Breaking Enigma || The Imitation Game

◈ SIXTEEN- An Old Friend and the Blackout ◈

Beautiful edit made by JustJaelyn x

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November the twelfth. Today was Jack and Louisa's fifteenth birthdays. I'd manage to come home for the day and I was lucky not to have argued with John again. But Allany did ask rather a lot of questions about my departure. That woman needs to know when to keep her mouth closed and not ask irrelevant and stupid things whenever it suits her.

I had been at home for the entire afternoon and it went by so quickly; too fast that I don't remember much, which is sad, really. I didn't want to leave, but Jack's boasting about how he was older changed my mind ever-so-slightly. Sibling relationships are always difficult.

I was terribly pleased to see my family again, even though I hadn't been at Bletchley Park for that long. Every time I return home, it feels like years since I last visited. And it pained me even more knowing that Father was becoming ill. Nobody knew exactly what was happening, but all I can say is that we were relieved that whatever the illness was, it was affecting him extremely slowly and with no pain.

I didn't want to be working any longer. I wanted to be at home taking care of my family while I still can...

When I left for Bletchley Park, the sun had gone down and it was starting to get awfully dark. The wind had dropped at the streets were eerie in so many ways- the lighting, the almost-silent air, the lack of people wandering around. The village has next-to-none of its cosy and welcoming atmosphere in the night. Especially when there's tension of war.

"Kester?"

I turned around and almost immediately recognised my old university friend...

Friend?

I'm afraid so. Pretty much the only one I've ever had; except for a select few from childhood, most of whom have drifted apart.

His name was Albert Watson, or just Albie, as he preferred. Albie was about four inches taller than I was. His hair was short, sleek and of a golden-blonde colour. His eyes were hazel and they never showed any anger, sadness or fear. Only happiness and friendliness; just like his personality. But as soon as I set my gaze on Albie, I truly did see fear and sadness in his eyes. Something that I never thought I would see.

"I thought I recognised you," he said with a warm smile. "How've you been?"

"Well," I reply, returning the smile. "Although, very busy with the war effort and all."

"No surprises there," Albie seemed quite gleeful, despite the lingering darkness in his gaze. "So, what do you do?"

"I..." I trail off for a brief moment. The sentence 'I work in a top secret facility decrypting and breaking codes for twenty-four hours a day, so we can defeat the Nazis' seemed very tempting to say, but I couldn't. I simply couldn't. But I manage to finish with the usual- "I spend my days at Bletchley's Radio Factory."

Albie furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't think that the village had a factory."

"It's on the outskirts," I explain. "About a twenty minute walk from home."

"Ah, right," he nodded, indicating that he now understood. But then Albie glanced at me inquisitively. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"What do you mean?"

"You have that look. Like, something is missing from your explanation."

"No... I don't think there is," I really wanted to tell him, but I had to restrain myself and not speak a word of information that had a link to Bletchley Park. Lying to a friend is a terrible thing, yet sometimes it was inevitable.