you do too," Cammo replied. "That smile isn't on your lips for nothing, is it?"
Todd looked at his watch, eight-thirty, a bit early for bed but what the hell, why not?
"Well, I'm going to bed," he said, "I'll leave the rest up to you."
Todd slipped naked into his bed, knowing fairly well what to expect shortly. He was right, he saw the figure of a young person enter the room and felt the covers on the other side of the bed being moved before feeling a soft, warm, naked body snuggle against him. This was OK, this was Cammo's choice, there had been virtually no input from him at all and what was perhaps meant to happen, would happen.
To be continued.