Backwatch Lane

Chapter 1 Cody Langdon wished he’d paid more attention in history class. He vaguely remembered Mrs. Grant droning on about the Civil War back in his old school in Michigan. There was something about Lincoln and slaves and lots of brother vs brother talk. But that was around the dreaded incident with Brad. They’d kissed in the locker room, got caught, and then Brad turned everyone against him, acting like Cody was some s****l predator. Those were the miserable days during which he was expected to learn about the Civil War. He would have paid attention if he knew that after his suicide attempt his parents would move to Florida to start over and Cody would get flung back in time to the 1800’s. Normally, he would have thought waking up a hundred and fifty something years in the past was a hallucination and that he was still sitting in the dank garage in Michigan, the gas slowly killing his brain. But his life wasn’t normal any longer. All of that was before he’d been tormented by a murderous demon named Tanglewood and found help in the form of others who had survived demonic attacks from ghosts, incubi, formshifters, and curses. His new friends, the Demonic Survivors Support Group, had killed a dangerous half-demon named Robin who had taunted them about an innocent person trapped on a small island off the west coast of Florida. When they traveled there to free him, Cody met a strange man named Rice who claimed to only be half human, over a hundred years old, and responsible for creating Tanglewood. Cody had tried to inquire more about Tanglewood’s origin, but Rice had simply tossed him in a bonfire. Cody was not happy to find himself lying in a strange bed. The room was decorated with old paintings and fancy tea sets. Cody tossed the heavy, hand-sewn blankets off and realized he wore a long, white nightgown. He shuddered at the sight of the white clothing and started to tear it off when the wooden door swung inward. “Good morning,” the newcomer, a young man with curly brown hair, said with a heavy Southern accent. “I did not realize you were still in your small clothes.” “Uh, I guess I passed out in a fire or something,” Cody said. “Where are my friends? And my regular-sized clothes?” “I believe your dreams have gotten the best of you, Ezra,” the handsome teenager said with a wide grin. “I should wager that your clothes are right where they should be, in your closet.” Cody followed the guy’s gaze to a large closet. He crossed the room and opened it, half expecting someone to jump out at him, but only found several white shirts and dark pants. Cody hadn’t worn anything that wasn’t black in over a year. Sighing, he shimmied out of his nightgown and into the fresh clothes. Someone knocked at the door and then peeked inside. “Excuse me, Mister Miles, Mister Ezra,” a young black woman said. She wore a wool dress and her hair was held back with a rag. “Breakfast will be waiting when you’re ready.” She looked nervous and quickly darted out of the room. “What the hell?” Cody asked. “Was that a slave or something?” He felt dirty just saying the word. “Of course Izzy is a slave, like the other thirty one that belong to your family. You well know that.” Miles’ brows turned and he sat on the edge of the fluffy bed. “What sort of backwoods—are you crazy? It’s not 1850.” “Right you are,” Miles said, looking perplexed. “This is the year of our Lord 1858.” Cody couldn’t help but laugh. He fell on the bed and laughed until tears came to his eyes. “What is so funny, Ezra?” “Lin and Caleb were so lucky,” Cody said. They’d gone to the island with him, but returned to the boat when Caleb sprained his ankle. They wanted Cody to go back with them, but he refused to give up so easily. He kicked himself for being so determined to find Rice. Lin and Caleb were safe and sound in the present. Or the future. His head spun and he wished he had a zany professor to explain all of this to him. “Of course it’s 1858. Of course it is. And I’m Ezra, sure, why not?” Miles reached out, touched Cody’s hand gently, and then kissed him. His lips were warm and it felt nice, but still shocking. Especially since Cody was trying to get back together with his boyfriend, Adam. Of course Adam wouldn’t be born for well over a century… Cody pulled back and said, “We don’t want to miss breakfast.” “Right you are.” Miles grinned quickly and stood up. “After you.” “Because I know where I’m going,” Cody replied. “Good.” Cody hopped off the bed and made his way out of the room. The dining room had to be downstairs, so he made his way to the stairs and descended, hand trailing along the smooth wooden bannister. The large, lavish house looked like a piece of the set for Gone With the Wind. Cody tried to get a sense of the layout of the building, and spotted a slave carrying a plate of food into a room. Cody’s stomach turned at the sight of the slave, but he pressed on. Maybe if he was stuck in the past he could do some good, like vote for Abraham Lincoln or something. And then write him a letter warning about the dangers of the theater. A large dining room table took up most of the adjacent room. Izzy and another slave finished setting the table around the few people already seated. Cody figured he should know who everyone was, and was probably on friendly terms with them all, so he smiled and took a seat. Besides Miles and himself, there was a middle-aged couple, an older woman, and a young girl. They all bore a family resemblance, but not to Miles. “Good morning, son,” the middle-aged woman said. She wore several rings that matched a silver necklace. Cody checked to make sure she was speaking to him and not Miles before saying, “Good morning, Mother.” “Feeling better, son?” the man asked. “Much better, yes,” Cody said, trying to go with the flow. He assumed he was sitting with Ezra’s parents, grandmother, and sister. He hoped if he laid low that he could learn their names soon enough. “What are your plans for the day?” Ezra’s mother asked. “Uh, I was thinking of letting Miles decide,” Cody said. “I had hoped to go horseback riding,” Miles stated. “But I’m still not feeling that great,” Cody said. He’d never ridden a horse in his life, and he assumed Ezra was a great rider. Stupid Ezra. “Any other suggestions?” “Perhaps we should go for a walk. Get some fresh air,” Miles said. “‘Kay.” Cody ate his breakfast slowly as he listened to the others. His eggs and sausage were heavily salted and his bread nearly soaked in butter. Ezra’s grandmother, Lila, only spoke when she felt the need to micromanage the house slaves as they did her bidding. Her son, Daniel, was the master of the plantation, and his wife, Caroline, a regular Southern belle. Ezra’s older brother was in Tallahassee, serving the state legislature, and his younger sister, Rebecca, was still learning to read. It all would have been fascinating if Cody wasn’t horrified by the fact that he might never return home. Miles, Cody learned, was a family friend and the son of a well-respected blacksmith. There was mention of joining the families, but Cody couldn’t quite follow it. Surely Ezra’s sister was too young to be betrothed to Miles and gay marriage wasn’t legal in Florida a hundred and fifty years later, let alone conceived of at the time. Wait, do they even know what gay is yet? I should read more. Daniel and Miles discussed their worries about the North but Caroline steered the conversation around to a guest she was looking forward to entertaining. Cody was about to ask more about the guest, but he was distracted when Izzy and the other slaves came in to clear the table. “We should take our leave,” Miles said. “Yes, let’s go,” Cody said, thankful for the opportunity. Cody followed Miles out of the house and onto the sunny summer path. A sign sticking out of the dirt road read “Backwatch Lane.” They meandered along the road, discussing the weather, and Cody casually learned the date was May seventh. “Oh, God,” Cody said. They neared a field with two dozen slaves picking cotton. “This is bad.” “What is?” Miles asked. “Are you feeling ill again?” “Very.” Cody hurried them past the fields and tried not to say much. He wanted to set the slaves free, but thought they’d just be punished if he got them riled up. They returned to the plantation home and Cody said he had to lay down. “Would you like company while you lie?” Miles asked, a grin creeping across his face. “Uh, perhaps it is not for the best,” Cody stammered. “Later.” “Yes.” Miles’ shoulders slumped. “I should meet my sister when she arrives, anyway.” “Yeah, got to meet that sister of yours.” “I know your fiancée is excited to spend more time with you.”