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fellowshippers2006-09-18 10:12 am
ex-salwood.livejournal.com) wrote in fellowshippers2006-09-18 10:12 am
Fic: The Light in the Dark
Title: The Light in the Dark
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
salwood
Rating: 15
Pairing: Domlijah
Summary: This story is set during 1943 and the Second World War. Along with thousands of other men who had signed up to fight, Dominic and Elijah found themselves being drafted down the pits, and into a life of 'industrial slavery'
Disclaimer: Although the facts are real, the characters are not.
The Light in the Dark
It was hot and humid and a strong earthy smell filled the air. No - it was much more than a smell… it was a taste, a cloying taste which clung to the back of the palate. It was unwanted, intrusive, and totally alien… but it was a taste destined to become a way of life for all newcomers down the pit.
At last the machinery fell quiet, and men gathered in small groups to take much needed refreshment after hours toiling at the coal face. Some stripped down to their waists in a vain effort to cool down, their helmets discarded momentarily as they ran fingers through blackened sweat-soaked hair.
Two young men sat apart from the hardened colliers. During the four weeks of training they had received they had only spent the equivalent of two working days down a pit, and those hours had only been bearable because they had been short and under the guidance of their ‘training gaffer’. But things were very different now.
For ‘now’ had become the real world, and no longer a training college. ‘Now’ was nine hours a day underground with men who despised you for being there. ‘Now’ was a life of toil - defending your country in a way you had never thought possible.
Sweat turned coal dust into black rivulets that no amount of wiping would clear away - and Dominic had to resist the urge to do just that to the man sitting next to him. He glanced at the young man whom he had only known for a few brief hours. It was obvious that he was exhausted and too tired to wipe the muck from his eyes. He was even too tired to lift his water tin to his lips to take a much needed drink, which, although warm, would wash away that ever-present taste.
Beneath the black dust and grime, the young man’s face was pale - Dominic hadn’t seen him until that morning. He was a new recruit - just one of four who were posted in the night before, and like all the new boys who had come before him, and who would inevitably follow, the young man had been forced onto his hands and knees by jeering colliers and made to crawl, with mandrel in hand towards the coal face, only to be sent back immediately accompanied by the usual profanities with words such as - “we need a boy, not a toy!”
Dominic had witnessed it all before. It could be a cruel world down the pits.
“Over here!” he had called to the bewildered man. “Come on! Here! What’s your name?”
The young man looked at Dominic, unsure how to respond.
“Your name?” Dominic wiped his brow. “We’ve all got names, mate, even down this god forsaken hole. Mine’s Dominic, Dom for short. And if you’re not allocated I could do with some help - my pony went lame this morning, and they didn’t replace her. In fact I need all the bloody help I can get, because I’m not getting it from any of them!” Dominic waved in the direction of the coal face.
The young man did not respond.
“Mate!?” Dominic held out his hands. “Please. I’m asking if you can give me a hand?”
The man looked at him, and then looked back towards the dark tunnel he had just crawled from.
A yell…. a command echoing from the same tunnel sent Dominic scurrying. He glanced back at the man.
“My pony is down, and I’m on my own. Are you going to help me or not?”
“I….I… don’t know. I’m…I’m lost…” The man looked beyond Dominic for help… but Dominic seemed to be alone. Where was his gaffer? Where were the other boys?
“There’s been an emergency along another shaft,” Dominic told him. “All the loaders and most of the colliers are tied up. Because I’m not one of them I’m on my bloody own. And if you can’t help, then I suggest you just sod off and weep in someone else’s bowl!”
Dominic turned on his heels… and vanished into the darkness.
“It’s Elijah!” Elijah called after Dominic as he watched the glow from Dominic’s oil lamp slowly dim.
Dominic had not heard him, and suddenly Elijah felt very alone. He looked above him at the ceiling and the wooden beams that held back thousands of tons of earth, and felt trapped and extremely vulnerable. If hell was indeed to be found underground, then he was surely in it.
It seemed so long ago that Elijah had experienced the feeling of pride when he had received his conscript papers. He had been going to fight for freedom alongside his fellow countrymen, but he had ended up here, in the bowels of the earth with no gun in hand…no enemy to defeat. He hadn’t joined up for this… he had joined up to fight, not to live a nocturnal life producing coal for the war effort.
Time passed with not a soul to be seen, and then silence descended momentarily as all machinery seemed to pause…but despite this Elijah heard the cranking of wheels grinding against metal tracks. He turned towards the solitary sound, and in the dim light of the tunnel he could see Dominic pushing a tram slowly towards him. One man attempting the work of a pit pony? What an impossible task!
Elijah took in a deep breath as he looked about him. There was still no one around to tell him what to do. He presumed his gaffer had been called to the emergency, abandoning his pupil without a word. Elijah looked along the tunnel towards the eerie glow of one man’s lamp in a void of darkness and could just make out Dominic’s face bathed in sweat as he toiled to push the newly carved coal towards its destination.
It took every single ounce of strength he had….which Dominic knew wasn’t enough. The tram, if being pulled by his pony, would have been filled to the brim, but without his pony it barely held anything. The tram on its own weighed nothing short of a ton!
Dominic pushed! His boots scrabbled against the dirt floor kicking up dust. He felt his muscles scream in agony as every sinew cracked, and tendon stretched. To not move the coal was unthinkable, even though it seemed a futile job. At least he was trying. For all the abuse he received from the colliers he was working with, at least they could see that he was no sissy college boy. Unlike many of his counterparts Dominic didn’t tremble with fear at the thought of descending two thousand feet into the belly of the earth. He knew he had no choice in the matter. He had been chosen to work in the mines, and there was nothing he, or any of the other conscripts selected could do to change that decision. To refuse was to be imprisoned. Dominic was sure that this was the lesser of the two evils, although he knew others would think differently.
A figure suddenly appeared by Dominic’s side. Dominic looked up and nodded as Elijah joined him. They both grunted as they put their full body weight behind the tram, and between them they brought the tram home. Once it was delivered to the cage in order to begin its journey to the surface, they selected an empty tram, and the whole procedure began over again.
Elijah stayed by Dominic’s side helping him push the coal. For hours they worked together with no break, until the alarm bell sounded. Elijah looked at Dominic who straightened up and stretched his aching back muscles.
“Time to eat,” he said to Elijah. “You’ve got your rations?”
Elijah shook his head.
“Never forget your rations,” Dominic told Elijah as he began walking towards the designated rest area. “They taught us that in training, remember?”
Elijah stumbled along behind Dominic, wanting to tell Dominic that his gaffer had his rations, but he didn’t have the energy to talk. Training had been one thing… this… this life below ground was going to kill him, he was sure of it.
Elijah stopped in his tracks as he looked ahead at the group of colliers all chatting while eating and drinking their fill. He didn’t want to approach them; he felt intimidated by them. He didn’t want to stay down here for one more second. Prison had to be better than this.
An arm touched his shoulder and urged him gently onwards. Elijah looked into Dominic’s blackened face, and saw his eyes crinkle with concern for him.
“Come on,” Dominic looked towards the men. “We’ll sit apart. I always do. They need us. They know that, and we know that, but do you think they will ever admit to it?”
Elijah didn’t answer.
“Never. Not ever,” Dominic answered on his behalf. “I just keep my distance, you know? I sleep, I eat, and I do my job. I have a pint at the weekend when it’s my day off. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Dominic ushered Elijah to a spot away from the men. They both sat down, Elijah heavily. Elijah closed his eyes; all he wanted to do was sleep. He had been in temporary accommodation the night before, and slept on a bed that had been as comfortable as a block of wood.
He was hungry but had no food; he was thirsty but didn’t have the energy to take a drink. This was his first day down the pit, how was he going to survive the coming months? And, God forbid, but what if the war went on for years? It was an unbearable thought.
I’d rather take my chances on the battlefield, Elijah thought. Then the curtain of sleep came and took him.
Dominic sipped his water; he used one mouthful to rinse his mouth and spat the dust- contaminated fluid onto the floor. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked at the exhausted sleeping man beside him. He realised that he still didn’t know his name.
Dominic took in the small frame of the man. Man? He couldn’t be any older than eighteen, nineteen at the most, and he certainly wasn’t built for this type of work. The Government in their wisdom were sending boys down the mines. It didn’t matter what class you were or what job you held, if your number was selected then you had no choice. Well, in theory there was a choice, you could refuse, but that would mean spending three months in a jail cell, and at the end of those three months if you still refused then you were sent straight back to jail. What a system! You didn’t dare refuse.
During his three months working down this particular pit Dominic knew of two fellow conscripts who had gone, vanished into the night - absent without leave, and the punishment for that didn’t bear thinking about.
He hoped the young man beside him wouldn’t try anything like that, but he could see why someone so young and vulnerable could be tempted by such an act of treason. Dominic glanced at the other colliers - they were a world apart from the likes of himself and the thousands of other conscripts forced underground. Those colliers were born into this way of life. Mining for coal had been in their families for generations and they didn’t take too kindly to outsiders joining them.
“We got handed a rough deal, my mate,” Dominic spoke softly to Elijah. “And there’s not a thing we can do about it.” Dominic took a bite of his pasty - the pastry had softened into a gooey consistency, but it still tasted like food fit for a king. He took another mouthful of water, and studied Elijah a little more.
The boy was fast asleep. His chin had dropped to his chest and his breathing had become shallow. One thing you never did was sleep down the mine, so reluctantly Dominic prodded Elijah awake.
Elijah’s eyes opened with a start, he looked around wildly, wondering where he was. Then he saw Dominic crouching in front of him.
“Here.” Dominic handed Elijah the rest of his pasty.
“I can’t,” Elijah refused. “It’s yours, Dominic. You need it.”
“Here…” Dominic placed the pasty in Elijah’s dirty hand. “You need to eat it, and if you don’t, then the rats will.”
Elijah’s eyes quickly scanned the area for vermin, but saw none, although he knew the mine was teeming with them.
“Thank you.” Elijah took a bite.
“Well, you know my name, but I still don’t know yours. Are you going to tell me, or do you want me to call you ‘my mate’ all the time?”
