The Girl Soldier Of WW1

Chapter Two

I decide to stay here in the woods for the night. I don't mind. I'm not scared. It's better than going back to my mother. Back to hell. I hitch up my skirts and then I start to climb to a safer branch, and slowly - ignoring the shadows and the cold - I fall asleep. It's not easy as I continuously worry and fret and cry and sob and think but eventually, slowly I fall into a deep, deep sleep.

~*~

I wake up to the morning sun, still safely tucked away in my tree. It seems to have rained last night but the leaves sheltered me and protected me from any water droplets. I sit up slowly and take in my surroundings. I hadn't realised how high I had climbed up last night when I was looking for somewhere safe to sleep, the height I see now shocks me and it makes me weary. What if I had rolled over and fallen? What if the branches had broken beneath me? What if I had misjudged the safeness of these branches in the dark?

Shaking myself to get rid of the horrible thoughts and 'what if's I was getting I start to slowly, gradually, climb my way down the tree. Slipping occasionally on the wet branches and giving myself several heart attacks. When I reach the bottom I slip on my boots and walk through the streets. Ignoring everything. Feeling numb. I humm to myself as I walk until I catch something one of the paper boys shout. "Britain has declared war on Germany! Great Britain has joined World War One!"

I rush up to him and when he sees me he looks up confusedly. "What did you say?" I ask him excitedly.

"Great Britain has declared war. We've joined World War One." He says confusedly and looking at me as if I'm crazy. I probably look crazy too. I just slept in a tree, my hair is probably messy and have leaves in it and my dress is all muddy and mucky.

"Are they recruiting soldiers?" I ask eagerly.

"Errr, they are. Men, 18 and older. They say they'll be starting the training for the first soldiers at twelve this afternoon. Men can sign up at the gazebo at the main road." The boy explains to me and a smile stretches across my face. Because I now knew what direction fate and destiny were taking me. I hug the boy and rush home, leaving him dazed and confused.

When I get in the house no one else is up and I think to myself that that's just as well. I grab some scissors and then begin hacking at my hair. Cutting it all off. Making my hair short-cropped. When I finish I look in the mirror and smile at my reflection. A part from my clothes I could pass as a boy. I know I'm 15 but I could pass as being 18 years old. I then creep upstairs into Mother and Fathers room and take three sets of Fathers clothes. Two to pack in a rucksack and one to wear now. Father and I are both roughly the same size.

I get dressed and wear a pair of his old boots which he's forgotten he has. I then find some paper and a pencil and write to both Father and Mother:

'Mother and Father,

This might come as a shock to you and I beg you not to worry or fret over me. I have joined the war. I have cut my hair and put on men's clothing to pass myself as a man and I am probably on my way to the training camp by the time you read this. I'm sorry it had to be this way but I am not fond of being wedded to someone I don't even know. I will write to you throughout my time at the war and I hope you both the best.

I also tell you that you can't stop me. If they find I'm really a young lady and not 18 I will be shot by the firing squad. You heard what they did to those French men who backed out of the war and told the truth about there age. I will see this war through to the end. They say it will only last until Christmas anyway and then we will have the Germans and Austria-Hungarians in order. And then you will see me then too, but I will still refuse to marry this man, Mother. This is the direction destiny and fate have chosen for me and I intend to fulfil my destiny and purpose in this life. You should be happy for me.