“At Marsden Primary, there’s a Geography field trip where classes go through the tunnel. It’s quite famous. You have to understand, to a kid, Standedge Tunnel is kinda scary. Bullies make little kids go and stand by the tunnel and look inside it for thirty seconds to prove they aren’t cowards. There’s a myth about a man living in there that parents tell their kids so they won’t get too close—the Standedge Monster. You know, that kind of thing. So, to voluntarily go in there, at nine years old, with only a Geography teacher and some tour guides to protect you, that’s a big deal.”

Robin nodded. He had never been claustrophobic. But even looking at pictures of the tunnel and knowing that it was a long journey through turned his stomach slightly.

“Well, they did it, and after that, they started hanging out. Inseparable. Like the tunnel changed them or something, brought them closer together. I dunno. And when they were old enough, they went again. Through. And then it became a sort of tradition, I think. I don’t know the details, but it seemed all us other kids knew it. I think a lot of people felt left out.”

“Left out?”

“Of course. The chance of being in a gang with the Claypath twins—I mean, who wouldn’t be jealous, right? That’s why Matthew, especially, worked to make sure he was important to them—I think he was afraid of getting left behind. He joined the Trust so he could take the group through Standedge without a tour guide.”

“So there were never any problems in the group?” Robin said.

“No. Well, the usual bickering and stuff, but they always sorted it out.”

“There was nothing odd in the run-up to when they disappeared.”

“I don’t know. As I said, I was on the outside,” Amber said, and then thought for a moment. “But it was obvious the group had fractured somewhat. They’d all spread across the country, going to uni. Tim and Edmund were in Edinburgh doing Physics and Rachel was there doing Psychology, Robert was in London doing Literature and Pru was doing Engineering in Manchester. It was only Matthew who stayed here.

“Matthew was always a little...different...to the others. He didn’t have any grand ambition—just seemed content with the day to day. More in step with folks round here. He joined the Canal Trust because he loved Standedge, not because he wanted to be rich or because he wanted to change the world. He just loved it.”

Robin stopped writing. “Matthew was content with Marsden, while the others needed more?”

“I guess so,” Amber said, sighing. “I wasn’t one of them. But...after the five of them had gone off to university, things did start to change, I guess. When the group got back together in holidays, well...see for yourself.” She tapped the photo.