Elijah almost smiled, and Dominic grinned back at him. “Nearly had you smiling then. Be careful. I would hate anyone to think that we were actually enjoying ourselves down this hell hole.”
Dominic’s effort at a bit of light humour fell flat, as Elijah closed his eyes again. Dominic was worried that the boy was going to cry. The colliers would have loved that. The lad would find no peace down here; he would be forever taunted about it and laughed at wherever he went.
“Hey.” Dominic gripped Elijah’s arm tightly. “Don’t you go giving in now, not when you’ve just started. I’ll see if I can speak to my gaffer and request that you join me. It’s hard work on my own, and many of the other lads have assistants. You do like horses, don’t you?”
Elijah opened his eyes again, they were wet, but he held back the tears. He nodded and whispered. “Yes.” His voice was thick and barely audible. "Back home my parents have a stable - we have several horses.”
“Excellent!” Dominic smiled. “That makes you more than qualified. I’ll get my gaffer to talk with your gaffer. We’ll get it sorted out, one way or another. Don’t you worry….umm…?” Dominic stopped mid-sentence. “Are you ever going to tell me your name?”
Elijah then smiled, really smiled, and for the first time since he had met him Dominic saw light shine from his eyes.
“Yes, it’s Elijah - my name is Elijah.”
Dominic nodded. “Very pleased to meet you, Elijah - my mate,” Dominic grinned.
Elijah couldn’t help laughing out loud as he shook Dominic’s proffered hand.
The group of colliers went silent at the sound of laughter and looked over towards the two men.
The smile vanished from Elijah’s face as he became an object of scrutiny, but Dominic paid the colliers no heed. He was used to them. “Come on, Elijah…” He stood up pulling Elijah to his feet. “Timmo’s here.”
“Timmo?”
“My gaffer. Hopefully he will have news on Lucy.”
“Lucy?” Elijah queried, his eyes not leaving a tall hard-looking collier who was making his way towards them.
“My pony.”
Elijah nodded.
“Dominic!” Timmo glanced at Elijah and then back at his charge. “Why aren’t you at the stable, boy?”
“I was told it would take some time to re-shoe Lucy, so I reported back here, but most of the drivers and loaders had been called to help with the emergency. I just got on with it, sir. The men at the face needed someone to shift the coal.”
Timmo just stared at Dominic then his harsh face softened a little. “That’s very noble of you, my lad, but you know these are horse-driven roads, and therefore dangerous. If you want to change your employment to trammer just say the word, because God knows we are short of them.…”
“But…”
Timmo waved his hand to silence Dominic and then looked at Elijah again. “Talking of which… if you are a trammer, boy, then you are in the wrong place.”
“He’s been short-listed for the stables, Timmo,” Dominic butted in lying through his teeth. “But what with the emergency and everything, he hasn’t been shown the way.”
“Short-listed? I’ve not been informed of any new boys attached to me.” Timmo looked confused as he scratched his head.
Elijah remained silent.
“That’s because he is one of mine!” A loud voice echoed from down the tunnel. “I lost him in the confusion this morning.”
A hefty looking collier came to stand in front of Dominic and Elijah. "Come on, Wood, we’re in Eden shaft, a good two mile walk away - we’ve already lost a morning’s worth of work, so let’s get moving!”
Elijah remained where he was.
“I said let’s get moving!”
Timmo looked at Dominic’s face and could see his eyes silently pleading with him to let Elijah stay.
Timmo liked Dominic; unlike the other raw conscripts that had been landed at his door, Dominic had been more than willing to learn, and wasn’t afraid of the back-breaking work in intolerable conditions. Dominic had never once complained about his plight, unlike the majority of the other whining recruits who had arrived with him. He always reported early for his shift, and was usually one of the last to leave. He kept himself to himself for the most part, and had an extraordinary way with horses; he and Lucy were developing into a devoted and hard-working team.
Timmo had never seen Dominic bother very much with any of the other conscripts when off duty. He definitely was something of a loner, and could usually be found sitting by himself in a quiet corner of the village pub every Sunday evening nursing his glass of ale.
Dominic had never asked for anything… until now?
“Ah, yes…now wait, Vic, I do recall.” Timmo nodded as he looked at his fellow collier. “Wood… he was assigned to you, but his horse experience meant he was reshuffled into my arena.”
“Reshuffled?” Vic stood with hands on hips. He was not amused.
Timmo nodded again as he looked at Elijah and Dominic; they were both holding their breaths.
“The new consignment of ponies coming decided it.”
“New consignment?”
“Due in next week. Wood here is to partner up with Monaghan to learn the ropes. His vast knowledge of horses means he’s with me. You have plenty of others, Vic, who can load the coal, but experienced horsemen are few and far between.”
Vic did not look impressed. He stared at Dominic and Elijah without saying a word. All the other colliers who were returning to work pushed past the foursome as they made their way back to the coal face.
Then suddenly Vic came to life. “Why didn’t the bloody foreman tell me this, this morning? I’ve got better things to do than bloody well chase after these blighters in the first place, let alone walk miles for one of them not even under my charge!”
Elijah swallowed hard, and did not even blink as he felt Dominic step closer to him.
“Sorry, Vic.” Timmo shrugged his shoulders. “But that’s the way of it.”
It looked like Vic had much more to say on this matter, and Dominic was sure that would be so above ground, but for now Vic just cursed under his breath. He threw Elijah’s ration tin on the ground, and then spun on his heels and stormed off in the direction he had come.
Timmo then eyed Dominic and Elijah. “Why I did that, I will never know.”
Dominic smiled at his boss. “You won’t regret it, sir. I’ll teach Elijah everything I know. He’ll be one of the best drivers down here, you’ll see.”
Timmo looked at Elijah, and seriously doubted Dominic’s words. “Well, young man… Elijah… you are going to have a lot to learn if you are going to be as good as Dominic, but follow his lead and you should do well.”
“Thank you, sir,” Elijah finally spoke.
“And don’t call me "sir". I’m not in the forces, you know. It’s Timmo, and I’ve told him that more times that I can remember.” Timmo jabbed his finger at Dominic.
Dominic grinned.
“Now… to the stable, Dominic. Take Elijah, briefly show him the ropes, and then prepare Lucy… we have to make up for lost time, here.”
“Yes, sir!” Dominic grinned again.
Timmo rolled his eyes. “In the meanwhile I’m going to have to persuade old Moses in the delegation office once I’m above ground, to change Elijah’s paperwork.”
“Thank you, sir,” Elijah said again, softly.
Timmo looked at him, and sighed; the lad still looked terrified. “Right, back to work!” Timmo waved his hand in dismissal, and then left them alone.
Dominic picked up his water and food tin, and handed Elijah his and then reattached his own to his belt. “Follow me,” he said to Elijah, and they began to walk.
Elijah remained quiet, sipping his water as Dominic led the way to the stables. It was a long dark walk, as everywhere was in this pit, but he knew when they were getting nearer because of the smell. Although the ponies were well looked after, nothing could get rid of that acrid ‘horse smell’.
“Lucy is down here…” Dominic said as they passed stall after stall.
Elijah looked into the empty compartments. Each pony had its own stall, with its name written in chalk on a board. Just two chains across the front of each stall prevented the ponies from escaping. It seemed an inadequate means of confinement, but it was all that was needed to keep the ponies secure.
“Here she is.” Dominic looked back at Elijah. The light in the stables was extremely dim, and to help combat this, all the stalls were whitewashed, but it did little to penetrate the gloom below ground. The ponies had to get used to living in a world of perpetual darkness.
Lucy whinnied when she heard Dominic’s voice.
“Hello, girl!” Dominic stroked Lucy’s neck. “How are you? Do you know what work you’ve put me through, while you’ve taken a little holiday?”
“How do they get used to this, Dominic?” Elijah’s voice sounded alien in the dark. At times Dominic thought it was easy to forget that Elijah was with him because he barely said anything.
Lucy’s ears pricked at the sound of a new voice.
“Lucy, meet Elijah.”
Dominic pulled Elijah to him, and put his arm around Elijah’s shoulders, holding him firmly.
“And Elijah, meet Lucy, my one and only friend in this hell from home.”
Elijah nodded at the pony. “Nice to meet you, Lucy.”
Dominic squeezed Elijah’s shoulder before releasing him.
“Right, I need to rig her. Elijah, if you could stand over there out of the way, just in case she decides to bolt, which she won’t ever do. But you know, better safe than sorry. Then I can get her harness on.”
Elijah stood back as he watched Dominic work on his pony, all the time he was talking to her and stroking her; Lucy barely moved an inch.
Elijah heard the clipping of hooves, and through the gloom he saw a pony approaching, led by a tired looking driver. The driver nodded at Elijah as he walked by. The pony was as black as his carer; the coal dust clung to everything it touched whether man or beast.
“… so you may have some competition there, Lucy. Elijah seems like a good bloke…”
Elijah blinked as he overheard those words. Dominic seemed to be lost in his one sided conversation with Lucy.
“There aren’t many I would stand up for… but he seems different, you know? Quite special.”
Elijah wondered if Dominic knew he could hear him.
Dominic then stood up and looked over Lucy’s flanks, directly at Elijah. “Very special,” he said.
Elijah just stared at him.
*
Shift end, and the long walk back to the cage. Elijah felt weary. He didn’t think he would have the energy to wash, let alone eat; he just wanted to go to bed. Even the block of wood he slept on last night was a welcoming thought. They joined the other colliers for the stomach churning ride to the surface. Once squashed into the cage, and the long dark ascent began, Elijah felt an arm wrap itself around his waist. Panic instantly gripped him only to be alleviated when a voice whispered in his ear.
“It’s only me…”
Dominic…?
Elijah felt himself relax a little. Somehow Dominic’s arm around him made him feel safer. No one else could see… but he could feel… and yes… he did feel safe - extremely safe. Elijah smiled as he placed his hand over Dominic’s. The cage continued to the surface.
After handing their lamps in the lamp room, they made their way with the other colliers to the pit-head baths. This pit they found themselves allocated to was one of the first in the country to have such a facility, and it made a huge difference to the miners’ lives.
