I do not own Private Peaceful
Dear Diary,
Today we received a telegraph. A telegraph notifying me, Mrs Peaceful and poor old Big Joe, that our beloved Charlie Peaceful was dead. Killed by the firing squad for sticking up for Tommo. They even have the cheek to complain about not having enough soldiers leaving them to drag under aged men to war. Well I'll tell them why. It's because they keep killing off innocent men only to get over the pain of not killing as many Germans as they wanted to. Poor Tommo. He must be devastated. Shutting out everyone around him. On top of this he has to go back into battle without someone close to him to help him through. Without a role model to pull him up when he's down. Worst of all, Little Tommo will never knowingly meet his father in person. Charlie will never be able to play with him. Teach him or even spend any quality time with him. He might not even be able to meet the uncle he was named after if this senseless war keeps going on. I don't know why we have to get involved. We never asked for this. It's all the Colonels fault. I f he hadn't stuck to his word and supported us like his late wife wished, Charlie wouldn't be dead, Tommo would be home with us now and we wouldn't be worrying. It's just such a shock.
It seems like only yesterday that we were sitting in the water reading the stones on the shore and declaring we will be together forever. It also said that when we were together we would be lucky. We broke that rule though. Charlie was dragged into war, Tommo followed him in a battle to impress me acting like he wasn't, and I had to stay home and make sure I stay healthy and fat for the baby on the way. We haven't been quite so lucky in the point of staying together. Others have been busy in their own ways before the torturous news was delivered. Joe started a new collection of animals in the barn. We haven't told him yet. What can we say? When they first left we told him they were going on a trip and would be back shortly. If we tell him he went to heaven Joe might disappear again. Then what would we do. We can't keep it from him; he's bound to be suspicious if only Tommo comes home alone. Maybe even not at all. Mrs Peaceful took into baking; making sure the baby comes out nice, plump and chubby. To keep him warm for the winter weather that bites at all of us from our toes to our teeth. When she read the letter she got straight up and walked straight up to her room without a word. I haven't seen her since.
I haven't heard a single sound come from her or her room. Big Joe is clue less. He took a nap before it arrived and hasn't woken since. I'm trying to remember all the good times we had before they left but there aren't enough to stop me crying. I want to go down to the big house and scream at the Colonel for taking Charlie away from me. Away from his mother. From his two brothers, and worst, his son. The innocent child that we created. The one who has had no say in any of this. The one deserves the most and has the worst. The Colonel is a selfish, coldblooded, sadist that's what he is. Just like the squad that killed him. That killed one of their best soldiers for sticking up for his brother. Instead of being rewarded for his riotous act he was punished. He was killed. I will never forgive them. I will never forgive the Colonel, and I will let anything else happen to Little Tommo. Not now not ever. Never again.
Molly