This is a short story based on my early FBG stories, which is why one or two people are missing… although some might be around later. Disclaimer: I do not own BBC Casualty and the past I have invented for my characters are my own.

One day as Mr Keogh walked through the Holby Mixed Infants playground, he saw the kids were playing an old-fashioned singing game just like he remembered from his own childhood.

He stood for a moment and watched.

"Oh Mr Keogh, we're not late for school, are we?" Zax asked, more or less together.

"Not at all, Zoe, you can all come in with me. I want to watch this new game of yours."

"There's not any dirty words in it" Jacob said warily.

Mr Keogh gave a half smile, which coming from him was as good as a laugh.

"I know you wouldn't sing those, Jacob. I just want to watch."

The kids were a little uneasy but wanted to play the game anyway because Jacob had got it from his Granny. Jacob's Granny knew all about funny songs and games.

The kids were divided into almost equal groups. Ethan's side had one extra player because nobody had wanted Taylor so she'd had to tag on to the end.

The song had begun already but team two were singing their response:

"Yes we're ready for a fight, eeeh eye over,

Yes we're ready for a fight, for we're the English soldiers."

The song went on to describe the fight between the English and Roman soldiers in a way that it was never written in history. From the kids hopping on one leg and singing:

"Now we've only got one leg" to the grand finale in which everybody sang:

"Now we all shall drop down dead", and proceeded to act that out, to their glorious resurrection as they jumped up and danced around:

"Now we're fit and well again."

Mr Keogh felt a temporary sadness for the way children saw battles in their innocence. Then he gave a whole smile. He'd been wondering what to organise for Lofty's forthcoming birthday. Lofty had been the ringleader of organising a surprise for his maths teacher's birthday, which had led to a great night out for all the kids, and Mr Keogh wanted to return the favour.

He clapped his hands.

"Okay, kids, everybody inside. We'll have some questions about those soldiers, all to do with sums, later in my class. But now I want to put you on trust to read your sum books while I go and talk to Mrs Beauchamp."

"Have we been bad?" Jacob asked nervously. He felt responsible because it was his Gran's song.

"Not at all, but inside now, you little monkeys."

Monkeys. A birthday that included Roman soldiers and monkeys. Perfect.

Ethan bit his lip as they waited for the mini bus. Would Mr Harper be kind yet again and let Cal come or would he say:

"No, Cal can't keep missing classes to go on trips."

Then the mini bus drove up and Ethan's heart sank – until he saw Cal with his backpack on, almost racing the mini bus down to the school carpark.

"Yay, Cal's coming!" Taylor shouted. Ethan gave her a dirty look. He didn't want Taylor to start getting ideas about copping off with Cal. If she tried, Ethan would tell Cal he knew she was a Lebsion.

Lofty's eyes opened even more widely than usual. There was a banner on the mini bus that said "Happy birthday Lofty" on it.

"Misery tour?" Max read the header on the coach, and wondered if it was about haunted stuff.

"Mystery tour, Max."

Miss Freeman was too nice to mention that Max needed to pay more attention to his reading classes and less to Zoe on a special day but she resolved to talk to him about it later.

The bus was almost ready to go when Ethan piped up:

"Sorry… I need another wee."

"Come on, little brother."

Mrs Beauchamp cut in.

"No, I'll take him and wait outside for him, Cal. This should keep the rest of you occupied till we come back.

She passed over the gift bag they'd put into her keeping to Lofty.

"Happy birthday, Ben. You open that before Ethan and I get back."

"Oh thank you" gasped Lofty, and opened the gift bag with his usual care.

It seemed to be just full of those foamy bits people put in parcels. He thought it was a joke on him so, even though he felt a bit squashed, grinned round.

"The envelope, man, get the envelope out!" Jacob shouted.

Lofty took out the envelope very carefully.

"Oh wow."

It said "Mr Benjamin Chiltern" on it, but the address was c/o Holby Mixed Infants. The kids hadn't trusted Julia, Lofty's mum, in case she got the envelope first and ripped it up to be mean.

Lofty opened the envelope carefully, during which time Zoe had to bitch-nudge (a word she'd proudly invented) Taylor who had been sneering:

"Can't even open an envelope fast!"

"It's a posh letter" Lofty said.

Mr Keogh held his hand out for the letter and read it aloud. Mr Benjamin Chiltern, care of Holby Mixed Infants, was due to receive twelve copies of his favourite alien comic… which would be sent to Mrs Constance Beauchamp; one copy every month.

"You can have the first one when you go home tonight, Ben" his headmistress smiled.

"Oh wow… thank you everybody."

"Tonight?" said Ethan, as Cal helped him up the steps of the mini bus, "It's going to be a massive day out then!"