It was a cold and rainy evening. Michaela, Sully , Brian and Daniel were sitting around the fireplace. The cold rain knocked at the window, but there was warm and cozily inside It was late, but nobody wants to leave.
- Brian, it's your bedtime - Michaela reminded - it's almost midnight
-Ma! You're talkin' about such interesting things! I don't need to get up early tomorrow - Brian said- Can I stay and listen?
Well,-Michaela agreed - you're right, Daniel's stories are very interesting
Such as yours - Daniel objected- You just told us about your childhood, when you're at Brian's age So, it will be interesting for Brian… Sully, you're not against?
Sully silently looked into the fire and, seemed, did not hear a question. His thoughts were somewhere far away now…
Usually the children begin to remember themselves with three-four years. But he always seemed that he remembers this ship, sailing to coasts of the North America , full of new colonizers…
Amongst them - a man in his mid-thirties , with wife and two children. The senior, Aidan, 4, is runnin' over all ship, full of curiosity, like all children in his age But now he silently stands near by the father in their small cabin and looks at tiny cheeping baby laying in mother's hands .This is his younger brother, who was born a week ago right here - they were lucky , there was a midwife amongst the passengers . Aidan did not expect that this brother is such small and helpless. This brings boy in dejection, and he impatiently twitches his father 's sleeve.
Pa! Let's go! You promised to show me a captain's bridge…
- Please, wait -Mother smiles ,-see, such adorable baby is your little brother. Such a wonderful blue eyes!.
- He looks much like you, Katie, - father says
In the Aidan's opinion, it's too much noise around this baby. May be when he will grow up, he'll be a good guy, but now he is hardly visible amongst the blankets. But now they are thinking about a name of newborn, and, seems, it's for many hours… Father opens a big book. Aidan knows it is the Bible, father reads it aloud on Sundays. But mother says:
- I already have the name… I want to name him Byron. .if you're not against…
- In honor of Lord Byron? - Father asks .- I know, you like his poetry, but, Katie, this not very good idea. He will hate his name, when he'll grow up - hardly there, where we go, anybody knows, who Lord Byron is……
There are tears on mother's eyes:
- James, I miss England. .my home so much….His name will remind me…
Father smiles skeptically but afterwards leans to mother and tenderly kisses her: -Let it be like you want, dear Katie…
Aidan gravely sighs. Seems, they are so busy with newborn instead of going to look captain's bridge… He absolutely doesn't care, how they will name a new brother: let he be Byron…
Several years passed… James Sully bought a small farm. He cultivates this tiny scrap of land with love, and tries to teach his sons to work on earth.. However, this concerns senior, Aidan- Byron is too small yet… Mother never worked at the farm, she lived all her life in big city, but now she likes farmer's work too. Family is not reach, but lovely and friendly. On evenings the family is sitting near the fireplace, and mother reads aloud. She manages to accustom the children to reading, particularly younger, but most of all they like to sit like this, by the whole family. " Look, Katie, - father often says ,- you didn't believe that we shall be lucky here - but we are".
Suddenly all this is finished - Aidan fell from the horse and died - he was only 12. Mother yells at the father, then begins to cry hysterically, then implores him to sell this accursed farm, where all is full of memories. Then Father protested, after all farm is all that he has, and all that he can to do. But he loves his wife and can't insist. They sell a farm and move with their son to the city.
Byron is about 8 years old. He is scared and depressed by brother's death and all these changes. He liked to live on the farm, but he hopes , when they will leave it, all become as earlier…
It will never be "As earlier"…The name of their new home is NEW YORK, it 's dirty, smoky and noisy, and their apartment - small and comfortless. Parents quarrel again, because father can not find any job at the city and it interrupts him. They have no much money but decide to send a boy to school.
