Hurting and Deserting (Completed)

Chapter 6

Alice looked at Alexander in shock. Alexander couldn't look back. He felt ashamed. He knew she was going to question him and berate him for hiding the truth from her. Sure enough, that's exactly what she did.

"So when were you planning to tell me this?" She asked quietly.

"When we got to Coventry."

"Oh so after I'd already helped you get what you want?"

"No. It wasn't like that. I was scared."

"Scared of being arrested or scared that I wouldn't help you."

"Both."

"I can't believe you. I lost my job because of you."

Alexander didn't know this. "You what?"

"I was caught stealing money which I was going to use to pay for tickets for us to get to Coventry. The Lord gave me 9 shillings but it wasn't enough."

"You used it to pay for my jacket and didn't think about the train first?"

"No I didn't because I was trying to protect you. If I'd known you were a deserter I would never have helped you."

"I'm sorry."

"You should be. I've done so much for you. Now what am I supposed to do?"

"I don't know."

"You were never going to get away with this. I want to go out there and tell that guard you're here. There's probably a reward for anyone who turns you in."

Alexander was now very afraid. "Alice please, don't."

"I only said I WANT to go and do that. Not that I will do it. That depends."

"On what?"

"On how you're going to pay me back for all this. If I'm helping out a deserter I want it to be worth my while. So, how are you going to pay me back?"

"I don't know. What will make it up to you?"

"The truth about why you left the army? Or why you lied to me? I thought we were friends Alex."

"We are friends."

"Friends don't lie to each other."

"You lied to me. You didn't tell me you lost your job."

"Why did you leave the army anyway?"

"I don't want to talk about it. It's still painful."

"Did you get injured?"

Alexander knew that lying again would come back to bite him later, but he really didn't want Alice to turn him in to the guard. He knew she would hate him even more if she knew he'd killed someone. "Yes," he lied "I injured my back from an explosion."

"Oh. I'm sorry. At least you're still here to tell the story. My parents weren't so lucky."

Alexander had forgotten that Alice's parents died during a bomb explosion. It made him feel even worse for lying. He felt so stupid. He even thought about telling her the truth for a second. Only for a second though. He quickly brushed away the thought by promising himself that he would tell her when they arrived at his parent's house.

Not long after their argument. The two of them fell asleep. Alexander had another nightmare about the shooting incident. They were a regular feature of his dreams by now but that didn't make it any easier.

It felt like days before they finally heard the muffled announcement from the guard outside that they were in Coventry. Alexander woke first. He shook Alice awake and they crept towards the door. Just as Alexander reached for the door handle they saw the door begin to open. Alexander pushed Alice behind the door and waited.