I woke to the usual sound of my brother snoring. I Crawled out from under my sheets, I got up and walked over to the kitchen. Mother is already up as always, she was either crying or making breakfast. I sat at the table and picked up the news paper,and began to read the front page.
" War continues", I sigh and show the paper to mother. " Have you seen the paper mother, there's war on every page" I say as she sits down. Tear marks stain her face
" War is a terrible thing Tommy it has taken many people from their family's, it has taken your father away from us." More tears start to drip from her eyes falling into her tea. I tried calming her down before George wakes up.
" Every thing will be fine, I'm sure if father was here he wouldn't want to see you like this, he would want to see you happy and smiling." I tell her, hoping she would stop. I glance at her wiping away the tears that keep coming, but she's not stopping and I knew she wouldn't , but I kept trying. This always happens, she starts crying and never stops until she is ready.
"Good morning, Tommy, good morning, mother" says George walking into the kitchen, yawning as he did. As soon as mother sees him she stops crying and gets up to make him some breakfast.
"Its your turn to clean out the horses today, mate " I say with a smile on my face.
"Why cant you do it?" He sighs
"Because I'm going to town to sell some eggs, unless you want to be homeless."
The town was packed with town folk and farmers selling live stock or vegetables, the smell of freshly baked bread came from the bakers. I walked over to the local shop where I normally sell the eggs.
"Morning Maggie, I've got your eggs straight from the coop." I say with a smile "Morning Tommy how is your mother, she holding on?"
I look at her with an expression that explains everything.
Maggie understood "I'm sure things will get better son, as soon as this terrible war is over things will go back to normal." A small wrinkle smile appear's on her face.
As I leave the shop I heard Maggie mutter something under her breath
"Fucking German bastards" , I smile and walk out.
I walked along the muddy path back to the farm, a bunch of children play in the field to my left, the sound of the laughs surrounding me. I heard a hum above me, I look up and see two British spitfires fling east towards France.
I see George spreading new hay around the stables, mud on his face.
"Dirty job but someone has to do it!" I joke giving him a smile. He sticks his two fingers up at me and gets back to work. Mother is other by the chicken pen throwing corn onto the floor three chickens by her legs pecking at every grain that falls.
I walk inside and put the money into the savings box and change into some different clothes.
I head to the stables, walking over to a large pile of sacks. I grabbed three sacks, one filled with oats,another filled with barley and the last filled with wheat. I picked up the metal bucket and pored in one part oats one part barley and one part wheat and mix it.I take the bucket over to the pens where two beautiful horses stand. Ally a brown shire horse a white patch on her face, Bud a black shire horse tall strong with four white socks. I place the bucket by ally. She dips her head down into the big silver dish and eats. Her head pushing the bucket down, After about a minute I pull the bucket away,half the feed still left inside, and move over to Bud. His large head barely fitting into the metal cylinder.
I finish with the horses and move on to my other jobs. At around 5 pm I finish my chores.
"tea's ready boys" mother calls.
I walked into the house the smell of cottage pie filled my nose. I sit down next to George who is already eating. I dig my fork into the mash potato meat and gravy spilling out. I lift the fork up and into my mouth. The salty brown liquid smoothers my tongue. Mother starts crying in the kitchen quietly. The sound of her moans barley audible .
After tea I get ready for bed, Brushed my teeth and washed. After a change of clothes I kiss mother good night and head to the bedroom. George comes in a few seconds after he gets into bed silently.
"Tommy" he whispers
"Yeah mate"
"Do you think the war will ever end" he asked a hint of worry in his voice,
"Its got to end at some point George" I reply.
"Tommy"
"Yes"
"I miss farther"
"Me to buddy, Me to"
"Good night Tommy"
"Good night" I whisper.
I slowly close my eyes still thinking of what George said.
When will the war end.
YOU ARE READING
Blood Loss
ActionA Farm boy is force to join the army leaving his family behind. He trying to survive trying to make it home for his mother and for his brother. Will he make it back.
