The Secret Trainer
						Part 1

	The wind whistled through the granite slabs that marked the final 
resting places of countless men and women.  Michael Birch stood with the 
three other poll bearers at the foot of the open trench.  It had barely 
seemed like a day since he and Sam were on the slopes of Mount Silver, since 
the – ‘don’t think about it.’ 
	
	The congregation began to disperse after the vicar had said his piece 
and the coffin was laid to rest in the cold hard ground.  
	
	“Michael?” Sam’s widow stood before him.  Her eyes shone with tears.  
“You were there?  At Mount Silver?”  
	
	“Yes.” He wasn’t sure what to say.  Somehow the words “I saw your 
husband and my friend get crushed under a rockslide while I was flown to 
safety by his pokemon” didn’t seem appropriate.  “I’m so sorry Jane.  How’s 
the kid doing?”  He glanced over to Nick.  The little boy clung to his 
grandfather’s hand; he looked remarkably like his father.
	
	“I don’t want him anywhere near those murderous beasts!”  She 
whispered.  “I’ll do anything I can to keep him away from pokemon.”
	
	“You can’t keep them away from him Jane, they’re a part of this world.”  
	
	“Promise me Mike, promise me you’ll never let him follow in Sam’s 
footsteps.”  She was pleading with him, there was nothing else he could say.  
	
	“I promise you he will never become a pokemon trainer.”  He knew there 
would never be a way to stop him, but he had to try for her, for Sam.  Jane 
made her way back to her son and Sam’s parents.  Michael looked over to the 
stone that marked his friends grave.  In loving memory of Samuel Jonathan 
Palmer, loving father, son and husband, champion.  
	
	He needed to get away from this but before he could make his escape he 
came face to face with Sam’s parents.
	
	“How are you doing lad?” Sam's father asked kindly.
	
	“I’m – I’m fine Mr Palmer, honest.  How are you two doing?”  He tried 
to sound natural.
	
	“We’re holding up.” Mr palmer was always a strong man, yet the death of 
his son had shaken him considerably.   “Listen Michael, about what Jane has 
just said, she’s very emotional right now.”
	
	“I’m not going to let him sir.”  Michael knew he should be more 
reasonable, but he wasn’t going to let them lose Nick as well as Sam.  “I’ll 
do everything in my power to keep him from being like Sam.”
	
	“You can’t!” Mrs Palmer shrieked.  People turned to stare.
	
	“What do you think Sam would say?”  Mr palmer stepped menacingly 
towards him.  “Do you think he would want you, his travelling companion, his 
friend!  Would he want you to deny his son … to –,”  he seemed to be 
struggling for words.  Two months beforehand and he would have put Michael in 
his place for sure, but now he had certainly lost something.  “I would never 
have thought you, of all people, would disrespect Sam’s memory like this.”
	
	“I’m sorry sir but…”
	
	“goodbye Michael Birch.” Mr palmer said firmly before he and his wife 
stormed away from him.  he suddenly became horribly aware of the people.  
Every man woman and child was staring at him, including the eyes of the young 
Nick Palmer.  He felt his heart sink as he stared back at the scared, 
confused boy.  Tearing himself away, Michael made for the cemetery gates.  
There would be no need to stick around now, he wasn’t sure he was welcome any 
more.  He took one last glace at Sam’s headstone.  ‘I’m sorry Sam, I’m so 
sorry … for everything.’