As usual there was much banter taking place as the men entered the hot showers. Dominic usually held off for as long as he could before entering, wanting as much privacy as possible. He took his time cleaning his boots in the boot room, keeping Elijah back with him. Then finally, when the noise quietened down, he led Elijah into the locker room, and they both undressed and took to the showers. They were not completely alone, and they entered cubicles opposite each other.
It took a lot of scrubbing to remove dirt and coal dust from skin and hair, and the shower cubicle floor turned black for a while before the water ran clear. Dominic who had closed his eyes while the dust cleansed from his body, finally blinked them open to find Elijah staring at him from his opposite cubicle. The cubicles were completely open from the front, which meant no privacy, and Dominic noted that Elijah had not yet scrubbed clean.
They stared at each other, unmoving, as hot water pummelled their shoulders; it was as if they were the only two men in the baths as everything around them seemed to fade away, leaving just them…
…completely naked…
… opposite each other…
… eyes locked on one another’s bodies…
Dominic felt his heart race as Elijah continued to stare at him, and then quite unexpectantly he found himself having to fight down another overwhelming urge (the second that day to do with this man) of stepping into Elijah’s shower with him and running the soap bar over his body, rubbing away all grime and sweat from hours of toil.
But Dominic was no fool; he was more than aware that such an act would lead to a lengthy spell in jail if caught, but there was something about the man opposite him - a man whom he had known for not even twenty four hours - that was gradually seducing him. Dominic shook the water from his hair as he continued to look at Elijah. Never before had he experienced feelings like this, and it was beginning to scare him.
You do feel the same way, don’t you, Elijah? Dominic asked himself this question as he continued to stare at Elijah. But of course he knew the answer, because the answer was standing there in front of him, looking at him, drawing him in.
Voices drifted over the sound of the showers as a group of late comers entered the baths, and Elijah turned away from Dominic to attend to his business. Dominic switched off his shower, grabbed his towel and made his way back to the locker room. As he towelled off he tried to understand what was happening between himself and Elijah. He was attracted to him, he was in no doubt about that… he’d known that from the first time he had laid eyes on him that morning, but was it just physical attraction, or something else?
Dominic had known for a long time that the female form held no interest for him, but he had never had a relationship with another man, either. He had worshipped from afar on one or two occasions, but had never made it known, and now, here he was, today, falling for a young lad who had literally come crashing into his world.
“Elijah Wood… what are you doing to me?” Dominic sat down and stared at the locker room floor as he quietly spoke those words. “Are you going to break my heart?”
“Been underground too long today, mate.”
Dominic looked up at a towel-wrapped colleague.
“Talking to yourself - it’s a sure sign.”
Dominic just nodded and agreed, hoping the man would just sod off and leave him alone. When the collier realised that no conversation was going to be forthcoming from Dominic, he did indeed, move on.
Dominic stared at the floor again, only to see a pair of wet feet stand before him. He knew it was Elijah.
Please God, have your towel wrapped around you. Dominic slowly looked up to find Elijah standing completely naked before him, dripping wet, with his towel draped loosely around his shoulders.
Dominic suddenly became angry. He stood up, grabbed his clothes and moved to the far end of the locker room, leaving a rather bewildered and confused Elijah to get dressed on his own. Then without a word, Dominic left for the pit canteen, leaving Elijah to find his own way back to the hostel.
*
Dominic lay on his bunk staring up at the ceiling. He hadn’t eaten his meal in the canteen; his stomach had been too knotted. God, he was confused. This morning his day had started normally. There was an emergency in Noah shaft, but thankfully no one was killed, and that was great news in itself. But that emergency had led to an unexpected encounter with a man – a man who was too beautiful for words….
Dominic blinked hard. Jesus Christ, yes! Elijah was beautiful… and painfully so. When he stood before him in the locker room, naked, with wet hair falling around his pale face, his eyes so large … so bloody blue and piercing, Dominic knew that he was becoming lost. And he had hated that feeling of losing control.
But I instigated it, he suddenly thought. I lied for him, and I put my arm around him in the bloody cage and held him to me. Then I go and walk out on him. Christ! What is bloody wrong with me? I need my head examined.
*
“Monaghan!”
Dominic sat up quickly at the sound of authority. The pit deputy foreman entered the sixteen man room.
“Apparently you are taking this young man under your wing?”
Elijah stepped out from behind the deputy foreman; in his arms he held a bed pack, and on his back was his rucksack filled with everything he owned.
Dominic stood up; he thrust his hands into his pockets as he looked at Elijah.
“Well?” The deputy foreman pushed Elijah forwards. “Show him his bunk, then. Step to, lad!”
The deputy foreman then left.
Elijah stood in front of Dominic, and couldn’t help remembering the last time he did so, barely two hours before, and he had been completely naked.
Elijah side-stepped Dominic and placed his bedding on the empty bunk beside his.
“Is this one alright with you?” he asked. “Or would you like me to move?” Elijah refused to make eye contact as he asked Dominic the question.
Dominic suddenly felt awful... and totally confused… he wasn’t sure how to deal with this right now.
“I’ll move.” Elijah bent down to pick up his bedding.
“No!” Dominic was surprised by the loudness of his own voice. “No… that bunk is fine with me. It’s yours.”
Now Elijah wasn’t sure. He hesitated.
“I mean it. That bunk is yours.” Dominic knew he was over-emphasizing his words. Elijah looked like he wanted to bolt.
“It’s yours, Elijah…” Dominic softened his voice. “That bed is yours.”
Elijah dropped his belonging onto the floor and then sat down heavily at the end of his bed resting his head in his hands.
Dominic heard him mumble something but couldn’t make it out.
Dominic glanced at the other occupants of the room. They were engrossed in books or letters home, not one of them had paid the slightest attention to the new member who had just joined their block.
Elijah remained with his head in his hands, and Dominic felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. This was his fault, he had caused this.
He looked around the room again nervously, and then crouched down opposite Elijah.
“Elijah…” he whispered Elijah’s name, but got no response. “Elijah?” he spoke again, but nothing. “Elijah?” This time Dominic put his hand on Elijah’s knee, which was immediately thrown off with spiteful words.
“Don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me again!”
Dominic felt crushed, but knew he deserved that venomous retort.
“Elijah, I’m really sorry. I am. I’m very, very sorry.”
Elijah lowered his hands and looked directly into Dominic’s eyes. “Sorry for what? Touching me? Holding me in the cage?”
Dominic looked around again. “Elijah, we can’t talk here. Come on… come with me for a drink. At least let me buy you a beer?”
Elijah looked away in disgust.
“Please, Elijah. I owe you an apology. I’m sorry. This whole thing is my fault. I don’t know what came over me… I… I just can’t explain it.”
Elijah stood up and walked away. “Just fuck off, Dominic! I mistakenly thought you were my friend.”
“I am, Elijah. I am. Please… come with me for a drink. It’s not far; we really need to talk.”
Elijah contemplated telling Dominic to fuck off again, but could see by the look in his eyes that Dominic was sincere. He unravelled his coat from his rucksack and shrugged it on.
Dominic felt a huge sense of relief as he picked up his own coat.
“It’s only twenty minutes down the road.”
They both walked to the village pub in complete and utter silence.
As it was mid week the pub was fairly quiet. Dominic indicated to a table in the corner and Elijah took a seat while Dominic bought the beers. When he returned he placed a full pint glass in front of Elijah and then sat down beside him.
Elijah looked at the drink in front of him.
“I don’t drink,” he said, quietly.
Dominic choked as he took his first mouthful of beer.
“Well, why didn’t you say something, Elijah?”
“You didn’t ask what I wanted. You just presumed, just like you did today.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You presumed I was one of those queer boys, didn’t you? And you led me on. You led me on so far down the bloody garden path that I followed.”
“It wasn’t like that, Elijah.”
“It wasn’t? Well, I would dearly like to hear your explanation of it.”
Dominic looked down at this drink trying to think of the right words that were going to make sense of this whole situation.
“Dominic?”
Dominic looked at Elijah… but no answers were forthcoming.
“Jesus Christ, Dom…”
“I know…” Dominic looked forlorn as he chewed on his bottom lip… he knew what he wanted to say, but he just didn’t know how to say it.
Elijah sighed as he looked around the smokey room. He looked at Dominic again and then absently ran his finger around the top of his glass. “Do you know what, Dom? From the moment I received those orders sending me down the mines, I knew I wouldn’t make it. Underground that is. It’ll be the death of me.”
“You don’t know that, none of us knows that.”
“There’ll be no heroic death on the battlefield for me, no medal of honour fighting for my country. It’ll be a ceiling fall… or a fucking explosion.”
Dominic fell silent. He didn’t want to hear such talk.
Elijah continued. “But somehow today… my first day in hell, I actually felt a ray of hope. Can you bloody believe that? And it was all because of you. Because you were there in that tunnel, like it was meant to be.”
Dominic stared at Elijah wanting to say something… but still felt powerless to do so.
“I don’t know how to explain it, Dom, but I felt safe with you… more than safe. I felt protected, and for a moment I even felt wanted. In that cage you held me and that felt so bloody good. In the showers you watched me. You watched me and you wanted me. I know you wanted me. And I gave myself. I was there for you, but then you turned me away. You took away that small amount of hope that I had, Dom.” Elijah looked down at his drink. “Just don’t ever hold me like that again.”
Dominic’s stomach churned, he felt sick and light-headed. He looked at Elijah, this young lad who had been so honest with him. He had brought him here to tell him why he had acted the way he had, and had said nothing. Why was he such a coward?
“Honesty always pays in the end, doesn’t it?”
“What?” Elijah looked at Dominic.
Dominic blinked, he had realised that he had spoken his thoughts out loud. He looked at Elijah; his heart was thumping so loud that he was sure that Elijah could hear it.
“Dom?”
“I did, Elijah…” Dominic finally confessed, feeling a wave of relief as he did so.
“You did what?”
“Want you.”
Elijah took in a sharp breath, he hadn’t expected this. Wanted it, yes, but hadn’t expected it.