Father was right- schoolfriends are laughtin' on his unusual name. When he bores to fight, he begins to name himself on surname . "Sully", on his opinion, is better, than "Byron". Meantime, family continues to be destitute. Father still can not find a job, this make him sad and nervous, and once he falls at the street and dies from the breakup of heart… Something terrible happens- two years ago they had a large friendly family, but now it decreases so rapidly. Byron stays near father's grave, squeeze mother's hand, as if he is afraid to lose her too. Sometimes he feels the hate to father who left them alone . He's happy there, in Heaven, and he can not see what's wrong is with mother . She is so depressed, and boy, who is only 10, tries to undertake as much as possible home duties , but she doesn't care…Once the policeman comes and tells him that his mother drowned herself. He can't believe in it, but the policeman gives him her shawl…He can't imagine that he has no more family, but it's truth. Neighbors are going to send him to the orphanage, and all property will go in the payment of debts . He has nothing to wait anymore, and leaves only with his mother's wedding ring - let she knows there, wherever she is that he remembers her… Following morning he stays in docks, with other homeless boys and girls.
He saw them earlier many times, but never thought that once become one of them. But if he became, he must follow their laws… This not so easy - under first attempt to steal meal at the store he was caught. He is sure that policeman leads him to jail, but lifting his eyes on the door of gloomy gray building, he reads:
" The Orphanage of NY City"…
When the door is slammed behind him, a new stage of his life began, but he didn't care. Policeman finally released his sleeve… The boys looked at him with great interest, but one, the biggest - frankly hostile. However, he did not feel any fear. He was no more the home child, growing in love and care. All these times are gone…
Sully turned to Michaela, as if he heard her question for the first time .: "Yes, certainly , let Brian stay, tomorrow is Sunday, and he doesn't need to get up early".
"So , Pa, do you tell me how you're meeting for the first time?"-Brian asked .
"Your pa doesn't like to talk of this"- Daniel said .-"I'd better tell you".
Daniel Simon didn't remember his parents. He was about 3 or 4 when someone took him to the orphanage. It was not better and not worse than the others, children there sometimes were starved and quite often were punished, but they did not complain, as far as did not know other life. Boys constantly fought between each other, but Daniel was taller and stronger of all. To his ten years he became a leader , but once upon a time all the things were changed. .
. The newcomer appeared in the orphanage not by usual way - he was brought by the policeman.
"Why you 've taken him here?"- the form-master asked.-"Here is the shelter for orphans, not for criminals. What he's doing?"
"Tried to steal a piece of bacon at the store - the policeman answered .
"Look: we don't need here the criminals and vagrants from docks, which will spoil the others. On me, the best place for him is jail."
"Probably, he was hungry,- the policeman expected ,- and we can not send ten-years-old boy to jail, so you will take him". He released the boy's sleeve .The boy did not resist, calmly stood, looking on the crowd of orphanage's boys.
Daniel considered the new boy attentively and found that he couldn't be a serious rival for him : he was not tall and thin. He had a shock of chestnut hair and unusual bright-blue eyes.
Daniel approached to him - he needed to show to this kid, who is the chief here:" Hey, you , what's your name?"
Sully ,-the boy answered .
Sally?" - Daniel asked,- "You're a girl?". He was sure that this guy will be mad about it and if he'll want to fight , Daniel doesn't give him many chances … but the new boy just stood and looked at him , even with some contempt . Daniel looked foolish, he was very angry ,understanding it, but there were not good reasons for fight..
Fortunately, he noticed golden ring on the thin chain hanging on the newcomer's neck.
Hey, you're exactly the girl! . He stretched his hand to the ring, but the boy pushed his hand away: This is my Ma's wedding ring . Take off your hands!
Look…now he'll began to cry! - Billy, Daniel friend laughed , - where is your mommy, babe?! Everyone, who'll say just a word about my mother, will have troubles. As well as one, who amuse on my name- said new kid quietly
Daniel was really boiled from fury, but Sully still stood against him, looking emotionless, just his eyes from bright-blue became almost gray…
"Well , - Daniel broke the silence, - let's check, is this a girl or not.
