Chapter 1
"Strawberry!"
"Definitely!"
The group of girls giggled as Kenny walked by. He didn't pay them any attention, groups of girls were always giggling and Kenny was far too modest to assume it would be anything to do with him.
Another girl appeared at his side, definitely not giggling.
"Kenny, hurry up. We've got so much work to do on this special," said the girl before striding off ahead.
"Right," he muttered. The day had ended – well, the school day at least – and now it was time to get down to some real work on the Junior Gazette. A special edition dedicated to Rememberance Day was being planned, which involved a lot of research and extra interviews. Hastening his stride to catch up with Lynda, the two walked out of the school together and towards the Junior Gazette offices.
Another gang of girls were loitering by the school gates and as they passed by, Kenny heard whispered discussion and the very definite "Strawberry!" word, again followed by giggling.
"Did you hear that?" he asked Lynda.
"Hear what?" came the slightly irritated reply.
Kenny frowned. "Nothing."
"Have you interviewed your grandfather yet?" Lynda asked, mind as ever firmly focused on the task at hand.
"Huh? Er, no."
"Why not?"
"Lynda, he's been in hospital. He's only just come out. I thought I'd let him unpack his pyjamas before I went around there waving my notebook in his face."
"You could have gone to the hospital. I'm sure he wouldn't have minded. What else is he going to do in there, sit and look at the person opposite? Hospitals are horrible places. It would have been the least you could do to go and visit him."
"Lynda . . ." said Kenny, warningly. "I did visit him. Nightly. He was on a respirator. Bit hard to reminisce over old war stories when your face has a plastic breathing mask on it."
"All right, fine," huffed Lynda. "Just see that you get that interview. And don't forget to ask him if he has any old stuff we can use to print in the paper – letters, photos, that kind of thing."
"Got it," replied Kenny. "And he's fine now, by the way. Thanks for asking. I'll pass your good wishes onto him."
"This is going to be a big thing for us, Kenny," said Lynda, as if he'd never spoken. "A big special – we haven't done anything since the expose on the shops that sold glue to minors. How's your girlfriend by the way?"
"Lynda, I must have told you a dozen times. She's not my girlfriend anymore. She dumped me."
"Oh, right, I remember now. Pity. We could have used someone in Macton."
Kenny stared incredulously at the girl who was purported to be his best friend.
"Kenny, what are you staring at?"
"I'm not sure," muttered Kenny darkly as he yanked open the door to the Junior Gazette building and stalked inside.