"Hurry!"
A mother yells. Dragging her wailing son towards a dockyard. Ships seem to be leaving in a panic. She lifts her son and runs as fast as she can towards a docked ship still accepting passengers. Soldiers surround the plankway. She runs up towards it and she's stopped by one of the soldiers with a deep Scottish accent.
"Papers." He asks with a stern voice
"I haven't got them! Please! Let us on!" The panic in her voice is more than real.
"Sorry. No Papers means yah cant board. Move along." He is unfazed.
"Please! They'll kill us! My husband fought in France!" She pleads.
"We can take the boy. You cant board." The soldier provides that. The mother looks down at her crying son as she kneels down beside him
"Go with the soldier darling, They will take you somewhere safe! I will stay here and wait!" She starts to cry. The boy hugs his mother and the soldier is getting antsy. Distant explosions and gunfire is getting closer. Heavy machine guns and artillery. The soldier takes the boy's hand and turns to leave. The woman grabbed his shoulder.
"Keep him safe"
"I'll do my best."
The woman waves goodbye. The ship's plankway is pulled up and the puff of its engines roars as it begins its journey away from the home islands.
"What will happen to mother?" The boy asks
"Don't think about it son, she'll be fine." He responds. He doesn't believe in himself. The Syndicalists are rounding up all people and it's up to the officers. The chances of her surviving are close to nothing. The odds are not in her favour. The city fades away and all that can be heard is the booms and flashes of artillery and the smoke from the burning city.
"Ever been to Canada sonny?" The man asks. The boy shakes his head no
"Mama always said it was like Britain but colder! Way colder! With tall mountains!" The boy exclaims. The man cracks a small smile.
"What's your name sonny?" The man asks
"Tom!" The boy exclaims.
"I'm Alexander. Call me Alex. I'll be taking care of you for a while." Alex puts his hand out for a handshake. Tom shakes it with stary eyes.
"Are you a soldier like a papa?" Tom asks.
"You could call me that." Alex sighs and response. Tom tries to respond but is cut off by the wirr of aircraft diving onto their boat. Alex looks up and watches as three hawker hurricane aircraft dive out of the sky.
"RAF Flyboys. They'll cover our journey." Alex tells himself. Unknowingly telling Tom as well. Alex leads Tom to the bunks and shows him to a bed.
"Sleep kid. It's a long trip." He commands.
"Where are we going?" Tom asks as he gets into the bed.
"Canada. Now sleep." He turns the light off and walks out. Closing the door on his way out.
"Caaanada!" Tom exclaims to himself before going to bed. Laughing at the name.