Just try, - said the boy, - if you can…
Daniel's patience was over. He clenched his fists, and threw to new boy - but Sully by some elusive motion caught his hand and pulled forward. Daniel lost his balance, and slumped on the floor, … The fight began, both were rolled on the floor, hitting each other. To boys' amazing ,their strength was nearly equal.. It was unknown, who would won, but the overseer came in.. he grasped the brawlers for the collars, and hardly pushed them to different sides, asking: Who's began the fight?
Nobody's answered.
Who's began the fight?- the overseer repeated - if you don't tell me, all would be punished.
Billy was going to snitch on the new boy , but he overtook it and said: That's me.
I thought so …I told before, the best place for such guys is jail, Now tell me, what's happened?,
It's my business -the boy answered stubbornly.
All the orphans looked at him with great curiosity. They were afraid to insolent to this overseer, because he was spiteful, and many of them were punished because of him. But a new boy, certainly , could not know it… Daniel watched it with the malicious joy - he was waiting how this self-confident milksop would cry, and it will give Daniel the possibility to tease him "a girl" and rescue his shaking authority. But he was wrong,, because the newcomer bears the punishment not uttering any sound… Daniel thought that he would be a good friend, besides, he was very interested, how Sully, who was smaller and weaker, threw him to the floor easily. But his pride didn't allow Daniel to talk with Sully first … However, this strange guy with girl's name, did not going to talk with Daniel or anyone else, and spent a most of time sitting on the high windowsill , looking down, to the street. The whole orphanage's life, seems, passed him..
But few weeks later one case helped Daniel. There was the smallest and weakest boy in the orphanage. This boy, named Teddy, was a sniveller, so everybody teased him , particularly Daniel's friend This time he tripped him up, and Teddy fell on the floor, crying aloud. The boys laughed. Daniel didn't like this kind of jokes, he felt sorry for poor Teddy, but couldn't intercede for him - nobody will understand it. Sully looked on it as usual, emotionless , but suddenly he got down from the windowsill, and punched Billy, saying: "Perhaps, you'd fight with me instead him?". Billy remembered Daniel's disgrace few weeks ago, and didn't want it for himself. So, he approached to Daniel and asked: " Do you want to teach this upstart? Let's do it together?"
"Shut up, you dumb! - Daniel yelled unexpectedly for himself , - I'm bothered with your stupid jokes - if you do it again, you'll get the same from me!" He was full of envy - why he didn't intercede for poor boy, like Sully did? He fought with his pride for few minutes, but then resolutely came to the windowsill and stretched Sully his hand.
- Did you see that I'm not a girl? - Sully asked and stretched his in answer .
- Yes, -Daniel answered - But why you have a such name? - This not a name. This is my surname.
- And what is your real name?
- I don't like it. And nobody other too.
But we are friends now, - Daniel persisted.
Well…if you want,- Sully said - my name is Byron, but if you will say whomever…
-I'm not blabbing! - Daniel offended, - You'd better tell me, where you learned to fight like this ?
- Some guys in docks showed me something..
- Would you learn me too? - Daniel asked .
Sully nodded. Probably, Daniel was the first , with whom he wanted to talk…
From this day Daniel Simon and Byron Sully became friends….
Daniel lived in orphanage almost from his birth, it was his only home. Sully, however, remembered the different life. From the first day there was a plan of escaping in his mind, and in the course of time it gained all more concrete forms, particularly, when Sully persuaded Daniel to run together with him. Each day they discussed the details of this future journey and several times even have quarreled But both of them were reconverted in one : it's necessary go West, to the Indian Territory - and then it will be seen… they were about 14 years old, and were sure that could take care of themselves.
