Page 9 of Signs and Wonders

“You know how to plan the perfect day off,” he told Evan.

“We’re not done yet,” Evan assured him. “We have dinner reservations at this family-run Italian restaurant that got top ratings for food and date night, and then on the way back we could take the incline train up to the overlook. I’ve seen pictures of the view of the city at night with the three rivers—it’s pretty amazing.”

The pasta fra diavolo and chicken marsala were as good as the reviews promised, and the intimate setting seemed perfect to hold Evan’s hand under the table. After polishing off homemade tiramisu, Seth felt relaxed for the first time in a long while.

“It’s still early,” Evan said when they got back in the pickup. “Let’s go to the overlook.”

The Monongahela Incline was a small red single train car that went up and down a steep set of tracks to the top of Mount Washington from the street below. At the summit, a large balcony looked out over downtown Pittsburgh. The city lights reflected from the swift dark waters of the rivers in a vista that made Seth catch his breath.

“Wow.” He stood close behind Evan, braving the chill wind for the majestic view.

“I know, right? It’s even better than the pictures,” Evan replied, excitement clear in his voice. “Can you imagine what the Fourth of July must look like up here?”

They were alone on the overlook, so Seth placed his hands on Evan’s hips and pulled him back against his chest. “We don’t do this kind of thing often enough,” he said. “I’m sorry. I promise to do better.”

It’s been nothing but blood and fighting and death since we ran off together in Richmond. I keep telling myself that “it’s only until we finish the job,” but that’s no way to live. I’m so lucky to have him with me, and I love him so much. I swear I’ll find a way to make this right.

“I know what we’re doing is important, but I want happy memories along the way.” Evan leaned his head back on Seth’s shoulder. “They take the sting out of the bad days.”

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” Seth murmured. “Thank you.”

“You saved my life, so you’re stuck with me,” Evan teased. “I’m right where I want to be.”

A gust made Seth shiver, and he reluctantly led Evan back to the incline. They were alone in the car, and looked out over the skyline as they descended.

“Hard to believe that a hundred years ago, people called Pittsburgh ‘hell with the lid off’ because of the smoke from the steel mills,” Evan said.

“Thank you for today.” Seth sat close enough that they touched from hip to knee. “I didn’t know how badly I needed this.”

“Thanks for going along with it. And Matt was right—my hip feels a lot better. The arm is still sore, but not as much.”

Seth nodded. “My back’s still tender, and the bruises will take a while to fade, but definitely improved. Let’s go back to the RV and give the night a very happy ending.” Seth licked his lips for emphasis.

“I think that could be arranged.” Evan bumped his knee. “I have a few ideas for that too.”

Seth had stopped praying when his family died, but sometimes he found himself still asking the universe for a favor and hoping someone was listening.Please let us cross the finish line together, one way or the other.

3

EVAN

“Church campas a teenager was never like this.” Evan tread carefully over the uneven ground of the abandoned complex, shotgun racked and ready with salt rounds in his right hand and an iron knife in his left.

“I went skiing. Does that count?” Seth tossed back.

Evan snorted in response. “Not unless they did après ski altar calls.”

The decaying retreat grounds made him jumpy, even though they hadn’t seen any ghosts—so far. Ramshackle bunk houses loomed at the edge of the compound, just inside the treeline. A central gathering area had once held a large firepit and seating circle, of which little remained. The main building, which probably housed the cafeteria, multi-use spaces, and offices, looked to be in somewhat better shape than the other structures, although Evan wouldn’t trust the roof not to come down on him.

Camp Morning Glory brought up memories Evan preferred to leave buried. His family hadn’t been fanatically religious until his father realized they were “cursed” to lose the oldest male of each generation. With no way to know about the witch disciples’ vendetta, Evan’s father had decided that some unknown sin had doomed them and threw the family into religious devotion to atone. Which made Evan’s coming out even worse than it probably would have been.

“This must have been a fairly nice place long ago. There are amphitheater seats cut into the hillside over there.” Seth pointed. “And what’s left of a stage. It looked like there might have been a pool on the other side of the main lodge.”

Evan nodded, recalling what he had found online. The camp turned up many times over the years in Buckhannon history, usually connected to tent revivals and traveling evangelists.

Overhead, branches rattled in the wind. Evan looked around, staring into the shadows beneath the trees, almost expecting eyes to be looking back at him. For now, at least, the forest seemed empty.

“I guess before television and computers, there wasn’t much to do in these parts. A big revival with lots of singing and emotional speeches was probably the most exciting thing to happen for months,” Evan replied, trying to shake his mood.

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