“Like I do, right now,” Dominic continued. “But having you sitting there hating me is all but killing me off.”
Elijah shook his head. “I don’t hate you! Jesus Christ, Dom, who said I hated you? I hate this bloody life I’ve found myself in. I hate the thought of going underground tomorrow morning, and every bloody morning for the rest of the war. But I don’t hate you.”
Dominic nodded and lowered his head. Elijah looked at him, and saw such a different man from the confident person who had ‘rescued’ him that morning.
“I could never hate you, Dominic.”
“I am so sorry, Elijah…” was all Dominic could say. “I’ve confused you… I’ve confused myself. I honestly don’t know what is happening to me.”
“It’s alright, Dom...” Elijah looked about him and then hesitantly placed his hand over Dominic’s. “It really is alright.”
Dominic swallowed hard as he looked at Elijah’s slim hand covering his own; he could still see coal dust ingrained in his skin, especially in the areas where first day blisters had broken. This was not the hand of a miner, and never would be, but the hand of a lover? No, what was he thinking? That must never happen.
Dominic began to tremble.
“Hey…” Elijah gently took Dominic’s hand and held it in his.
Dominic looked at Elijah who stared back at him unblinkingly. Elijah then lowered their hands under the table so no one else could see them. He smiled at Dominic, whose face was serious, but very pale. Elijah gripped Dominic’s hand a little tighter, trying to reassure him, trying to put him at ease.
But Dominic was anything but at ease. He was sure that he was going to pass out at any second, because Elijah’s hand felt so good in his own. He had never held anyone’s hand in his life before. Elijah’s skin was warm and soft… and… Dominic closed his eyes. Christ, what was he doing?
They sat in silence, unmoving.
Elijah squeezed Dominic’s hand again, praying that Dominic would not pull away, but felt that he would wait forever waiting for some sort of reaction, and was just about to give up and let go, when Dominic opened his eyes again, looked at him, and linked his fingers in between Elijah’s, gripping Elijah’s hand tightly.
There they sat for what seemed an age, secretly holding hands, and saying nothing. They stared at their untouched drinks.
The few locals who had been in the pub left, leaving Dominic and Elijah as the sole occupants other than the landlord, who looked at the clock and then directly at the lads and shouted. “Last orders!”
“We have to go.” Dominic finally spoke.
“I know,” Elijah quietly responded.
“I don’t want to go.” Dominic looked at his flat beer.
“Neither do I.”
They both fell silent again.
“Gentlemen, will there be any last orders?” The landlord called over to them, but wasn’t hopeful as he eyed their full glasses.
They both politely shook their heads.
The landlord sighed and then went about clearing the empties.
Dominic shuffled in his chair; Elijah looked at him knowing that he was about to say something. This is where it will end, Elijah thought. Right before it even begins. Dominic just cannot do it.
“This is not good, Elijah.” Dominic’s words were not unexpected, but they still hurt. “However much we want this, you know we can’t start anything.”
Elijah nodded and lowered his head in resignation. “Yes, Dom, I do know,” he said.
But their fingers still remained locked.
“It’s far better to stop anything now. Before it happens.”
“I totally agree.”
“We’ll just be friends… working partners. I teach, you learn. No emotional attachments.”
Elijah swallowed, and nodded again. But Dominic’s hand gripped his even tighter. Elijah knew that deep down Dominic did not want to let this go, and neither did he, so he tried changing tactics. “You know, Dom,” Elijah smiled at Dominic, “I hadn’t realised your hair was fair.”
That statement threw Dominic right off his train of thought.
“Down the pit, you hair was black, obviously,” Elijah continued. “But as I watched you shower, it slowly dawned on me that you were actually fair.”
“Elijah, Jesus Christ!” Dominic pulled his hand free, and then he lowered his voice. “We can’t start anything. You know that. Another time, another place… maybe… but not here, not at this pit. It’s bloody impossible.”
“You know what?” Elijah snapped. “You’re fucking right.” He stood up quickly, knocking his chair over. He picked up his glass of beer and downed it in one go, spilling half of its contents down his shirt.
“Elijah, what are you doing?” Dominic stood up as well. “You told me you didn’t drink!”
“I can do what I bloody well like,” Elijah slammed his empty glass down on the table. “And tomorrow I’m going to ask for a transfer.” He stepped in closer to Dominic and whispered harshly. “If you don’t want anything to happen between us, Dom, then it’s best that I’m out of the picture.” He quickly shrugged on his coat. “I’ll move rooms, too! Goodbye, Dominic. It was nice knowing you.” Elijah left without another word and did not look back.
Dominic stared at the back of the pub door feeling shocked and angry. Why the hell was he letting this kid turn his bloody life upside down? He didn’t even know him. He glanced over at the landlord and then grabbed his coat and ran outside after Elijah.
He saw him, head down against the cold wind walking back towards the hostel.
“Elijah!” Dominic called. “Wait!”
Elijah ignored him.
“I said wait!” Dominic jogged to catch Elijah. He grabbed his arm and swung him around so that they faced each other. He saw Elijah’s cheeks were wet.
“Elijah?”
“Fuck off, Dominic!” Elijah wrenched his arm free and continued walking.
Dominic caught up with him again.
“Elijah. Stop!”
Elijah ignored him.
“For crying out loud, will you just wait a minute?”
“Wait for you?” Elijah turned on Dominic. “Why? To be humiliated even further? Go away, Dominic, you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.” He turned away again.
“Elijah, please wait!”
Elijah turned on Dominic again, but aggressively this time. “For what?” His voice rose. “Wait for what, Dominic? Tell me?”
Dominic couldn’t answer, even though his head was full of replies. Because I’m falling in love with you, seemed to be one of them. Christ, what sort of fucked-up reply was that, he barely knew the man.
“Oh, just sod off!” Elijah pushed Dominic out of his way.
“Elijah…!” Dominic grabbed Elijah’s hand, but Elijah tried to retract it.
“Let go, Dom!”
“Please. Don’t go.”
“What? Are you so addled that you can’t think straight anymore? Let me go.”
“No.” Dominic shook his head. “No… no, Elijah, that’s just it. I don’t think I can let you go.”
“You what?”
“You’ve done something to me. In here…” Dominic tapped his head, “…and here.” He tapped his chest. “You’ve come into my life like this…this whirlwind from nowhere and turned me upside down.”
Elijah said nothing.
The sound of an air raid siren suddenly broke the silence, and the village was plunged instantly into darkness, but the two men remained where they were. A three quarter moon eerily lit the deserted scene.
“I knew who I was, Elijah, until this morning,” Dominic’s face was etched with grief as he bared his soul to the man standing in front of him. “I knew where I was going, I knew everything about me, but your presence has changed all that and in just a few brief hours you have turned me inside out. All I know is that I do want you, Elijah, and I don’t mean to hurt you.” Dominic grasped Elijah’s hands. “Please… please don’t leave.”
The distant drone of approaching aircraft filled the air. Elijah glanced up and down the deserted streets and knew they were too far away from the hostel’s air raid shelters, so he grabbed Dominic’s arm and pulled him into an alleyway. Without the silvery moonlight for illumination they found themselves in pitch black surroundings, and Elijah couldn’t help but laugh.
“We’re back in the dark…”
“Elijah?” Dominic gripped Elijah’s hand tightly as they both slowly crouched down low. A squadron of German bombers flew overhead, onwards - towards their unknown destination.
“We’re back in the dark,” Elijah repeated, his voice low. “In the dark, where no one can see us…”
Dominic could hear Elijah’s voice but couldn’t see him and as the aircraft noise began to fade they rose to their feet, still holding hands.
“We’re invisible, just like before, Dom. Just like being down the pit…”
Dominic wondered if it was safe to leave the confines of the alleyway, and went to step outside but Elijah pulled him back in.
“I said no one can see us…”
Dominic turned his head towards Elijah’s voice as it slowly dawned on him what Elijah was saying. Then Dominic felt Elijah’s hand cup his chin and he held his breath as he waited - waited for that longed-for moment. The moment that he knew was going to change his life forever.
Dominic could hear Elijah’s breathing, and he could feel Elijah’s hot breath caress his neck and cheek, and then softly, oh so softly, Dominic felt Elijah’s mouth cover his own.
Dominic instantly sagged against the alleyway wall as his legs weakened, but Elijah held him up and their kiss developed. Elijah’s warm, wet mouth on his was nothing short of ecstasy, and when their tongues met for the very first time Dominic released a groan of untold pleasure as he slowly fell under the spell that was undoubtedly… Elijah.
“We can work it out, Dom,” Elijah spoke as he worked his mouth slowly towards Dominic’s ear, where he used his tongue to bring Dominic almost to his knees.
Dominic couldn’t reply so lost was he in this world that was completely new to him.
“We work in a mine, so many dark deserted places,” Elijah continued, as he let his hands roam Dominic’s clothed body. “No one will find us, Dom. We can keep it a secret. It’ll help us get through this nightmare, just knowing that we have each other.” Elijah continued to kiss him softly.
Dominic’s mouth was now responding fully to Elijah’s; he barely registered Elijah’s words, as all he wanted to do was kiss this man forever.
“Dom?” Elijah tried to regain some sort of control over the situation. “Dominic?”
“Oh… Elijah…” Dominic continued to kiss him.
A light came on in a small window above them, which chased away the darkness. Dominic finally pulled his mouth away from Elijah’s and looked at the man who had just ignited a fire so deep inside him that only death would extinguish it. He stroked the side of Elijah’s face. Their foreheads touched.
“Tell me you want this, Dominic,” Elijah whispered. “Before we leave this place of concealment, tell me you want this… you want us. I need to know.”
Dominic didn’t have to think, he now knew beyond any doubt that this was what he wanted.
“Yes, Elijah… I do. I do want us,” Dominic’s voice was barely a whisper as he answered. He leant in to kiss Elijah again. “I want you.”
Elijah smiled, and kissed Dominic before taking his hand and leading him back onto the street.
They walked back to the hostel, changed men. They knew they had a struggle in front of them, not just because of the work but because of the path they had chosen to lead, but together they knew, God willing, that they could probably make it.
