I take his hand, stroking its little hairs; such a man. “We must hurry, and follow the secret path before Himmel has set the trap.” I tow him outside.

We run to the subway station. “Two to 7th Avenue,” I tell the vendor, and pay for them. Dutch treat! We get on a long escalator. Halfway down, as it’s passing a service hatch, I climb on the handrail, shove the hatch open and jump through.

A big drive chain is moving upward on the other side. I hold onto its links with hands and feet, and look back. My love is grabbing it; gut.

Just before a sprocket wheel would crush us, I grab the walking-beam of a steam engine, traversing its underside hand over hand as it plunges up and down. I slide down the drive-rod on its far end, kick out another service hatch and jump into a street drain. My geliebter is close behind.

We wade down the drain to a lake and let ourselves out the grating. Here is a shuttered boat rental. We get in a boat and row by moonlight.

Tugger is panting. Such a fascinating sound!