~ Thea ~
I sighed lightly, as I glanced around the crowded train station, watching as families parted; children saying goodbye to their mothers and other family members, that were here to see them off. I was here alone, escorted from the orphanage by a stranger, and now alone, as they tended to the younger children.
I wasn't always alone. Until the last week, I had a family, I had a life, until the German menace had something to say about that. My father died overseas, in a battlefield somewhere, while my mother died in the bombing raid, three days ago. She was running inside, to grab another blanket for the shelter, and to get the last photograph we had of my father, when a bomb landed directly on the roof. She had no chance.
I've not spoken a word since I heard her screams and saw the house collapse. I dragged her out the next morning; I refused to let the rescue forces work without my help. Now, I wish that I had.
I clutch the small locket in my hands, and weave through the crowds, and join the queue of children joining the train. Many were holding luggage or their sibling's hands, glancing around for one last look at their mothers or aunts or someone they knew. I stared forwards, keeping my face emotionless; I've cried enough in public.
As the line moved forward, I saw that the majority of the children being evacuated were younger than myself; most were ten or eleven. Placing the locket in my pocket, I reached into another and brought out my train ticket. When I reached the women standing either side of the doorway, I handed them the small piece of paper in my hand before they said, and they smiled, muttering something like, "Someone who's prepared. Nice for a change."
They handed it back to me, before allowing me on. "Here you go darling." The woman with curly, grey hair said, as she gently steered me towards the compartments. "Now go on, and find a seat."
I muttered a quiet thank you, as I walked past her, and searched for an empty seat. Most of the compartments were already full, and I found it hard to get a space. Luckily, I eventually came across an empty one. I stepped in, and shut the door behind me, before reaching up and placing my small bag of belongings into the luggage space above me, and sitting beside the window, my book in my hands.
I sat upright, and held my head high, my face still emotionless as I looked out and saw that there were almost no children left on the platform now, and that it was mainly women searching the windows for one last goodbye. Sighing deeply, I lent backwards, undoing the braid in my hair and opening the book. The Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien. I loved it, it was a fitting novel for my journey, as I would soon be leaving for my own adventure, like dear Bilbo Baggins.
I was grateful for the orphanage, letting me keep the book. I heard a shrill whistle, and then a conductor shouting "All aboard!" over all the noise. I looked back to the door, to find everyone walking past it; children crying, holding their siblings close, but as I turned back to open the book, I heard the door open, and four others stood there; two boys and two girls.
"Sorry, but can we all sit here? There's no other seats." The oldest, a boy who looked eighteen said to me, holding his youngest sister's hand. I smiled a little and nodded lightly.
"Go ahead. It would be nice for some company." I replied, shifting my sleeve on my arm a little, to hide an old injury, that I would rather avoid talking about.
The four walked inside, with the oldest girl closing the door behind them all. The oldest two, and the youngest sat on the three seats opposite me, while two seats to my left, the other boy slumped down, staring out of the window in the door, and ignoring all attempts of conversation with his siblings.
As the train juttered forward, I opened the book and read the first line; In a hole in the ground, there lived a Hobbit.
"What's your name?" I heard someone ask, and I glanced up, to see that the youngest, the girl with pigtails was smiling at me, sitting forward expectantly.
"My name's Thea Carter." I said, smiling. "Can I ask you the same question, seeing as we're all stuck here for a while?" The girl laughed, while I heard a scoff come from the boy sitting near me; his older brother scolding him quickly.
"Lucy." The girl said, moving so that she sat next to me. "My name's Lucy Pevencie, and this is Peter, Susan and Edmund." She said, pointing to each one in turn. Peter muttered a 'hello' in my direction, while Edmund did nothing. Susan, however, came fixated with the book on my lap.
"Which book is that?" She asked, and I looked down at it, before holding it out to her.
"The Hobbit." I said, as she took it from my hands, quickly reading the back cover, and handing it back to me.
"It sounds like a good book." She said. "A little childish, but it sounds good."
"Can you read the first bit for me?" Lucy asked, tugging my sleeve a little.
"Luce." I heard Peter say, wearily. As if to tell his younger sister that she'd gone too far. "I doubt that she wants to."
"No, it's fine." I reply, as Lucy looks happier than ever, though slightly depressed. I can't imagine what else it would be, other than their departure from their family back in London. Edmund scoffs again, and this time, Peter hits him gently on the shoulder, before glaring.
Ignoring that, I open the book once more, and began reading, Lucy hanging onto almost every word.