End
Author:
salwoodRating: 15
Pairing: Domlijah
Summary: This story is set during 1943 and the Second World War. Along with thousands of other men who had signed up to fight, Dominic and Elijah found themselves being drafted down the pits, and into a life of 'industrial slavery'
Disclaimer: Although the facts are real, the characters are not.
The Light in the Dark
It was hot and humid and a strong earthy smell filled the air. No - it was much more than a smell… it was a taste, a cloying taste which clung to the back of the palate. It was unwanted, intrusive, and totally alien… but it was a taste destined to become a way of life for all newcomers down the pit.
At last the machinery fell quiet, and men gathered in small groups to take much needed refreshment after hours toiling at the coal face. Some stripped down to their waists in a vain effort to cool down, their helmets discarded momentarily as they ran fingers through blackened sweat-soaked hair.
Two young men sat apart from the hardened colliers. During the four weeks of training they had received they had only spent the equivalent of two working days down a pit, and those hours had only been bearable because they had been short and under the guidance of their ‘training gaffer’. But things were very different now.
For ‘now’ had become the real world, and no longer a training college. ‘Now’ was nine hours a day underground with men who despised you for being there. ‘Now’ was a life of toil - defending your country in a way you had never thought possible.
Sweat turned coal dust into black rivulets that no amount of wiping would clear away - and Dominic had to resist the urge to do just that to the man sitting next to him. He glanced at the young man whom he had only known for a few brief hours. It was obvious that he was exhausted and too tired to wipe the muck from his eyes. He was even too tired to lift his water tin to his lips to take a much needed drink, which, although warm, would wash away that ever-present taste.
Beneath the black dust and grime, the young man’s face was pale - Dominic hadn’t seen him until that morning. He was a new recruit - just one of four who were posted in the night before, and like all the new boys who had come before him, and who would inevitably follow, the young man had been forced onto his hands and knees by jeering colliers and made to crawl, with mandrel in hand towards the coal face, only to be sent back immediately accompanied by the usual profanities with words such as - “we need a boy, not a toy!”
Dominic had witnessed it all before. It could be a cruel world down the pits.
“Over here!” he had called to the bewildered man. “Come on! Here! What’s your name?”
The young man looked at Dominic, unsure how to respond.
“Your name?” Dominic wiped his brow. “We’ve all got names, mate, even down this god forsaken hole. Mine’s Dominic, Dom for short. And if you’re not allocated I could do with some help - my pony went lame this morning, and they didn’t replace her. In fact I need all the bloody help I can get, because I’m not getting it from any of them!” Dominic waved in the direction of the coal face.
The young man did not respond.
“Mate!?” Dominic held out his hands. “Please. I’m asking if you can give me a hand?”
The man looked at him, and then looked back towards the dark tunnel he had just crawled from.
A yell…. a command echoing from the same tunnel sent Dominic scurrying. He glanced back at the man.
“My pony is down, and I’m on my own. Are you going to help me or not?”
“I….I… don’t know. I’m…I’m lost…” The man looked beyond Dominic for help… but Dominic seemed to be alone. Where was his gaffer? Where were the other boys?
“There’s been an emergency along another shaft,” Dominic told him. “All the loaders and most of the colliers are tied up. Because I’m not one of them I’m on my bloody own. And if you can’t help, then I suggest you just sod off and weep in someone else’s bowl!”
Dominic turned on his heels… and vanished into the darkness.
“It’s Elijah!” Elijah called after Dominic as he watched the glow from Dominic’s oil lamp slowly dim.
Dominic had not heard him, and suddenly Elijah felt very alone. He looked above him at the ceiling and the wooden beams that held back thousands of tons of earth, and felt trapped and extremely vulnerable. If hell was indeed to be found underground, then he was surely in it.
It seemed so long ago that Elijah had experienced the feeling of pride when he had received his conscript papers. He had been going to fight for freedom alongside his fellow countrymen, but he had ended up here, in the bowels of the earth with no gun in hand…no enemy to defeat. He hadn’t joined up for this… he had joined up to fight, not to live a nocturnal life producing coal for the war effort.
Time passed with not a soul to be seen, and then silence descended momentarily as all machinery seemed to pause…but despite this Elijah heard the cranking of wheels grinding against metal tracks. He turned towards the solitary sound, and in the dim light of the tunnel he could see Dominic pushing a tram slowly towards him. One man attempting the work of a pit pony? What an impossible task!
Elijah took in a deep breath as he looked about him. There was still no one around to tell him what to do. He presumed his gaffer had been called to the emergency, abandoning his pupil without a word. Elijah looked along the tunnel towards the eerie glow of one man’s lamp in a void of darkness and could just make out Dominic’s face bathed in sweat as he toiled to push the newly carved coal towards its destination.
It took every single ounce of strength he had….which Dominic knew wasn’t enough. The tram, if being pulled by his pony, would have been filled to the brim, but without his pony it barely held anything. The tram on its own weighed nothing short of a ton!
Dominic pushed! His boots scrabbled against the dirt floor kicking up dust. He felt his muscles scream in agony as every sinew cracked, and tendon stretched. To not move the coal was unthinkable, even though it seemed a futile job. At least he was trying. For all the abuse he received from the colliers he was working with, at least they could see that he was no sissy college boy. Unlike many of his counterparts Dominic didn’t tremble with fear at the thought of descending two thousand feet into the belly of the earth. He knew he had no choice in the matter. He had been chosen to work in the mines, and there was nothing he, or any of the other conscripts selected could do to change that decision. To refuse was to be imprisoned. Dominic was sure that this was the lesser of the two evils, although he knew others would think differently.
A figure suddenly appeared by Dominic’s side. Dominic looked up and nodded as Elijah joined him. They both grunted as they put their full body weight behind the tram, and between them they brought the tram home. Once it was delivered to the cage in order to begin its journey to the surface, they selected an empty tram, and the whole procedure began over again.
Elijah stayed by Dominic’s side helping him push the coal. For hours they worked together with no break, until the alarm bell sounded. Elijah looked at Dominic who straightened up and stretched his aching back muscles.
“Time to eat,” he said to Elijah. “You’ve got your rations?”
Elijah shook his head.
“Never forget your rations,” Dominic told Elijah as he began walking towards the designated rest area. “They taught us that in training, remember?”
Elijah stumbled along behind Dominic, wanting to tell Dominic that his gaffer had his rations, but he didn’t have the energy to talk. Training had been one thing… this… this life below ground was going to kill him, he was sure of it.
Elijah stopped in his tracks as he looked ahead at the group of colliers all chatting while eating and drinking their fill. He didn’t want to approach them; he felt intimidated by them. He didn’t want to stay down here for one more second. Prison had to be better than this.
An arm touched his shoulder and urged him gently onwards. Elijah looked into Dominic’s blackened face, and saw his eyes crinkle with concern for him.
“Come on,” Dominic looked towards the men. “We’ll sit apart. I always do. They need us. They know that, and we know that, but do you think they will ever admit to it?”
Elijah didn’t answer.
“Never. Not ever,” Dominic answered on his behalf. “I just keep my distance, you know? I sleep, I eat, and I do my job. I have a pint at the weekend when it’s my day off. Nothing more, nothing less.”
Dominic ushered Elijah to a spot away from the men. They both sat down, Elijah heavily. Elijah closed his eyes; all he wanted to do was sleep. He had been in temporary accommodation the night before, and slept on a bed that had been as comfortable as a block of wood.
He was hungry but had no food; he was thirsty but didn’t have the energy to take a drink. This was his first day down the pit, how was he going to survive the coming months? And, God forbid, but what if the war went on for years? It was an unbearable thought.
I’d rather take my chances on the battlefield, Elijah thought. Then the curtain of sleep came and took him.
Dominic sipped his water; he used one mouthful to rinse his mouth and spat the dust- contaminated fluid onto the floor. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as he looked at the exhausted sleeping man beside him. He realised that he still didn’t know his name.
Dominic took in the small frame of the man. Man? He couldn’t be any older than eighteen, nineteen at the most, and he certainly wasn’t built for this type of work. The Government in their wisdom were sending boys down the mines. It didn’t matter what class you were or what job you held, if your number was selected then you had no choice. Well, in theory there was a choice, you could refuse, but that would mean spending three months in a jail cell, and at the end of those three months if you still refused then you were sent straight back to jail. What a system! You didn’t dare refuse.
During his three months working down this particular pit Dominic knew of two fellow conscripts who had gone, vanished into the night - absent without leave, and the punishment for that didn’t bear thinking about.
He hoped the young man beside him wouldn’t try anything like that, but he could see why someone so young and vulnerable could be tempted by such an act of treason. Dominic glanced at the other colliers - they were a world apart from the likes of himself and the thousands of other conscripts forced underground. Those colliers were born into this way of life. Mining for coal had been in their families for generations and they didn’t take too kindly to outsiders joining them.
“We got handed a rough deal, my mate,” Dominic spoke softly to Elijah. “And there’s not a thing we can do about it.” Dominic took a bite of his pasty - the pastry had softened into a gooey consistency, but it still tasted like food fit for a king. He took another mouthful of water, and studied Elijah a little more.
The boy was fast asleep. His chin had dropped to his chest and his breathing had become shallow. One thing you never did was sleep down the mine, so reluctantly Dominic prodded Elijah awake.
Elijah’s eyes opened with a start, he looked around wildly, wondering where he was. Then he saw Dominic crouching in front of him.
“Here.” Dominic handed Elijah the rest of his pasty.
“I can’t,” Elijah refused. “It’s yours, Dominic. You need it.”
“Here…” Dominic placed the pasty in Elijah’s dirty hand. “You need to eat it, and if you don’t, then the rats will.”
Elijah’s eyes quickly scanned the area for vermin, but saw none, although he knew the mine was teeming with them.
“Thank you.” Elijah took a bite.
“Well, you know my name, but I still don’t know yours. Are you going to tell me, or do you want me to call you ‘my mate’ all the time?”
