The Ripponden War

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Walking the road through the woods that I took that day would become almost a regular fixture. I knew it by heart and I bet if I went back today I still would. That became our place, me and Tom I mean, those woods. We had so many adventures there. It was a safe haven from the war and all the scary stuff. But first I must tell you about the first time I walked that leafy, muddy path.

By the time I got to the woods my hands were aching from climbing over styles and my knees were red and dirty. I stared at the ominous woods that loomed before me, the dark trees seemed that they were sucking and absorbing in the sunlight.  It seemed so ominous that I almost turned back but I knew that this was the only way I would get to see tom.

I set off towards the woods and as I got closer the trees seemed to get even closer and closer together. I thought that it was just an illusion, that as I got closer the trees would become further apart but there just seemed to be more and more and more of them, knitting together in a giant dark canopy over the even darker woods.  I kept going; the only thought in my mind was seeing a boy I had met just yesterday. It was stupid, risking my life, to see this boy who I barely knew. But all I could think of was how he knew what I was going through and how he could cheer me up.  For all I knew there could be rapists, murderers, muggers or even Nazi soldiers in that wood but I knew at whatever cost I had to see Tom.

There was a little, old rusting swing gate at the start of the path that creaked eerily when you opened it. There was a little dirt track that was riddled with weeds and plants. The trees left a dappled light on the path but the way ahead was unclear. You could see for about 2 minutes ahead of you then the light faded to black and there was a sharp corner. That was what freaked me out. There could be a man hiding round the corner with a knife or a rifle ready to pounce. Suddenly I was aware of every little rustle of leaves and every flutter of a bird’s wing. BANG! The sound of a twig cracking about 5 meters behind me. My heart rate increased about 200 times. My blood all rushed to my head and my breath started to come out in sharp gasps. My mind was in a daze of worry and as if on their own my legs started to run. One step after the other getting faster and faster pounding the ground.

I don’t even know how long I had run for. I passed millions of looming, dark trees, tripped over numerous tree roots all the while checking behind me to see if I was being followed. My whole body was taken over by pure fear. I ran and ran, trees whizzing past. Suddenly I saw what seemed like a face in the trees. I let out a scream and my heart must have stopped completely because my legs kept running but my torso stopped and turned towards the face. I felt something bumpy underfoot and next thing I knew I was flying through the air and I landed face first into a pile of dirt. I looked up. The ‘face’ had been a tree. I had a sharp cut in my leg and my posh clothes were sodden and torn. Then I realised something. There was no path underfoot. I was lost. In the woods. By myself. I was in a more vulnerable position than before. I picked myself up and dusted myself down. ‘ you are no longer dotty Hopkins, I thought to myself, you are Dorothy Honour, international superspy on the hunt for a villain’

BANG! KABOOM! The enemy guns rained bullets down on me but I dodged and rolled and ducked. There was no way that they would catch me now. I was Dorothy Honour, international superspy, not scared of anything and anyone. BAM!  A man jumped out from behind a tree brandishing a sword. Pulling out my gun I shot him straight through the heart. I ran and ran, shooting and slashing.  There was no one who could stop me now. I let out a maniacal laugh and front rolled over a tree root, just for effect. I was on the run from the Nazi’s because I had hunted down and killed Hitler ending the war! They wanted to erase my name from history but I wouldn’t let that happen, oh no! I was going to kill them all……..

The path had ended.  I was back to just being Dotty. I hadn’t realised how long I had been in the woods for. The sky was on the turn of night. It was a rich purple colour near the top of the sky and a pale blue fading to white at the bottom. I was standing at the top of a hill and at the bottom was a thatched farm house with pens and fields surrounding it. There was warm yellow light pooling from the windows and the open door. I ran down the hill, tears streaming down my face, my hurt leg aching and stinging.

I knocked on the oak door. I knocked until my knuckles ached and my arm hurt terribly. After about ten minutes the door swung open. There was a gruff looking man with a shadow of badly cut stubble under his jaw.  He grunted and looked my dirty, cut clothing up and down.

“what do you want?” his voice was scratchy and low. He scared me. Not like a little bit scared, like properly shivering to your bones scared.

“umm I was wondering if I could see Tom.” My voice sounded high and squeaky, not like my usual voice at all.

“TOM!, SOMEONE HERE TO SEE YOU” his voice nearly blew out my ear drums. I saw Tom run down the stairs and saw me in the doorway. His face broke into a smile and he ran towards me.

“Mr Graham, please can I talk to Dotty outside” The farmer grunted and Tom led me by the hand and sat me down on a rough wooden bench.

 I had only opened my mouth to begin talking about my homesickness and heartache when I was cut off my Tom pulling me up and hugging me. I wasn’t sure what to do until I realised that his head was vibrating on my shoulder. He looked up and his eyes were red and sodden. He was a wreck; he collapsed on the bench and started sobbing. Long heart breaking sobs. The kind of sobs that seem to drain the life out of a person. I just sat down and patted his arm but in my mind everything was going haywire. It was all upside down and spun around. Last night all I could think of, all that had kept me going was the fact that I could come to him and all my worries would go away. But the person I thought I could count on to cheer me up and make me forget the war was sat there sobbing in my lap. The war was real, it was here and I might never see my mother again or my father. I rested my head on Tom’s back and let out all my anger and sadness. I felt myself slip into unconsciousness and before I went to sleep completely I felt Tom’s hand grip mine and I heard him whisper “ thank you Dotty”.