The Swallows

Part 3

Chapter 3

The Nightmare

I gasped and fell out of bed. The deafening noise of planes had filled the air. The roaring engines piercing my ear drums like a dagger; I screamed and Mummy threw herself into the room; pulling us both under the bed. I clasped my hands around my ears, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t shut out the noise every one was dreading- the whistle and then the loud blast that shook the floors violently. 

“Mummy!” I screamed, but I know she couldn’t hear me.

I huddled up into a ball, crying, sobbing, and fretting. More bombs dropped and with each one, I gave a loud yelp, waiting for the roof to crash into me, for me and my family to be crushed under rubble. But I didn’t. It went on for another minute or so, the pounding of bombs, the screams that we could hear from outside, the tumbling of buildings. Then silence. The eerie silence, that you then knew, you had survived and everything was fine. We all cried, even Charlie, out of relief and shock. Mother clutched us hard, her tears dripping onto us like rainfall.

But everything was not fine and we knew it. As soon as we looked outside, it hit us like a ton of bricks.

Rubble everywhere, dust, stone, even trees lay silenced in the street. I looked around, and saw once-houses that had now been turned to wreckage.

I then noticed people that I knew, crying in the road, clutching injured and grabbing broken and spoiled possessions- books, plates, trophies, and anything they could find of value in the rubble.

It was unreal. Except it was real and this is what happens, isn’t it? And it gets worse than this, much worse….

I woke up suddenly, flinging myself upwards. I looked around. I was in Danny and Emily’s home, in their cramped living room, with the mouldy walls, and cracked ceiling. I was on the smelly sofa with Charlie, who was sleeping soundly. I felt the tears on my cheeks. I sniffled and found Tilly under the cushion. She looked at me thoughtfully and said with her silly, sewn mouth:

“Don’t cry Mabel, it was just a dream, not real just a dream..”

But however much she told me, I knew deep down it was all too real.

                                                                               *****

Emily passed me a bowl of porridge. But I just played with my breakfast, as i wasn't very hungry after my    rough nights sleep. I snivelled into Emily's white hankercheif, and leaned against Charlie's shoulder. Emily was whispering to Danny. I listened.

"..heard about this before, its when young children are taken away from their Mother when they're not used to being away from her. I guess its that combined with her Father away at War thats making her so ill..... What do you think Danny?"

I looked over my porridge bowl, Danny was playing with his porridge much like i was, his eyes not coming off his spoon.

"Danny?" hissed Emily

"Of course Emily" He looked up finally "I better be gone now" he said getting up grabbing his coat

"Already?" Emily's voice croaked. 

"Yeah, the quarry want me in early now" 

"Why?" 

"Because of cutbacks... see you" he said and left through the front door"

Emily stared at the door for a minute, twiddling the end of her shawl between her fingers. 

"Emily.. Emily! My porridge is cold!" i tugged at her sleeve.

"Mabel, don't" muttered Charlie, pulling me back gently.

Emily smiled at me, but she was trembling.

"Yes, darling I won't be two ticks"

I watched her heat up my porridge, and I knew something was wrong.

When she passed me the reheated porridge, I saw from under her long brown hair; the tears staining her face and her bloodshot eyes. I knew it was best not to say anything though, but I had no idea why she was so sad. I kept my mouth zipped and even ate the rest of my porridge, (though it was very dry) and went to clean the spoiled dishes in the sink. But Emily took them off me.

"No darling, I'll do that. Why don't you and Charlie go for a nap- and later we'll go for a walk, won't that be nice?"

"We went for a walk yesterday, and Charlie's far too old for a nap he's almost 12!"

"Wow, he's a big boy then isn't she?" she said softly, but her voice still croaked. "Ok then, if you wish we can do something else, we can go to the hills, and look around, yes?"

Going to the hills and looking around sounded much the same as a walk to me, but Charlie intervened.

"That would be nice Emily" he said "Thank you"

Charlie and I left her to do the washing up. We sat on the sofa, not saying anything. I was the one to break the silence.

"Do you like it here Charlie?" I asked quietly

"no"

"Me either"

"Emily is kind... and Danny is too I suppose, but I...." his voice trailed into nothingness

"miss home" I finished his sentence.

"Yes" he whispered

"Though we will see Mama soon, very, very soon. Very, very, very, very soon"  I continued spouting my 'Very soon' combination until Charlie pushed over onto one of the fraying cushions.

"Stop it Mabel, your bugging me so much, you know that?" he snapped.

He stood up and walked towards the door. 

"Charlie where are you-" said Emily, poking her head around the kitchen door.

"Away from you. Away from Mabel and you and Danny and this stupid house. I don't care if its dangerous, i want to go home! I want to go home and join the war. And i know i'm only 12 but i look a lot older and they'll except anybody down the centre. The only reason i didn't go was because of Mother, Mother and Mabel. But, i don't care anymore! I want to be with Daddy!" he screeched.

There was one moment of utter silence before Charlie threw the door open and ran out, down the pathway and out of sight.

"Charlie!"