.

first few days flew by, meeting new classmates, getting to know her new teacher, and connecting with old friends. Mia checked the wall everyday hoping to see Joseph, but by Friday her letter was still there, untouched, unread.

      Each day the letter became more and more faded, the paper yellowed and crumpled from the elements. After a week of rain, Mia rewrote the note, adding are you okay?.

      Mia tucked the new note into the rocks, ‘Did I say something wrong, Mum?’

      ‘What do you mean?’

      ‘Well I told Joseph we should meet when we got back from holidays.’

      ‘Oh, well – no, that’s perfectly fine. I’m sure Joseph is looking forward to meeting you. He’s probably still on holidays.’

      ‘Yeah, maybe. Hey, has anyone called you about Rex?’

      ‘Rex?’

      ‘Yeah, you know, the cat.’

      ‘I know who you mean, it’s just that it’s been so long. What made you think of him?’

      Mia frowned, ‘He showed us Builders Wall and he introduced us to Joseph.’

      Mrs Glasson smiled, ‘That’s a nice way of thinking.’

      ‘He did bring us to the wall didn’t he?’

      ‘I suppose... No, no one responded to the ad.’

      The rest of the walk to school Mia looked for the signs they’d put up for Rex but it seemed they had all been removed and replaced by posters or ads. She found one on a tree in Paine Reserve.

      ‘The rain’s ruined it,’ Mia said.

      ‘Sun’s got to it too.’

      ‘We should put more up, Mum.’

      ‘Well I don’t think that would help, it’s been too long, love, if no one has seen him yet then it’s probably because he moved out of the area.’

      ‘How do you know no one has seen him?’

      Mrs Glasson fingered the tattered fringe of phone numbers, ‘The tags are still on this one.’

      Mia drew a circle in the dirt around the trunk, ‘I don’t know...’

      I know he had something to do with meeting Joseph, she thought to herself.

      Mum smiled, ‘You know, he’s probably in a new home, lounging happily on a sunny balcony.’

      Mia frowned and followed her mum towards the school. Where are you, Rex?

      ‘Mia, I’ve been thinking. Maybe it’s time you started walking to school on your own.’

      ‘Alone?’ Mia frowned.

      ‘Yeah, you’re a big girl now and school is only up the road. Don’t any of your friends walk to school themselves?’

      ‘Yeah, some...’

      ‘Do you want to try? We could start tomorrow.’

      Mia shook her head, ‘Not tomorrow.’

      ‘Okay, no problem, we can try another time. I like walking with you anyway.’

      Mia put her hand in her Mum’s.

      ‘Come on, let’s see if anyone’s taken a number.’

      All the trees they’d tagged with lost posters along Meeks Mountain were untouched. It wasn’t until much later that they would learn what had become of Rex. Mia let herself be distracted by the start of term three, spending time with her friends and getting used to her new found independence. Walking up Meeks Mountain on her own was a challenge at first and always seemed to take much longer than when she was with her mum, but by the third day it seemed ordinary and she swapped Joseph’s note for a new one. Week two she replaced the note again and the next day it disappeared. Mia wrote another and the next day she found it gone. Encouraged, she began to write daily, telling Joseph what was going on for her. Her teacher, her classmates at school and being chosen to present at assembly. She also told him about starting dance class and what she liked to eat at her favourite restaurants. It was as if he were her diary keeper. She didn’t mind too much that she got no letter back. As long as the letters were disappearing Mia was sure Joseph was getting them.

      On the last week of term there finally came a reply. An envelope peeked out between the stacks of rubble on the wall. In her excitement, Mia yanked the paper, toppling the tower. She tore open the envelope and laughed to see it was from Joseph. The handwriting was more scrawling than usual, but with the help of her mum, Mia read the words:

      Dear Mia,

      I have missed our games too. I’ve been unwell. I’m very pleased that your principal wants you to speak at assembly, she’s one smart lady to pick you. Will you meet me tomorrow morning, here?

      Leave your reply on the envelope.

      Joseph.

      Chapter 4.

      Joseph

      The next morning Mia powered up the hill an hour earlier than usual, ready to meet Joseph for the first time while her mum tried to keep up. At the peak, Mia saw someone sitting on Builders Wall. As she got closer the man turned to them and rose.

      ‘Mia,’ he called out.

      Mrs Glasson and Mia looked at each other. Joseph wasn’t young. He definitely wasn’t a builder from across the road. In fact, he was so far from what either of them had imagined. For a moment they were speechless. He looked about one hundred years old but with a sparkle in his eye that belonged to a boy. The old man stood shakily, leaning on a cane. He nodded and acknowledged Mrs Glasson, then reached for Mia’s hands.

      ‘It’s so nice to meet you at last, Mia,’ he said in a raspy scratchy voice.

      Mia didn’t know what to say and just stared at him. Joseph peered into Mia’s eyes and smiled with his whole face. He straightened himself and greeted Mrs Glasson in a similar way. All of a sudden Joseph wobbled, apparently he could no longer hold his weight. He felt for the wall behind him, and Mrs Glasson helped him to sit. Mia stood, staring and lost for words.

      ‘We are so pleased to meet you Joseph,’ Mum said rather too loudly, ‘aren’t we, Mia?’

      Mia snapped to attention. ‘Yes, nice to meet you, Joseph.’

      Joseph was nodding and trying to smile while getting his breath back. ‘I wish I could have met you earlier – I’ve been a bit housebound lately,’ he began. ‘Did you like your little pet with a wobbly head?’

      Mia nodded. ‘I carry it everywhere,’ she said.

      Mia slipped her backpack off her shoulders and searched through the bag. She found the toy in one of the pockets and showed it to the old man. Joseph held the little cat and pushed its head. Mia smiled at the gesture.

      ‘I thought you were like me,’ Mia said suddenly. ‘I mean, I thought you were a kid too.’

      Joseph coughed for several seconds into a handkerchief clutched in his hand before he was able to reply.

      ‘I have felt like a child all this time playing with you,’ he brought up a hand to cough again.

      His hands were terrible things, like a bird’s talons, stiff and bent at an unnatural angle. Mia had felt them when he took her hands, but now she saw them, really saw them. The palms and fingers seemed fused. The flesh was raised and lumpy and the skin was too tight to allow him to open his hand normally.

      ‘Did you build the houses, the train?’ Mia asked, wondering how those hands could do anything.