The Last Breath

The Air Raid

I arrive at white phoenix academy, it was nothing, but a small building, very very small actually, but quite overcrowded of course as that's what you'd expect in a Victorian school, yes indeed, apparently if you were caught speaking welsh you'd be forced to wear the "Welsh not" and get a beating at the end well that's what I've heard. We went all the way from Dartmoor to a random town in wales, and I couldn't speak much welsh but I knew a few words, all I had to do was speak properly and not get myself into trouble. But I never attended a school like this before, I was always homeschooled but taught by Daniel as my parents first of all was always working, but also couldn't afford my education because we were poor, that's why they were working so much.

*Headmaster speaks*

''Good Morning pupils, may I ask you to head to assembly this morning, making sure you look presentable and smart'' said Mr Peppercot
I was squished between 3 people, it was like making a sandwich with butter and marmalade and squishing the other piece of bread on top, but no, I had to be squished right in the middle, I could tell that my first ever day at school was going terribly wrong. I started to wonder how Rose was doing.

*Bells rings* - Afternoon class

Morning class my name is Mrs Applen and I will be your sowing teacher, please turn to page 64 on your "How to sow like a lady in Victorian times textbook" Said Mrs Applen, oh sorry I didn't tell you, basically girls had to learn how to sow, while boys had to learn about war and how to become a good soldier and husbands, of course we kids would learn about English and reading too, it's essential for us to get jobs, I didn't know what I want to be when I grow up, I enjoy writing and I would become an author but I don't think anyone would read my books because everytime I try to write one my words are very dull when coming on a descriptive side of things, anyways... I enjoyed sewing, but I didn't like it as much, I tried doing an Embroidery and I didn't work.

*Mrs Applen comes over*
"What is this" Said Mrs Applen
"It's an Embroidery Mrs Applen" I said nervously
"This... is not an Embroidery this is a coverstitch" said Mrs Applen in disappointment"
''Sorry Ma'am'' I said
"What is your name girl?" Mrs Applen asked
''Cassie.... Cassie Green" I replied
"Well Miss Green I suggest you stop writing in your awful kiddish little diary of yours and start paying attention, in fact... go to Mr Peppercox office now". Said Mrs Applen
"Right away Ma'am" I responded
Now if I had to describe Mrs Applen to you she's very Vazey and a Muttonhead, I hate it here, all I wanted was my life to return to normal, me to be back with brother Daniel, my life was turning into a nightmare and I didn't know how to make it stop.
*Cassie knocks on Mr Peppercox door*
"COME IN" Mr Peppercox shouted
"Ahh Miss Green, I was expecting you" Said Mr Peppercox
"Hello Sir'' I said nervously
"Do you want to explain what your doing here?" He asked
"No Sir" I said
"it appears that you Miss Green have be ignoring Mrs Applen and obeying her expectations" Mr Peppercox
''Yes.... Sir I said
"And do you know what happens if someone obeys the rules here Miss Green" he said
I started feeling worried
"They get punished, and so for that reasons Miss Cassie Green, detention for a week, complain and beatings will be put in place too do I may myself clear?" Mr Peppercox said
"Yes sir" I replied
"Good, Now get out of here" he said angrily

It was hometime and Mrs Pillsbury came to pick us up, she looked extremely worried and
pale
"Kids, get in the car now, Quickly!!!" Said Mrs Pillsbury
"What's going on" I asked
"There's an air raid happening tonight" Said Mr Cotler
"How long will it last?''Rose asked
"No idea, we just got the news last minute" Said Mr Cotler
"So does that mean Daniel is..." I asked in fear
"Yes, he's in the war fighting Mr Cotler
I could feel the pressure on my chest, my heart pounding, I'm scared I'm gonna lose him, my only sibling, my only hope.

As soon as we got back to the orphanage I remember hearing on the radio that England was at war and that an air raid will be happening, bells starting to ring warning us that we needed to take shelter, I grabbed my book that Daniel gave to me before I said goodbye, just because I always said if I was gonna die, I wanted to die with my brother's last memory with me. I rushed downstairs into the basement, all 30 of us, we were crammed in but we had to deal with it, it was dark and cold, no heating, I remembered seeing a bucket of gas masks and a bucket so we had to do our business in. All I could think about was Daniel, I didn't know how he was, I've only written him a letter since last week, I remember when I was little, when sirens would sounds, Daniel would sing me a lullaby to calm me down, but it was never real it would always be practice, but still and everytime I'd feel scared, I'd sing it. Daniel wasn't just a sibling to me, he was like a parent to me, he taught me some of my education, he looked after me when I was a baby while mum and dad worked, he did everything for me. I began to heard the sirens ring, it felt like a zombie apocalypse. It reached 5pm and the sirens stop, bells rang to signal that we could come out for a little while before we had to go back to the basement, Rose came to speak to me.
Hey Cassie you okay? Sorry I haven't been able to speak to you today, how was everything at school? Said Rose
Yeah... fine... said Cassie
*Cassie walks away*
It was tea time and it was tomato soup, tasted lovely but I didn't feel to well, all the worry about Daniel made me lose my appetite. During dinner, Mrs Pillsbury looks at me looking very concerned
"Cassie, you alright? You bearly touched your soup" Said Mrs Pillsbury
"I'm fine" I said
I got out from the table and went straight to my room and went through all my letters from Daniel, something was wrong I could feel it in my stomach.
*Bedroom door knocks*
"Miss Green, it's me Mrs Pillsbury you alright?"Mrs Pillsbury said looking worried
I stood up and opened the door
"Yes, I'm fine'' I said
Mrs Pillsbury sits right beside me
"Your worried about him aren't you... Daniel? " She said
"Yes... something wrong, I can feel it in my bones, my stomach feels like something is punching me, please Mrs Pillsbury please find out for me" I said in fear
"I'll do what I can to find information about your brother Cassie, but I cannot promise anything" Mrs Pillsbury replied

9pm bedtime

Everyone was asleep in the basement, I was the only one awake, I couldn't sleep I was too worried about Daniel, so I began to sing the lullaby to myself that Daniel used to sing to me and eventually I fell asleep.
5pm
It was breakfast and luckily it was my favorite porridge but thick, not watery, not lumpy, but just the way I liked it. We found out that our school had been blown by bombs so we have chores to do instead. I finished my breakfast with 5 minutes and got to my bedroom to scrub the floors and clean my windows.
*Door knocks*
COME IN!!!
"Hello Cassie, some letters came for you in the post" said Rose
"Thank you Rose"I said
I stopped my task and went over to read a letter it was some sort of yellow telegram I didn't know what it was. So I went to Mrs Pillsbury to help.
"Mrs Pillsbury?" I said looking confused
"Yes my dear" she replied
"I received a letter from the post, a yellow telegram what does it mean? I replied
"let me have a look" she said
Mrs Pillsbury read the letter, and from her facial expression I knew something wasn't good
"Cassie, I think you might want to sit down" She said looking worried how I might take the news
"Your brother Daniel has gone MIA" said Mrs Pillsbury
"MIA?" I said confused
"Missing In Action, they didn't know where he is"
I dropped my glass of water on the floor, I knew it, I knew something was wrong, I dropped on my knees and I grabbed Mrs Pillsbury by the arms begging her in tears to help me find him
"Please... Mrs Pillsbury, help me find Daniel... help me find my brother.... Please hope he's alive... I said I could barely speak, Mrs Pillsbury had promised me she'd do absolutely everything she can to help me to make sure that I knew my brother Daniel was alive.