Elijah almost smiled, and Dominic grinned back at him. “Nearly had you smiling then. Be careful. I would hate anyone to think that we were actually enjoying ourselves down this hell hole.”
Dominic’s effort at a bit of light humour fell flat, as Elijah closed his eyes again. Dominic was worried that the boy was going to cry. The colliers would have loved that. The lad would find no peace down here; he would be forever taunted about it and laughed at wherever he went.
“Hey.” Dominic gripped Elijah’s arm tightly. “Don’t you go giving in now, not when you’ve just started. I’ll see if I can speak to my gaffer and request that you join me. It’s hard work on my own, and many of the other lads have assistants. You do like horses, don’t you?”
Elijah opened his eyes again, they were wet, but he held back the tears. He nodded and whispered. “Yes.” His voice was thick and barely audible. "Back home my parents have a stable - we have several horses.”
“Excellent!” Dominic smiled. “That makes you more than qualified. I’ll get my gaffer to talk with your gaffer. We’ll get it sorted out, one way or another. Don’t you worry….umm…?” Dominic stopped mid-sentence. “Are you ever going to tell me your name?”
Elijah then smiled, really smiled, and for the first time since he had met him Dominic saw light shine from his eyes.
“Yes, it’s Elijah - my name is Elijah.”
Dominic nodded. “Very pleased to meet you, Elijah - my mate,” Dominic grinned.
Elijah couldn’t help laughing out loud as he shook Dominic’s proffered hand.
The group of colliers went silent at the sound of laughter and looked over towards the two men.
The smile vanished from Elijah’s face as he became an object of scrutiny, but Dominic paid the colliers no heed. He was used to them. “Come on, Elijah…” He stood up pulling Elijah to his feet. “Timmo’s here.”
“Timmo?”
“My gaffer. Hopefully he will have news on Lucy.”
“Lucy?” Elijah queried, his eyes not leaving a tall hard-looking collier who was making his way towards them.
“My pony.”
Elijah nodded.
“Dominic!” Timmo glanced at Elijah and then back at his charge. “Why aren’t you at the stable, boy?”
“I was told it would take some time to re-shoe Lucy, so I reported back here, but most of the drivers and loaders had been called to help with the emergency. I just got on with it, sir. The men at the face needed someone to shift the coal.”
Timmo just stared at Dominic then his harsh face softened a little. “That’s very noble of you, my lad, but you know these are horse-driven roads, and therefore dangerous. If you want to change your employment to trammer just say the word, because God knows we are short of them.…”
“But…”
Timmo waved his hand to silence Dominic and then looked at Elijah again. “Talking of which… if you are a trammer, boy, then you are in the wrong place.”
“He’s been short-listed for the stables, Timmo,” Dominic butted in lying through his teeth. “But what with the emergency and everything, he hasn’t been shown the way.”
“Short-listed? I’ve not been informed of any new boys attached to me.” Timmo looked confused as he scratched his head.
Elijah remained silent.
“That’s because he is one of mine!” A loud voice echoed from down the tunnel. “I lost him in the confusion this morning.”
A hefty looking collier came to stand in front of Dominic and Elijah. "Come on, Wood, we’re in Eden shaft, a good two mile walk away - we’ve already lost a morning’s worth of work, so let’s get moving!”
Elijah remained where he was.
“I said let’s get moving!”
Timmo looked at Dominic’s face and could see his eyes silently pleading with him to let Elijah stay.
Timmo liked Dominic; unlike the other raw conscripts that had been landed at his door, Dominic had been more than willing to learn, and wasn’t afraid of the back-breaking work in intolerable conditions. Dominic had never once complained about his plight, unlike the majority of the other whining recruits who had arrived with him. He always reported early for his shift, and was usually one of the last to leave. He kept himself to himself for the most part, and had an extraordinary way with horses; he and Lucy were developing into a devoted and hard-working team.
Timmo had never seen Dominic bother very much with any of the other conscripts when off duty. He definitely was something of a loner, and could usually be found sitting by himself in a quiet corner of the village pub every Sunday evening nursing his glass of ale.
Dominic had never asked for anything… until now?
“Ah, yes…now wait, Vic, I do recall.” Timmo nodded as he looked at his fellow collier. “Wood… he was assigned to you, but his horse experience meant he was reshuffled into my arena.”
“Reshuffled?” Vic stood with hands on hips. He was not amused.
Timmo nodded again as he looked at Elijah and Dominic; they were both holding their breaths.
“The new consignment of ponies coming decided it.”
“New consignment?”
“Due in next week. Wood here is to partner up with Monaghan to learn the ropes. His vast knowledge of horses means he’s with me. You have plenty of others, Vic, who can load the coal, but experienced horsemen are few and far between.”
Vic did not look impressed. He stared at Dominic and Elijah without saying a word. All the other colliers who were returning to work pushed past the foursome as they made their way back to the coal face.
Then suddenly Vic came to life. “Why didn’t the bloody foreman tell me this, this morning? I’ve got better things to do than bloody well chase after these blighters in the first place, let alone walk miles for one of them not even under my charge!”
Elijah swallowed hard, and did not even blink as he felt Dominic step closer to him.
“Sorry, Vic.” Timmo shrugged his shoulders. “But that’s the way of it.”
It looked like Vic had much more to say on this matter, and Dominic was sure that would be so above ground, but for now Vic just cursed under his breath. He threw Elijah’s ration tin on the ground, and then spun on his heels and stormed off in the direction he had come.
Timmo then eyed Dominic and Elijah. “Why I did that, I will never know.”
Dominic smiled at his boss. “You won’t regret it, sir. I’ll teach Elijah everything I know. He’ll be one of the best drivers down here, you’ll see.”
Timmo looked at Elijah, and seriously doubted Dominic’s words. “Well, young man… Elijah… you are going to have a lot to learn if you are going to be as good as Dominic, but follow his lead and you should do well.”
“Thank you, sir,” Elijah finally spoke.
“And don’t call me "sir". I’m not in the forces, you know. It’s Timmo, and I’ve told him that more times that I can remember.” Timmo jabbed his finger at Dominic.
Dominic grinned.
“Now… to the stable, Dominic. Take Elijah, briefly show him the ropes, and then prepare Lucy… we have to make up for lost time, here.”
“Yes, sir!” Dominic grinned again.
Timmo rolled his eyes. “In the meanwhile I’m going to have to persuade old Moses in the delegation office once I’m above ground, to change Elijah’s paperwork.”
“Thank you, sir,” Elijah said again, softly.
Timmo looked at him, and sighed; the lad still looked terrified. “Right, back to work!” Timmo waved his hand in dismissal, and then left them alone.
Dominic picked up his water and food tin, and handed Elijah his and then reattached his own to his belt. “Follow me,” he said to Elijah, and they began to walk.
Elijah remained quiet, sipping his water as Dominic led the way to the stables. It was a long dark walk, as everywhere was in this pit, but he knew when they were getting nearer because of the smell. Although the ponies were well looked after, nothing could get rid of that acrid ‘horse smell’.
“Lucy is down here…” Dominic said as they passed stall after stall.
Elijah looked into the empty compartments. Each pony had its own stall, with its name written in chalk on a board. Just two chains across the front of each stall prevented the ponies from escaping. It seemed an inadequate means of confinement, but it was all that was needed to keep the ponies secure.
“Here she is.” Dominic looked back at Elijah. The light in the stables was extremely dim, and to help combat this, all the stalls were whitewashed, but it did little to penetrate the gloom below ground. The ponies had to get used to living in a world of perpetual darkness.
Lucy whinnied when she heard Dominic’s voice.
“Hello, girl!” Dominic stroked Lucy’s neck. “How are you? Do you know what work you’ve put me through, while you’ve taken a little holiday?”
“How do they get used to this, Dominic?” Elijah’s voice sounded alien in the dark. At times Dominic thought it was easy to forget that Elijah was with him because he barely said anything.
Lucy’s ears pricked at the sound of a new voice.
“Lucy, meet Elijah.”
Dominic pulled Elijah to him, and put his arm around Elijah’s shoulders, holding him firmly.
“And Elijah, meet Lucy, my one and only friend in this hell from home.”
Elijah nodded at the pony. “Nice to meet you, Lucy.”
Dominic squeezed Elijah’s shoulder before releasing him.
“Right, I need to rig her. Elijah, if you could stand over there out of the way, just in case she decides to bolt, which she won’t ever do. But you know, better safe than sorry. Then I can get her harness on.”
Elijah stood back as he watched Dominic work on his pony, all the time he was talking to her and stroking her; Lucy barely moved an inch.
Elijah heard the clipping of hooves, and through the gloom he saw a pony approaching, led by a tired looking driver. The driver nodded at Elijah as he walked by. The pony was as black as his carer; the coal dust clung to everything it touched whether man or beast.
“… so you may have some competition there, Lucy. Elijah seems like a good bloke…”
Elijah blinked as he overheard those words. Dominic seemed to be lost in his one sided conversation with Lucy.
“There aren’t many I would stand up for… but he seems different, you know? Quite special.”
Elijah wondered if Dominic knew he could hear him.
Dominic then stood up and looked over Lucy’s flanks, directly at Elijah. “Very special,” he said.
Elijah just stared at him.
*
Shift end, and the long walk back to the cage. Elijah felt weary. He didn’t think he would have the energy to wash, let alone eat; he just wanted to go to bed. Even the block of wood he slept on last night was a welcoming thought. They joined the other colliers for the stomach churning ride to the surface. Once squashed into the cage, and the long dark ascent began, Elijah felt an arm wrap itself around his waist. Panic instantly gripped him only to be alleviated when a voice whispered in his ear.
“It’s only me…”
Dominic…?
Elijah felt himself relax a little. Somehow Dominic’s arm around him made him feel safer. No one else could see… but he could feel… and yes… he did feel safe - extremely safe. Elijah smiled as he placed his hand over Dominic’s. The cage continued to the surface.
After handing their lamps in the lamp room, they made their way with the other colliers to the pit-head baths. This pit they found themselves allocated to was one of the first in the country to have such a facility, and it made a huge difference to the miners’ lives.