They were talking about their future life, full of adventures, looking on gray waves behind the ship , leading them away from New York city to uncertainty. But the real life was so different with their childish dreams. There were hundreds of emigrants in every city, even strong adult men could not find any job, and two teenagers had no chances. Nobody needed them. They were always hungry , and once tried to steal some meal at the store, but the shopkeeper caught them and threatened a gun. Afterwards, unknown why, he let them go and advised them to go on silver mines for a job. The contractor at first didn't want even to look at them, but Daniel looked much older his own years, and they were taken. The months drudged on monotonously, full of hard and dirty work, but friends persuaded themselves that it's not for a long time - they will move West, to search for gold , when they will have enough money, Real frontier life didn't look like their child' daydreams .Only the rough power was valued here, and the human life costs nothing. It was not easy to survive in such place, but they always held together, and it helped them… .Daniel, who was tall and strong, worked as a miner, but Sully became a powder-man. They planned to work on mine for a year or a little more - then they will be enough of money for the further journey. But life, as usually, corrected their plans … In this day Daniel as once was going to work., but suddenly heard the boom and shouts .All around was covered by the cloud of dust Then Daniel saw the people, running out of the mine, choking and coughing,
-What's happened?! -Daniel caught one of the miners for the sleeve.
- The props were broken !The cave-in at the west part.
Daniel stopped frozen - seems, Sully was working today exactly there… -Is there anyone remained there?
-Three men .Bob Murphy, Jack Smith …
-But third? Who's the third?
-Well… this guy ,a powder-man - the miner said , -the props slumped right on him, - and he dragged off his rumpled hat…
-No!!! - Daniel cried- We must dig up them!
-Sorry, but hardly they're alive…
-If you do not want, I'll do it by myself!, - Daniel yelled - And if they'll die for this time, it will be your fault! There is my best friend there, and I don't leave before I dig up him!
-Easy, easy , - the miner said - go call others, tell them to carry the shovels…
Three men were buried alive deep under the ground. The wooden props were rotten through from constant dampness and then were broken. Two of them - Bob Murphy and Jack Smith, at first were happy, that they stayed alive - only several hours later they realized that it is slow and nerve-racking death from the hunger and lack of oxygen.
Afterwards they have recalled about the third. Only today they scolded a contractor, who has taken on such dangerous work this kid.. They both saw, as props fell down right on him, and flinched from the surprise, when heard his voice:
-Hey, you're alive?
- Yes, we are still alive - Murphy answered, - but how are you ?
- My leg is pressed by the stone, I can't move it.
- Wait, we'll help you…
- No, - Sully said - you'd better do not approach here. One unwary motion - and all this stuff will fall on me and on you. We'll need to wait a little, while they dig up us…
- Dig up? Probably, we'll die right here…
- There is my friend there, upstairs . He does not give us to die.
- Obviously, he thinks that we're already dead.
- You do not know Daniel, - Sully objected . - I'm sure, he'll dig up us.
Daniel dug and dug , without rest, and the others, looking at him, also tried to save this three Some days passed, but three under the ground already lost a count of time. They had no more candles, and it was deep and dump darkness around them. They began to gasp without the air, and except this, the following day brought one more unpleasant surprise…
- Rats!! - Murphy shouted -They ate all our meal! What the hell…
Really, in the silence was clear heard their cheep and the patter of hundreds of small paws.
And then they will eat us, - Jack said.
Shut up, you! - Murphy cut him out, - look, it's a lot of rats! Where they all have running?
- They run where the fresh air is, - Sully answered - follow them, you'll come where guys dug up.
What? Follow THE RATS? - Murphy outraged,- I hate rats, what the…
He's right! - Jack cut him - Rats want to live ,as we are, and run there, where it is possible to breathe. Sully, but what we can do with you?
- You will return for me…after they'll find you , ..- there was no much air, and he began to gasp, - they must hear you…
We'll come back for you as soon as we can, - Murphy promised, - you just hold on…
They left, and Sully stayed alone in damp and stuffy darkness. He didn't know how much time passed, drifting in and out of consciousness…until he have heard the familiar voice near him… The people upstairs already were going to stop the work, as suddenly someone has heard a weak voice: - Help! We're here!
After few hours of stubborn work two miners were escaped . The crowd of people surrounded them - after all they are practically returned from the 'dark side'.
Daniel pushed to them: Do you know, where is Sully? Did you seen him?
