Chapter 1
War had broke out and airplanes hovered above. Throwing bombs and missiles.
"Edmund! Get away from there," my aunt yelled as she pulled him away from the window. "Peter," she called. "Edmund, what do you think you were doing," my aunt continued.
"Peter, quickly, the shelter. Now!"
"Come on," Peter yelled.
"Wait," Edmund grabbed my hand as I grabbed my robe.
"Come on," Peter yelled again.
Everyone was screaming over the noise of the explosions. We all ran outside. Lucy and Susan followed. We were all tripping over sticks and tree roots to get to the shelter. "Come on, quickly," my aunt yelled.
"Run," Peter added.
"Mum," Lucy called.
My slipper came off my foot, and I bent down to get it. "Xavier, Hurry," Susan screamed, grabbing my hand.
"Wait! Dad," Edmund yelled as he pulled out of Peter's grip. He ran back towards the house.
"Ed," Peter followed.
"Edmund, no," my aunt yelled.
"I'll get him," Peter yelled reassuringly while running to the house.
"Peter, come back," she yelled.
"Ed! Come here," Peter ran after Edmund, ignoring her though.
A bomb went off smothering there voices. Glass from the window shattered everywhere. He ran out with a small picture frame. I assumed it was a picture of his dad; my uncle. He fought in the war.
"Hurry," she yelled.
They dived into the shelter. "Why can't you think of anyone but yourself? You're so selfish! You could of got us killed," Peter screamed. His face was filled with fury.
"Stop it!"
Tears leaked from Edmund's eyes as he stared at the picture. I sat under a small wooden table with Susan and Lucy. My aunt pulled Ed into her arms.
"Why can't you just do what your told?" Ed and Peter's eyes met and, they stayed that way for awhile. Peter pulled the door shut.
A man's voice called out the times and destination of the trains. People crowded every where. Trying to get to the trains and tell their good-byes.
"You need to keep this on, darling. All right," Lucy's mother; my aunt said as she buttoned her jacket. We all wore good clothing. I stood there, looking towards the ground. Fiddling with the button on my own coat. My shaggy black hair was combed to the side.
I'm 11 and this is the first time I had been so nervous. I would say sad. But that spot is taken by when my parents died. I was only 5 then. That's when I moved in with Ed and them.
"If Dad was here, he wouldn't make us go," Ed said, bringing me back to reality.
"If Dad were here, it'd mean the war was over and we wouldn't have to," Peter said.
"No need to be a jerk," I said looking up from the ground. Peter gave me an evil glance and looked back to his mom.
"You will listen to your brother, won't you, Edmund?"
He didn't answer the question. She stood up and gave ed a kiss on the cheek. Peter's followed, and so did everyone else's. When she got to me, she gave me a big smile. And a kiss on the forehead.
"You help Peter look after the others."
"I will, I whispered.
"Good man."
"All Aboard! All aboard," the same man's voice yelled.
"All right. Off you go."
Peter grabbed Lucy's hand and attempted to grab Ed's. "Hey, get off. I know how to get on a train myself. Get off me!" I saw Peter staring at the military men. I felt bad for him. I know how it feels to lose someone.
"May I have your tickets, please? Ticket please," A lady said, grabbing at Peter's hand. I was standing behind them all. Always coming in last. "Peter," Susan said giving him a confused look. We all handed her our tickets, and boarded the train.
Lucy came in with tears rolling down her cheeks. I looked out the window to see lots of mothers crying. We all searched left and right for my aunt. Or their mother. She pushed through the other mother's.
"Bye-bye my dears."
"Bye! We'll miss you! See you soon," Susan yelled.
We all had our heads stuck out the windows as we waved good-bye. The train started to move. And Peter yelled at us to stick our head back in. we squeezed in a booth with two other children; a young girl and a younger boy.
Peter grabbed our suitcases, and put them above our heads. All except Edmund's, who pulled his away. He wanted to do it himself. Ed always wants to do everything his self. He's one of those people who doesn't like help.
We spent ours on the train. Trying to sleep, and reading books. We went in silence the whole way. The kids in front of us were very shy. The train pulled to a stop. I looked out the windows to see other families joining together. A tears almost leaked out of my eyes. I used my sleeve to wipe it away.
Sadly we didn't get off, and continued on. The other two kids had gotten off. I was sitting next to Peter. The one closest to the window. Susan, Edmund, and Lucy sat in front of us. Lucy and Susan were reading a book, and Ed stared out the window.
It was more hours after that when we arrived at our destination. We were in Coombe halt. Everyone grabbed there suitcase and ran down the sidewalk. I grabbed mine and quickly followed. But to only be disappointed by a passing car.
"The professor knew we were coming," Susan said.
"Perhaps we've been incorrectly labeled," Edmund said while holding u a piece of paper.
"Come on, hup!"
A lady riding a wagon pulled by a white horse. She hit it with a whip to make it go faster.
"And whoa. Whoa." The horse came to a slow stop. She had on a small brown hat and glasses. Her coat looked soft and warm. She also had leather black gloves on.
"Mrs. Macready," Peter asked.
"I'm afraid so. This is it then? Haven't you brought anything else," the lady replied.
"No ma'am. It's just us," Peter answered for all of us.
"Small favors."
"Come on. Good girl. Come on. Come on," the lady said as we went up the grassy hill. We pulled into a long road that led to the house. The house was huge and had many large windows. It was made of red brick.
"Professor Kirke is not accustomed to havin' children in this house. And, as such, there are a few rules we need to follow," Mrs. Macready said as we walked through the door.