As usual there was much banter taking place as the men entered the hot showers. Dominic usually held off for as long as he could before entering, wanting as much privacy as possible. He took his time cleaning his boots in the boot room, keeping Elijah back with him. Then finally, when the noise quietened down, he led Elijah into the locker room, and they both undressed and took to the showers. They were not completely alone, and they entered cubicles opposite each other.
It took a lot of scrubbing to remove dirt and coal dust from skin and hair, and the shower cubicle floor turned black for a while before the water ran clear. Dominic who had closed his eyes while the dust cleansed from his body, finally blinked them open to find Elijah staring at him from his opposite cubicle. The cubicles were completely open from the front, which meant no privacy, and Dominic noted that Elijah had not yet scrubbed clean.
They stared at each other, unmoving, as hot water pummelled their shoulders; it was as if they were the only two men in the baths as everything around them seemed to fade away, leaving just them…
…completely naked…
… opposite each other…
… eyes locked on one another’s bodies…
Dominic felt his heart race as Elijah continued to stare at him, and then quite unexpectantly he found himself having to fight down another overwhelming urge (the second that day to do with this man) of stepping into Elijah’s shower with him and running the soap bar over his body, rubbing away all grime and sweat from hours of toil.
But Dominic was no fool; he was more than aware that such an act would lead to a lengthy spell in jail if caught, but there was something about the man opposite him - a man whom he had known for not even twenty four hours - that was gradually seducing him. Dominic shook the water from his hair as he continued to look at Elijah. Never before had he experienced feelings like this, and it was beginning to scare him.
You do feel the same way, don’t you, Elijah? Dominic asked himself this question as he continued to stare at Elijah. But of course he knew the answer, because the answer was standing there in front of him, looking at him, drawing him in.
Voices drifted over the sound of the showers as a group of late comers entered the baths, and Elijah turned away from Dominic to attend to his business. Dominic switched off his shower, grabbed his towel and made his way back to the locker room. As he towelled off he tried to understand what was happening between himself and Elijah. He was attracted to him, he was in no doubt about that… he’d known that from the first time he had laid eyes on him that morning, but was it just physical attraction, or something else?
Dominic had known for a long time that the female form held no interest for him, but he had never had a relationship with another man, either. He had worshipped from afar on one or two occasions, but had never made it known, and now, here he was, today, falling for a young lad who had literally come crashing into his world.
“Elijah Wood… what are you doing to me?” Dominic sat down and stared at the locker room floor as he quietly spoke those words. “Are you going to break my heart?”
“Been underground too long today, mate.”
Dominic looked up at a towel-wrapped colleague.
“Talking to yourself - it’s a sure sign.”
Dominic just nodded and agreed, hoping the man would just sod off and leave him alone. When the collier realised that no conversation was going to be forthcoming from Dominic, he did indeed, move on.
Dominic stared at the floor again, only to see a pair of wet feet stand before him. He knew it was Elijah.
Please God, have your towel wrapped around you. Dominic slowly looked up to find Elijah standing completely naked before him, dripping wet, with his towel draped loosely around his shoulders.
Dominic suddenly became angry. He stood up, grabbed his clothes and moved to the far end of the locker room, leaving a rather bewildered and confused Elijah to get dressed on his own. Then without a word, Dominic left for the pit canteen, leaving Elijah to find his own way back to the hostel.
*
Dominic lay on his bunk staring up at the ceiling. He hadn’t eaten his meal in the canteen; his stomach had been too knotted. God, he was confused. This morning his day had started normally. There was an emergency in Noah shaft, but thankfully no one was killed, and that was great news in itself. But that emergency had led to an unexpected encounter with a man – a man who was too beautiful for words….
Dominic blinked hard. Jesus Christ, yes! Elijah was beautiful… and painfully so. When he stood before him in the locker room, naked, with wet hair falling around his pale face, his eyes so large … so bloody blue and piercing, Dominic knew that he was becoming lost. And he had hated that feeling of losing control.
But I instigated it, he suddenly thought. I lied for him, and I put my arm around him in the bloody cage and held him to me. Then I go and walk out on him. Christ! What is bloody wrong with me? I need my head examined.
*
“Monaghan!”
Dominic sat up quickly at the sound of authority. The pit deputy foreman entered the sixteen man room.
“Apparently you are taking this young man under your wing?”
Elijah stepped out from behind the deputy foreman; in his arms he held a bed pack, and on his back was his rucksack filled with everything he owned.
Dominic stood up; he thrust his hands into his pockets as he looked at Elijah.
“Well?” The deputy foreman pushed Elijah forwards. “Show him his bunk, then. Step to, lad!”
The deputy foreman then left.
Elijah stood in front of Dominic, and couldn’t help remembering the last time he did so, barely two hours before, and he had been completely naked.
Elijah side-stepped Dominic and placed his bedding on the empty bunk beside his.
“Is this one alright with you?” he asked. “Or would you like me to move?” Elijah refused to make eye contact as he asked Dominic the question.
Dominic suddenly felt awful... and totally confused… he wasn’t sure how to deal with this right now.
“I’ll move.” Elijah bent down to pick up his bedding.
“No!” Dominic was surprised by the loudness of his own voice. “No… that bunk is fine with me. It’s yours.”
Now Elijah wasn’t sure. He hesitated.
“I mean it. That bunk is yours.” Dominic knew he was over-emphasizing his words. Elijah looked like he wanted to bolt.
“It’s yours, Elijah…” Dominic softened his voice. “That bed is yours.”
Elijah dropped his belonging onto the floor and then sat down heavily at the end of his bed resting his head in his hands.
Dominic heard him mumble something but couldn’t make it out.
Dominic glanced at the other occupants of the room. They were engrossed in books or letters home, not one of them had paid the slightest attention to the new member who had just joined their block.
Elijah remained with his head in his hands, and Dominic felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. This was his fault, he had caused this.
He looked around the room again nervously, and then crouched down opposite Elijah.
“Elijah…” he whispered Elijah’s name, but got no response. “Elijah?” he spoke again, but nothing. “Elijah?” This time Dominic put his hand on Elijah’s knee, which was immediately thrown off with spiteful words.
“Don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me again!”
Dominic felt crushed, but knew he deserved that venomous retort.
“Elijah, I’m really sorry. I am. I’m very, very sorry.”
Elijah lowered his hands and looked directly into Dominic’s eyes. “Sorry for what? Touching me? Holding me in the cage?”
Dominic looked around again. “Elijah, we can’t talk here. Come on… come with me for a drink. At least let me buy you a beer?”
Elijah looked away in disgust.
“Please, Elijah. I owe you an apology. I’m sorry. This whole thing is my fault. I don’t know what came over me… I… I just can’t explain it.”
Elijah stood up and walked away. “Just fuck off, Dominic! I mistakenly thought you were my friend.”
“I am, Elijah. I am. Please… come with me for a drink. It’s not far; we really need to talk.”
Elijah contemplated telling Dominic to fuck off again, but could see by the look in his eyes that Dominic was sincere. He unravelled his coat from his rucksack and shrugged it on.
Dominic felt a huge sense of relief as he picked up his own coat.
“It’s only twenty minutes down the road.”
They both walked to the village pub in complete and utter silence.
As it was mid week the pub was fairly quiet. Dominic indicated to a table in the corner and Elijah took a seat while Dominic bought the beers. When he returned he placed a full pint glass in front of Elijah and then sat down beside him.
Elijah looked at the drink in front of him.
“I don’t drink,” he said, quietly.
Dominic choked as he took his first mouthful of beer.
“Well, why didn’t you say something, Elijah?”
“You didn’t ask what I wanted. You just presumed, just like you did today.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“You presumed I was one of those queer boys, didn’t you? And you led me on. You led me on so far down the bloody garden path that I followed.”
“It wasn’t like that, Elijah.”
“It wasn’t? Well, I would dearly like to hear your explanation of it.”
Dominic looked down at this drink trying to think of the right words that were going to make sense of this whole situation.
“Dominic?”
Dominic looked at Elijah… but no answers were forthcoming.
“Jesus Christ, Dom…”
“I know…” Dominic looked forlorn as he chewed on his bottom lip… he knew what he wanted to say, but he just didn’t know how to say it.
Elijah sighed as he looked around the smokey room. He looked at Dominic again and then absently ran his finger around the top of his glass. “Do you know what, Dom? From the moment I received those orders sending me down the mines, I knew I wouldn’t make it. Underground that is. It’ll be the death of me.”
“You don’t know that, none of us knows that.”
“There’ll be no heroic death on the battlefield for me, no medal of honour fighting for my country. It’ll be a ceiling fall… or a fucking explosion.”
Dominic fell silent. He didn’t want to hear such talk.
Elijah continued. “But somehow today… my first day in hell, I actually felt a ray of hope. Can you bloody believe that? And it was all because of you. Because you were there in that tunnel, like it was meant to be.”
Dominic stared at Elijah wanting to say something… but still felt powerless to do so.
“I don’t know how to explain it, Dom, but I felt safe with you… more than safe. I felt protected, and for a moment I even felt wanted. In that cage you held me and that felt so bloody good. In the showers you watched me. You watched me and you wanted me. I know you wanted me. And I gave myself. I was there for you, but then you turned me away. You took away that small amount of hope that I had, Dom.” Elijah looked down at his drink. “Just don’t ever hold me like that again.”
Dominic’s stomach churned, he felt sick and light-headed. He looked at Elijah, this young lad who had been so honest with him. He had brought him here to tell him why he had acted the way he had, and had said nothing. Why was he such a coward?
“Honesty always pays in the end, doesn’t it?”
“What?” Elijah looked at Dominic.
Dominic blinked, he had realised that he had spoken his thoughts out loud. He looked at Elijah; his heart was thumping so loud that he was sure that Elijah could hear it.
“Dom?”
“I did, Elijah…” Dominic finally confessed, feeling a wave of relief as he did so.
“You did what?”
“Want you.”
Elijah took in a sharp breath, he hadn’t expected this. Wanted it, yes, but hadn’t expected it.
“Like I do, right now,” Dominic continued. “But having you sitting there hating me is all but killing me off.”