- He's alive. We'll go back for him…- Daniel, without a word, ran to the black hole… He moved through the dark and winding corridors, and the mud squelched under his feet. Sully!!! - he screamed, - Sully, where are you? His loud voice managed the stream of sand and dust to move, and he coughed.
Suddenly he noticed Sully, almost buried under the wreckage. He didn't move, and his eyes were closed. Daniel leaned to him and touched his shoulder: Sully! You're alive?
Sully slowly opened his eyes and managed a slight smile: Be careful…- he whispered with a great effort, - don't speak aloud here…
Daniel nodded and carefully pushed the wreckage away, then helped Sully to stand up.
Sully grasped his friend's shoulder as he felt a strong wave of dizziness , but then it passed somewhat, and he stood straight.
The miners met them upstairs with the joyful shouts . It's kinda miracle! - Murphy told to everyone, - He said us to follow the rats! The RATS! How’d you guess?
But Sully couldn't answer him. Daniel barely caught up him as he collapsed. It's from the fresh air, - said someone behind Daniel, - not unusual thing after that; carry him to the tent, he'll be alright.
However, long time in a cold and damp mine didn't pass without any track for Sully- in the evening he was burning up with fever… Daniel was puzzled - there was no doctor at the miner's camp, and he could only sit near his friend and hope on best…
- I'm here, Sully - Daniel noticed that Sully opened his eyes. He leaned very close to Sully and heard a weak whisper:
- Ma… why'd you left me? I promised to take care of you…Now you cannot meet Pa and Aidan on Heaven…why you did this?
Daniel stood frozen - Sully never told about his family, even him, the best friend ,Daniel felt bad as if he peeped at the bore hole. - Sully, this me, Daniel Simon..- he said, but his friend's eyes were bleary and unfocused with fever, and didn't seen him.
- Ma, I miss you …so much…- Sully' s eyes closed again as he lost consciousness… Someone touched Daniel's shoulder. It was an old drunk named Buck. Miners told that he was a trapper long ago, but now he was only dirty drunk, who always walked around the miner's camp, doin' some easy job for free meal and whiskey.
- What do you want? - Daniel asked unfriendly
- How he is?
Bad. I don't know how to help him…
Try this - he stretched Daniel the dirty rawhide pouch .
What is it?
It's the willow bark. Helps against fever and pain. Indians always used it…Make a tea and give him a cup per few hours …
It will help? - Daniel asked - You know, he's whole my family…
Trust old Buck, -the tramp said firmly.
The tea, in spite of its suspicious look, helped . The following day, fever was broken, and Sully awakened . It was late evening, and Daniel sat near him,, it was seen that he sat here for a long time
- Daniel…- Sully whispered
- How are you? - Daniel asked worryingly .
- I knew that you'll rescue me …- said Sully instead of the answer.
Certainly, we are friends. After you'd feel better, we will go West further. I'd never let you to this cursed mine again. Fortunately, you're better now, - he continued, - you were burning up and delirious all the night
.Sully looked at him with concern: - Do you remember what I've told about?
Daniel shook his head: I can't remember…- he lied.
Sully weakly smiled and closed his eyes Daniel sat near him until the dawn, and in the morning he went to the contractor and quit. Several days later they move further to West.
Daniel didn't know before, what was happened with Sully's family. Now he began to understand why his friend was talking about getting married and raising children so often. However, Daniel understood it only by his mind - he never knew what the family is.
I 'd better want to be free, - he sometimes argued with Sully, - if you are married, you must stay with all this routine for the rest of your life, and forget about any adventures. It's like putting yourself into jail! It's not a 'jail', Daniel, - Sully always objected, - Everyone needs somebody to love and take care for, and somebody who loves him.
If you need a girl, you always can go to saloon, - Daniel disagreed.
I don't need saloon girls, - Sully outraged, - I mean the FAMILY, wife and children. When you' ll become bothered with all your adventures, how will you spend the rest of your life?
I'm still too young to think about it, - Daniel said.
They argued like this many times, more often, when they became older.