Whiteout by Jonah
Those who have read my previous stories will need no introduction to Simon and Garret and their family. Those who haven't - why not? This is the latest in the series that began a couple of years back with "A Letter from America" and it fits in right after "Christmas in New England". If you haven't read the others, don't worry. It will stand on its own. It is a story of love - the real sort. Some of its characters are gay, though that doesn't matter. They are good people. They are not, however, real people. This is a work of fiction and every character is also a fiction - created by me, except for Garret, who was created by Jacob Lion, in the USA. I want to thank Jacob for permitting me to use his characters. This story is brought to you, free of charge, by Nifty. Nifty brings all these stories to you free of charge and he doesn't charge us authors either. The cost is borne by himself and our donations. To keep this site going please consider donating to Nifty at https://donate.nifty.org/
Chapter 1
"Are we going to the trains tomorrow," Barry wanted to know.
It wasn't a question that I could answer.
"Well, I am, because I have to," I replied, "but whether you are isn't really up to me."
"I'd like to go. Do you know what engines are running."
"It's not the passenger train season you know."
"So what's running?"
"You are, or you'll be late for school."
"He's right you know," said Garret. "It's time you had your coat on. The other two are already in the car."
That was the end of that conversation.
The coat was a necessity. As soon as Garret drove off with the rest of the family , I got myself coated up as well. February was just about to turn into March, even with its extra day, but that didn't mean Spring was around the corner. In the past week we'd endured torrential rain, mighty winds and frosts that never seemed to thaw. The sun was a rare sight. Yes we needed to be coated. This morning it was freezing fog. The traffic into the city was not fast-moving, but that was probably just as well. During the night the temperatures were apparently down to minus eight, and the daytime didn't feel warmer.
It was ten past nine when I parked in the staff car-park at the City Technology College, and there were still both staff and pupils arriving. The principal was near the students' entrance, seemingly trying to create order out of chaos.
"Sir, we couldn't help being late. There's a bad accident down on Cromer Road."
"Yes, well, never mi..."
"There's another one on Carrow Road, just outside the ground."
"Well if you just..."
"My dad's car wouldn't start."
Grev, normally the mildest mannered of men, had finally lost patience.
"Go to your form rooms NOW," he roared.
I followed the tail end of the queue until I finally arrived at Grev's side.
"I don't know how many of them will find anyone there to register them when they get there," he confided.
"I'll register my lot, then take a look and see if any other forms are still waiting," I suggested.
"Thanks Simon," he said. "I'll do the same and, if there are too many, we'll assemble them in the hall."
"I'll take the South corridor," Charles Wright volunteered. " at least I haven't got a form of my own to register."
"Fair enough," said Grev. "Geraldine, Richard, Harvey, George and John are already in so, with you two, we can be in business. All the staff from this side of the city are in but we're still six teachers down at present - five - that's Marilyn just parking."
That was only the start of Black Friday. By half past ten we had almost a full compliment of staff. Only "almost" because Justin Kirk's car had been totalled in the smash at Carrow Road. He'd been released from hospital but he wasn't fit for work. Grev had tried to get in a supply teacher but, with the weather and everything, it wouldn't be possible for him to arrive before two o' clock. Grev told him not to bother.
It got worse. By dinner time the weather reports were talking of snow. The afternoon session had barely begun before Grev was back.
"Simon can you check how many of this form are from outlying villages and depend on bus transport?"
"All the buses?"
"No, the school buses. Stagecoach ones will be OK. Grays have been on the phone. They've heard the snow warnings and they say they'll pick up at two o' clock, but no later."
"Are they allowed to do that?"
"They've done it."
Indeed they had and the afternoon session immediately turned to chaos.
By two-thirty we were down to class sizes that made lessons pointless and we still had parents turning up on spec and insisting on taking their offspring home. At three fifteen I dismissed Ross Coulter, the only remaining pupil but he was back within ten minutes.
"My mum should have been waiting to collect me but she's still not here."
"Do you have your phone on you Ross?"
"Yes, but she's not answering that either."
"She could be on her way. She can't answer if she's driving."
"I never thought of that."
"Well, if you've got your phone, you might as well stay here in the warm," I volunteered. I was as anxious to get home as everybody else but I couldn't insist on his freezing outside and, if the traffic conditions were still bad, it wouldn't make any difference anyway.
"Thank you Sir," said Ross as he sat himself down on one of the desks on the front row. It wasn't where he normally sat, but he had just selected the nearest desk.
Grev Kennedy walked in through the open door, knocking preremptorily on the door as he did so.
"Ross, can you come to my office please?" he asked the boy. "You too Mr. Ito."
I nodded to Ross and we both followed the principal.
Grev sat himself at his desk and looked from one of us to the other. Quietly he said,
"Ross, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Your mother was involved in a road accident after she dropped you off here this morning. The police have just contacted me about it. They say I have to contact social services. Does anybody else live with you?"
The boy was clearly not in the mood for answering questions.
"Take your time Ross," I said very quietly as I guided him to a seat.
Grev caught on quickly. He still kept his voice quiet and calm.
"I'm sorry Ross. I have to ask. Does anybody else live with you beside your mum?"
The boy shook his head
"No Sir," he whispered, but it was barely audible.
"Your mum is in hospital," Grev said, even more quietly. "Do you have any uncles, aunts or grandparents who might look after you till she gets better?"
This seemed to call for intense thought. It involved screwing his eyes tightly shut.
"You'd best call Social Services before they pack up for the day," I said.
Grev was well aware that I'd dealt with Social Services before.
"Who...?"
"Ask for Mrs. Jenkins," I replied. "She'll sort you out."
"Could you....?" he nodded toward the door to his outer office.
"Of course," I said. "Come on Ross."
The school secretary had gone home so I seated Ross at her desk.
"Would you like a cup of tea Ross?" I asked, preparing to make myself one.
"Is there any coffee?"
"Yes, there is and Mrs. Gilligan has even left us some biscuits."
The kettle was fast boiling so I quickly made my tea and coffee for Ross.
"Don't worry, Mrs. Gilligan brings in a new packet each day," I told him as I passed him a couple of ginger nuts.
"She's coming over," said Grev, from the doorway to his office. "I don't know how long it will take her though as conditions are really bad in the city."
"Snow?"
"Not yet, but the fog is denser than ever and it's precipitating out of it. It's too cold to melt the frost though, so it's just adding a couple of layers on top of it."
"It'll take her at least half an hour then - probably an hour. It's a good job Mrs. Gilligan left us the biscuits."
I passed him a cup of tea.
"Thanks Si.. er... Mr Ito," he muttered.
Well it didn't get any better. Mrs. Coulter, we discovered, had been driving the car that had totalled Justin's car outside Carrow Road football ground. Justin had walked away but Mrs. Coulter left in an ambulance. From Grev's office window we watched darkness fall over the city. As darkness fell the fog receded and the first flakes of snow began to drift down. Then came Mrs. Jenkins.
"I've got a case worker trying to sort out what we can do for you Ross, but she's struggling to find out anything about you. Do you know if you have any family anywhere?"
"There isn't anybody. Only my dad, but I don't know where he is."
"Well we couldn't get you to him tonight anyway. We'll try to get you a place in Eastwold for tonight at least."
Those were her words, but the expression on her face as she gazed at me said something different.
The snow drifted silently down.