Elijah shook his head. “I don’t hate you! Jesus Christ, Dom, who said I hated you? I hate this bloody life I’ve found myself in. I hate the thought of going underground tomorrow morning, and every bloody morning for the rest of the war. But I don’t hate you.”
Dominic nodded and lowered his head. Elijah looked at him, and saw such a different man from the confident person who had ‘rescued’ him that morning.
“I could never hate you, Dominic.”
“I am so sorry, Elijah…” was all Dominic could say. “I’ve confused you… I’ve confused myself. I honestly don’t know what is happening to me.”
“It’s alright, Dom...” Elijah looked about him and then hesitantly placed his hand over Dominic’s. “It really is alright.”
Dominic swallowed hard as he looked at Elijah’s slim hand covering his own; he could still see coal dust ingrained in his skin, especially in the areas where first day blisters had broken. This was not the hand of a miner, and never would be, but the hand of a lover? No, what was he thinking? That must never happen.
Dominic began to tremble.
“Hey…” Elijah gently took Dominic’s hand and held it in his.
Dominic looked at Elijah who stared back at him unblinkingly. Elijah then lowered their hands under the table so no one else could see them. He smiled at Dominic, whose face was serious, but very pale. Elijah gripped Dominic’s hand a little tighter, trying to reassure him, trying to put him at ease.
But Dominic was anything but at ease. He was sure that he was going to pass out at any second, because Elijah’s hand felt so good in his own. He had never held anyone’s hand in his life before. Elijah’s skin was warm and soft… and… Dominic closed his eyes. Christ, what was he doing?
They sat in silence, unmoving.
Elijah squeezed Dominic’s hand again, praying that Dominic would not pull away, but felt that he would wait forever waiting for some sort of reaction, and was just about to give up and let go, when Dominic opened his eyes again, looked at him, and linked his fingers in between Elijah’s, gripping Elijah’s hand tightly.
There they sat for what seemed an age, secretly holding hands, and saying nothing. They stared at their untouched drinks.
The few locals who had been in the pub left, leaving Dominic and Elijah as the sole occupants other than the landlord, who looked at the clock and then directly at the lads and shouted. “Last orders!”
“We have to go.” Dominic finally spoke.
“I know,” Elijah quietly responded.
“I don’t want to go.” Dominic looked at his flat beer.
“Neither do I.”
They both fell silent again.
“Gentlemen, will there be any last orders?” The landlord called over to them, but wasn’t hopeful as he eyed their full glasses.
They both politely shook their heads.
The landlord sighed and then went about clearing the empties.
Dominic shuffled in his chair; Elijah looked at him knowing that he was about to say something. This is where it will end, Elijah thought. Right before it even begins. Dominic just cannot do it.
“This is not good, Elijah.” Dominic’s words were not unexpected, but they still hurt. “However much we want this, you know we can’t start anything.”
Elijah nodded and lowered his head in resignation. “Yes, Dom, I do know,” he said.
But their fingers still remained locked.
“It’s far better to stop anything now. Before it happens.”
“I totally agree.”
“We’ll just be friends… working partners. I teach, you learn. No emotional attachments.”
Elijah swallowed, and nodded again. But Dominic’s hand gripped his even tighter. Elijah knew that deep down Dominic did not want to let this go, and neither did he, so he tried changing tactics. “You know, Dom,” Elijah smiled at Dominic, “I hadn’t realised your hair was fair.”
That statement threw Dominic right off his train of thought.
“Down the pit, you hair was black, obviously,” Elijah continued. “But as I watched you shower, it slowly dawned on me that you were actually fair.”
“Elijah, Jesus Christ!” Dominic pulled his hand free, and then he lowered his voice. “We can’t start anything. You know that. Another time, another place… maybe… but not here, not at this pit. It’s bloody impossible.”
“You know what?” Elijah snapped. “You’re fucking right.” He stood up quickly, knocking his chair over. He picked up his glass of beer and downed it in one go, spilling half of its contents down his shirt.
“Elijah, what are you doing?” Dominic stood up as well. “You told me you didn’t drink!”
“I can do what I bloody well like,” Elijah slammed his empty glass down on the table. “And tomorrow I’m going to ask for a transfer.” He stepped in closer to Dominic and whispered harshly. “If you don’t want anything to happen between us, Dom, then it’s best that I’m out of the picture.” He quickly shrugged on his coat. “I’ll move rooms, too! Goodbye, Dominic. It was nice knowing you.” Elijah left without another word and did not look back.
Dominic stared at the back of the pub door feeling shocked and angry. Why the hell was he letting this kid turn his bloody life upside down? He didn’t even know him. He glanced over at the landlord and then grabbed his coat and ran outside after Elijah.
He saw him, head down against the cold wind walking back towards the hostel.
“Elijah!” Dominic called. “Wait!”
Elijah ignored him.
“I said wait!” Dominic jogged to catch Elijah. He grabbed his arm and swung him around so that they faced each other. He saw Elijah’s cheeks were wet.
“Elijah?”
“Fuck off, Dominic!” Elijah wrenched his arm free and continued walking.
Dominic caught up with him again.
“Elijah. Stop!”
Elijah ignored him.
“For crying out loud, will you just wait a minute?”
“Wait for you?” Elijah turned on Dominic. “Why? To be humiliated even further? Go away, Dominic, you’ve made yourself perfectly clear.” He turned away again.
“Elijah, please wait!”
Elijah turned on Dominic again, but aggressively this time. “For what?” His voice rose. “Wait for what, Dominic? Tell me?”
Dominic couldn’t answer, even though his head was full of replies. Because I’m falling in love with you, seemed to be one of them. Christ, what sort of fucked-up reply was that, he barely knew the man.
“Oh, just sod off!” Elijah pushed Dominic out of his way.
“Elijah…!” Dominic grabbed Elijah’s hand, but Elijah tried to retract it.
“Let go, Dom!”
“Please. Don’t go.”
“What? Are you so addled that you can’t think straight anymore? Let me go.”
“No.” Dominic shook his head. “No… no, Elijah, that’s just it. I don’t think I can let you go.”
“You what?”
“You’ve done something to me. In here…” Dominic tapped his head, “…and here.” He tapped his chest. “You’ve come into my life like this…this whirlwind from nowhere and turned me upside down.”
Elijah said nothing.
The sound of an air raid siren suddenly broke the silence, and the village was plunged instantly into darkness, but the two men remained where they were. A three quarter moon eerily lit the deserted scene.
“I knew who I was, Elijah, until this morning,” Dominic’s face was etched with grief as he bared his soul to the man standing in front of him. “I knew where I was going, I knew everything about me, but your presence has changed all that and in just a few brief hours you have turned me inside out. All I know is that I do want you, Elijah, and I don’t mean to hurt you.” Dominic grasped Elijah’s hands. “Please… please don’t leave.”
The distant drone of approaching aircraft filled the air. Elijah glanced up and down the deserted streets and knew they were too far away from the hostel’s air raid shelters, so he grabbed Dominic’s arm and pulled him into an alleyway. Without the silvery moonlight for illumination they found themselves in pitch black surroundings, and Elijah couldn’t help but laugh.
“We’re back in the dark…”
“Elijah?” Dominic gripped Elijah’s hand tightly as they both slowly crouched down low. A squadron of German bombers flew overhead, onwards - towards their unknown destination.
“We’re back in the dark,” Elijah repeated, his voice low. “In the dark, where no one can see us…”
Dominic could hear Elijah’s voice but couldn’t see him and as the aircraft noise began to fade they rose to their feet, still holding hands.
“We’re invisible, just like before, Dom. Just like being down the pit…”
Dominic wondered if it was safe to leave the confines of the alleyway, and went to step outside but Elijah pulled him back in.
“I said no one can see us…”
Dominic turned his head towards Elijah’s voice as it slowly dawned on him what Elijah was saying. Then Dominic felt Elijah’s hand cup his chin and he held his breath as he waited - waited for that longed-for moment. The moment that he knew was going to change his life forever.
Dominic could hear Elijah’s breathing, and he could feel Elijah’s hot breath caress his neck and cheek, and then softly, oh so softly, Dominic felt Elijah’s mouth cover his own.
Dominic instantly sagged against the alleyway wall as his legs weakened, but Elijah held him up and their kiss developed. Elijah’s warm, wet mouth on his was nothing short of ecstasy, and when their tongues met for the very first time Dominic released a groan of untold pleasure as he slowly fell under the spell that was undoubtedly… Elijah.
“We can work it out, Dom,” Elijah spoke as he worked his mouth slowly towards Dominic’s ear, where he used his tongue to bring Dominic almost to his knees.
Dominic couldn’t reply so lost was he in this world that was completely new to him.
“We work in a mine, so many dark deserted places,” Elijah continued, as he let his hands roam Dominic’s clothed body. “No one will find us, Dom. We can keep it a secret. It’ll help us get through this nightmare, just knowing that we have each other.” Elijah continued to kiss him softly.
Dominic’s mouth was now responding fully to Elijah’s; he barely registered Elijah’s words, as all he wanted to do was kiss this man forever.
“Dom?” Elijah tried to regain some sort of control over the situation. “Dominic?”
“Oh… Elijah…” Dominic continued to kiss him.
A light came on in a small window above them, which chased away the darkness. Dominic finally pulled his mouth away from Elijah’s and looked at the man who had just ignited a fire so deep inside him that only death would extinguish it. He stroked the side of Elijah’s face. Their foreheads touched.
“Tell me you want this, Dominic,” Elijah whispered. “Before we leave this place of concealment, tell me you want this… you want us. I need to know.”
Dominic didn’t have to think, he now knew beyond any doubt that this was what he wanted.
“Yes, Elijah… I do. I do want us,” Dominic’s voice was barely a whisper as he answered. He leant in to kiss Elijah again. “I want you.”
Elijah smiled, and kissed Dominic before taking his hand and leading him back onto the street.
They walked back to the hostel, changed men. They knew they had a struggle in front of them, not just because of the work but because of the path they had chosen to lead, but together they knew, God willing, that they could probably make it.
End
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Fascinating time in history don't you think!