All They Didn't Know

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Three days later, I'm sitting on the train again; but every carriage is a lot quieter today, and I end up the only person in my carriage... And still, he manages to find me. Seriously? I think, as I watch him totally ignore every other empty seat in the entire carriage, and sit down right across from me. I allow myself a little sigh, and after that, sit in silence.

It's only when the train begins to pull away from the station does he begin to talk, and I guess I knew it was coming. But what shocks me the most is the WAY he says it, so casually, so easily, as if he's known me his whole life.

Which...... He hasn't. He hasn't. Has he?

"Hi, Callie," is what he says, " how is everything?"

I just stare at him, speechless. He frowns a little - but what else does he expect me to do? How does he even know my NAME?

"Ok." He carries on. " I'm... guessing that you don't remember me?"

"Re - remember...?" I manage to say.

"Callie, my name is Joseph Black. You haven't seen me for a while, but I'm your uncle? Your father's brother."

Joseph Black... It sounds familiar, but I...

"Listen, Callie, you saw me on the train yesterday because I was looking for you. I'm sure you remember, now, how your father... feels about me and I think we both know that he would NOT like the idea of me talking to you."

"You were exiled. Banished from the family, when I was little. My parents don't allow you to be mentioned," I look up at him, as I whisper, "What did you do?"

Joseph smiles. "I did nothing wrong, my child. I simply stumbled across something that, if found, made your father's work look very bad." He pauses, "You father didn't know what else to do with me, because they knew what damage I could cause with what I had found. So he forced me to leave; and I've been looking for evidence ever since -" he stops, as if realising he's getting ahead of himself. "NO SECRET THAT BIG SHOULD BE KEPT FROM SO MANY."

Uncle Joseph looks straight at me with his dark eyes, and I look straight back. Then, he pats my school bag, slowly pulls himself up, and walks away.

He doesn't look back.

As I walk onto Platform 1, I could swear that my bag feels heavier than before. I shrug. Maybe I should clear it out when I get home, I think to myself. Yes, I'll do that. I'll definitely do that.