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GRAVEDIGGERS - REPARATION
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Currently, there are three Gravediggers who sit in federal legislation, and around fifty in state and local legislation. All of them hail from Graves in integrated regions, though there are grassroots organizations in rural areas that seek to encourage those from other Graves to participate.

Recent movements have been gaining footholds all over the country to initiate reparations for a long history of abuse, oppression, and discrimination against Gravediggers. They are composed largely by families of ward-wives and direct Gravedigger lineages, but they have seen widespread support from other minority groups who have historically suffered similar injustices.

Also gaining popularity are Gravedigger artists, authors, actors, and comedians. These creators bring the voices and visages of a disenfranchised population to the forefront of the country’s media stream and provide poignant but digestible entertainment to Society. Athletic teams and universities are also slowly opening their doors to Gravediggers, giving them places in Society as fully-outfitted citizens.

The strongest leap is reserved for the largest hurdle, and the biggest issue facing modern Gravediggers in their pursuit of equality: abolishment of Gravedigger-designation on government-issued identification. This, expectedly, has also received the greatest pushback, though every day more walls are broken down. Education, namely of Gravedigger history, has played a great part in changing the minds of the people, starting with the youth.

As, slowly but surely, children are no longer taught to fear or be disgusted by Gravediggers or their rich culture and history, a new world begins to unfold.

—

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GRAVEDIGGERS - FOREWORD AND DEDICATION
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Hello, readers. Seems like you made it through the boring introductory factoids. Thanks for reading them - they’re necessary to understand the Gravedigger people.

My name, as evidenced by the cover of this book, is Miles Gravedigger-Way Torres. I am a Gravedigger by birth,blood, and belief. I am also a scholar, a licensed mortician, a headstone and coffin carver, a husband, and a father to many plants and one cat. Amongst other things, I’m also an activist, an author, a tea snob, and hopefully one day, a father to a human.

My story started like most Gravediggers - but not all - in a small rural Grave. I was one who had the privilege to remain in my birthplace, not relinquished to Society, or vice versa - ripped from the relative safety of Society to be sent to an isolated Grave. Many of my people suffered the fate of abuse, torture, neglect, and separation from their parents and children, only to be forced into arranged marriages to the worst kinds of people. But gratefully and to my undeserved luck, my story ends happily.

This book - though an homage to the influential, indispensable Gravediggers paving the way to a bright future - does open with a feature of a Society-citizen. He was unfortunately unable - but not unwilling - to take on the Gravedigger name and designation due to the nature of his job. He is, however, a direct descendant of the Gravediggers. All the subsequent features are of Gravedigger-citizens, those with Gravedigger lineage, or Gravedigger-designation. You know what they say, “First is the worst,” and so on. ;)

I have chosen (against my editor’s suggestion) to feature my loving husband - multi-time champion and first openly gay powerlifter in an openly inter-designated marriage - first. I was lucky enough to meet this kind-hearted and open-minded Society-citizen, the descendant of a proud Gravedigger ward-wife from my Grave. Without his invaluable patience, support, and input, I would not have been able to write this book, which features twelve influential people pivotal in the arduous path to Gravedigger equality. Also without him, many steps in the athletic and legislative realms would not have been taken to secure a better future for Gravediggers everywhere.

This book is dedicated to Tonnes, Mother, Father, Sister, Uncle, Grandfather, everyone in Raildusk Grave, and my editors, management team, and peer readers. And my cat, Pig.

Please enjoy.

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***
THE FUTURE
***

“Hey, Inchworm,” Graham says, closing the door to their condo behind him with a click. He steps over to where Miles sits, hunched at his neatly organized desk in front of the window, and plants a kiss atop his head.

Graham is sweaty from the gym, and Miles is cramped and sore from hours of bad posture in front of a screen. He tips his head back anyway and drags Graham back down for a kiss on the lips. “Hey, Tonnes. How was training?”

Graham leans over and in one fell swoop lifts Miles from his desk chair, whisking him to the bathroom. “Same old. How’s writing?” He starts the water and strips his clothes.

“It’s going well. My editor is saying these are the final touches before it’s sent for print.” Graham finishes stripping his own clothes before setting to work on Miles’s. Miles laughs as Graham paws insistently at the small buttons on Miles’s shirt, fumbling with his large, calloused fingers. He is nearly ready to rip it open before Miles relents and takes pity on him, nimbly undoing them in a few short seconds.

They step into the oversized tub-shower - specially custom-ordered to fit two adult men, one short and slight, and one tall and overlarge. Miles wraps his arms around Graham’s middle, nuzzling into his broad chest and humming, wet hair slapping at Graham’s freckled skin.

Graham wraps his arms around Miles, enveloping him completely, planting soggy kisses into his hair. “You need a trim,” he says with a grin.

“I’ll get one before I go on this book tour. I fought my manager to get it to land during your slow season, so you better come with me.” Miles looks up to snatch the kisses aimed at his shaggy hair.

“I promised I would, Inch. Of course I will.”

Miles sighs into Graham’s chest. “I know, Tonnes. You’ve never once broken a promise to me. I think if we can train Pig to finally wear that harness, he can come with us. Our touring van should be big enough for all three of us.”

Graham flips Miles around, so they are back-to-chest. “Enough work talk, Inchworm. Let’s shower now, so we can soak in the bath together.” He reaches easily over Miles’s head and lathers a cloth with soap, wiping it ever gently over Miles’s skin.

***

As Miles leans back between Graham’s legs, warm water sloshing around their knees, Pig crashes into the bathroom, zooming and skidding over the tile floor until he comes to hop on the edge of the tub. He leans in to lap at the water before Graham laughs, loud and deep, lifting him gently up and placing him back on the ground.

Pig hops back up once more, indignant, and Miles swats him off again, much less gently than Graham. With an offended yowl, he trots back out of the bathroom, leaving the two alone again.

Graham plays with Miles’s hair, coiling it tenderly around his fingers. He says softly, “I love you, Miles, my Little Inchworm, further than man can measure, farther than to the moon and back.”

Miles cranes around and presses his lips into the hollow of Graham’s neck. He whispers, “I love you, Graham, bunches and tonnes, more than man can weigh on a scale, more than every limb on every tree.”

-end-