The Characterisation of Annabelle le Roux

Chapter Thirty: Heroes and Cowards

Annabelle was the one who saw them first. She saw them through her binoculars, she made sure that there was never a time when nobody was on guard even if she had to be that person herself.

The Mamlish had come back. The past week had been unlike anything that she had experienced before. She didn't know whether she like it, but she was sure that she never wanted to go back to how it was before.

The ships were filled of fighting soldiers, men who had been trained from birth to be killing machines, they didn't need a traitorous herbalists to make potions for them because they had something far more reliable. They had training regiments and commanders to prepare them in person for the job of being a killing machine.

She blew on the siren and it wailed like a wolf under the full moon. (Not that she had any idea what a wolf sounded like) Every person who was willing and able started scrambling to come to shell beach. Doubt filled her mind and she realised that it was possible that every person that she had ever known might be dead by tomorrow. But she knew that if they didn't fight now they would be killed anyway in the coming months.

The crowd before her were impatient to attack. "Should we shoot, Ferne', or should we wait until they are nearer to us."

'Annabelle if we can see them, they can see us" said Ferne' in reply and then impatiently added "Just attack"

"That's a good point Ferne', all that study of the Mamlish's ways has paid off. Everybody attack"

"With what?" cried one of the adult volunteers.

"I don't know, did you bring guns? Use that?" said Annabelle.

"On the count of three" said Ferne' taking over the reins. "One, two, three" – the sound of gunshots was loud, but the bullets went flying across the sea. "Duck" cried Ferne'. The row of adult volunteers all ducked simultaneously as they managed to avoid being hit by a returning volley of bullets. "Shoot" he cried again.

The shots, the return shots went on in a similar manner for over an hour. In the meantime, Annabelle went to go find the Madame Green and Veronique. They had set up a makeshift hospital behind the rocks at Shelly beach. Madame Green was dashing around mixing herbs and animal secretions at an almost sonic speed while Veronique was applying them liberally to everybody who walked into the tent.

"What are you doing here" said Madame Green the second she saw Annabelle. "You should be out there leading the people."

"But I'm not worthy" said Annabelle. "I don't have the skills or the training to be a war hero"

"It was never about being worthy" said Madame Green "It was about being able, and if my second potion didn't make you dead, it made you able. Now go back and do your job, you will only get in the way over here"

Annabelle left the tent and went back to Shelly Beach. Scrapping her leg on the way. The thin line of blood, shining brightly against the white clothes that she was wearing. Ferne and the volunteer adults were still shooting, but many of the line had fallen, and the boats were much closer to making land than they had been before she left.

'Annabelle" said Ferne. "We need more bullets, go fetch bullets."

Annabelle picked up the box and started throwing the bullets to each of the adult volunteers. She then realised, that if she timed it right and aim correctly, she could reload the guns for them. She did this five or six times, before she screamed out. "Ferne' I think it's time to fight"

She jumped and hit a kick into the air. "We need a bomb; do we have a bomb."

Every person shook their heads. "We don't even have enough bullets. The Mamlish emptied their armoury before leaving the island and we don't access to gunpowder over here."