A Moment With You.

9

After New Year's, we had decided to head back to England when we had some time to be sent back on leave. However, even then, we knew that after a few months, we'd be enlisted again.

Although, even then, everyone still equally indulged in the arts and their passions. John still continued writing, book after book, unpublished and just left as a sort of memorabilia that he lived during those months. God knows how he managed to write so many in less than a few months. Arthur and the gang also invested in education, while still partaking in the more nefarious side of things, helping our soldiers get supplies smuggled into the battlefield from England. However, the one thing that was just around the corner, was the facing of my father, together with John, Sarah, Elizabeth and Annabelle.  In reality, I was troubled. But remaining like this, this utterance of silent life with calm and gentle behaviour. It wasn't for me. Maybe, if for naught, travelling would fix it. But right then, we didn't have the time to travel. We had to make due and survive however we could. The world was already fast dipping into chaos and havoc. Another war was soon upon us, the revolts and strikes of common workers as well as women were fast approaching too. Communism, fascism and the rise of the nazis became more and more of a threat, and politics had worsened over the years.

"Are you ready?" John's rough voice came about as he had a cigarette between his lips and a long coat with a hat on his head.

"You could shove me to the frontier and I'd still say no. I'd sooner kill someone again than this."

"Yeah, well, you've ran away from it long enough. I believe it's high time we both see an end to this." Sarah remarked with full intent, a roll of her eyes and then a huff.

"She is right, honey. As much as we women do most of the inner work with you men, we still stand strong and firm behind its leader -- you." I couldn't argue with Elizabeth's logic, she was always firmly planting me down to earth, making me remember that I have to care about others and how it affects them too. God be damned if I didn't, my life be damned if I didn't. A world without a woman who I love. Oh, there's always a woman.

"How about you, Sarah? Are you ready?"

"To see dad again? Of course not. You know more than I that I cherish him but this, this is going to be something entirely else."

"Well, let's get on with it." I bowed my head down and got out of the car that we were in. There walked commoners, and people of all classes. They all knew us, most of them, anyhow. We had grown up in that district.

"Good morning, Mr. Holloway." A butcher tipped his hat.

"Morning lads. How's the meat today, eh?" I looked over them and smiled back.

"Right fresh, hunted down from the forest. Fresh and tasty," The butcher remarked with glee as we passed on forward through an alleyway where there was a factory, pub, and many other things. The working class, mixed with the house of commons regime.

"Knock on the door, John." I ordered gently as I breathed in and John walked up to knock on the door of our father's home. Sarah, Annabelle and myself just tried mentally preparing ourselves. Then, the door opened -- slowly -- the old man approached and looked at the lot of us. Gray haired, musclebound and reeking of coal, cigarettes, alcohol and dirt. Standing tall at six and a half feet, wide-armed. Mr. Williams.

"Son? ... What the hell are you doing here, you good-for-nothing?" He stepped back a bit.

"Hello to you too, father ..." I clenched my fist but Elizabeth held my hand calmly to let my anger deviate from a harrowing path.

"Call him that one more time and I swear you won't see daylight again, dad." Sarah remarked strongly as she pushed her way in and shoved him aside. "Well? Don't just stand there like wet ducks. Come inside."