hi y'all! I'm officially back at work for those who don't follow me elsewhere, so hopefully I can get back into my routine. I wanted to have a chapter of Wounds No One Can See up this weekend, but nope! so you get another letter in Infinitely Brave (buckle up folks, I've got up to like 70 chapters of this fic plotted out, so it's gonna be a long ride!). I hope you're all staying safe with everything going on, and please please please if you can donate to the many BLM funds out there (or ones in your home countries! those are important too!) please do, I've already done so and once I get my paycheck, I'll certainly continue donating because we all deserve to live, especially if you're black. Love y'all - Dee
Army Base in Queensland
9 July 1940
Dear Alice,
I am enjoying Persuasion, much more than I'd thought I would, but maybe I'm the one who needs to practice being more open minded out of the two of us. It starts slow, and the language makes it hard to read a lot of it in one go, but I'm slowly inching my way through it. As of this letter, I'm only about five chapters in and eager to find out more of the story; Anne is undoubtedly a different heroine than I'm used to, but I have only this question to ask you: am I allowed to want to strangle the rest of her family?
Thank you for the offer to send me the new Poirot books, if it wouldn't be too much trouble (and I can send money to help cover the costs), I would love to get them. A touch of normalcy is what most of us here need, especially with the latest news of what Britain did to France's fleet in French Algeria, Germany's new attacks on Britain itself, and Italy attacking Malta. We're worried here, of course, worried and anxious to get into the fighting. Most of us aren't wanting to fight, but it's the waiting that's horrible. Too much downtime allows for wandering thoughts.
As to your question about why I signed up… the straightforward answer is that I don't like bullies, and right now the Germans are bullies. It's also… Australia is my country, my home, even if we had stayed out of it, I have no doubt the war might still reach our shores. Everyone's connected far more than we think - just look at the Depression - and there are… problematic stirrings in Asia between China and Japan that give me a bad feeling about all of it. Whatever happens elsewhere in the world will eventually have some sort of effect on Australia, so if volunteering to fight now helps prevent other losses then… I'll do it. Training to be a policeman, however, has helped with army training, it's simply re-sorting my previous knowledge to suit my current circumstances.
No word yet on where we'll go, I think the higher ups are debating where we'll best be suited - as well as conferring with the Mother country on where they need help, but the rumor is that we'll not be going to the continent. Right now, Africa or even the Middle East are likely candidates. If I can, I will let you know.
I loved hearing of your travel dreams, I have to admit that I never really wanted to go anywhere. Here in Australia held enough adventure for me (though like you, I wanted to sail the seas after reading Treasure Island in my childhood.) Since you cannot travel at this time, and I'm taken from my homeland, I will try to describe the outside world as best I can in my letters whenever we're sent away.
You have a journal? Does it help? Maybe I should take up the habit alongside reading more of your favorite novels.
Sincerely,
Matthew Lawson
