Genevieve

3 - Departure

We had a problem at the station. Brandon Evans had already eaten his food for the journey. Miss Bird was not happy with him. It was a ham sandwich with lettuce and I saw him eat it in the classroom. We all had to gather around and listen to the importance of saving your lunch until the journey.

"It means you won't be hungry later on," said Miss Bird.

"It's in my tummy now so what should I do?" said Brandon.

"Well, we'll have to see if we can get you something when we're on the train."

"Can it be chocolate?"

"I doubt there'll be chocolate, Brandon."

"My mum packed me a sausage roll," said Lee Bell.

"Are you offering it to Brandon?"

"No, it's my sausage roll."

"I believe your mother told me this morning that she packed extra so that you can share with your friends."

"Brandon isn't my friend."

"That's not a very nice thing to say, Lee. I would like you to apologise."

"Sorry."

"Can Brandon have some of your sausage rolls when we get on the train?"

"Yes," Lee mumbled.

"Thank you," said Brandon.

"Can I?" said Shelley Pratt.

"See? Now I have to share with everyone," said Lee Bell.

"And what's wrong with that?" asked Miss Bird.

"I'll only have a tiny bit for myself."

"And you'll have a good feeling about yourself because you shared," said Miss Bird.

"Yuck," said Lee Bell.

We were told to stand in a line and be ready for departure. Everyone's parents were saying their goodbyes. Mummy came up to me.

"Good bye, Genevieve, darling."

"Bye-bye Mummy, I love you a lot."

"I love you too and I'll miss you very, very much. Stay safe, ok?"

"Ok. You too, Mummy."

She gave me a big hug and then she stood back and smiled. I smiled back and then she started to cry. I didn't want to see her crying. I looked at Miss Bird. Miss Bird took me by the hand and helped me onto the train. All of my class was getting on the train. I sat by the window next to Charlotte Johnson. She offered me a cracker.

"Don't you need to save that for later?"

"No," said Charlotte, "I have more food for later. I asked Miss Bird and she said I could eat my crackers now."

"Ok," I said, and I took it. It tasted horrible. I didn't know what to do because I thought it would be rude if I gave it back. I waited until she started talking to Shelley Pratt, and then I carefully stuck it down the side of my seat. Nearly everyone was on the train now. Brandon was still on the platform with his mummy. Miss Bird asked us to check that we had our tags around our necks. I looked at mine. It read: GENEVIEVE FORBES, 081, LONDON SW.

"Why don't you have a tag, Miss Bird?" asked Charlotte.

"Because I'm not staying in the countryside. I'm just accompanying you. There are more children that are being evacuated tomorrow, and I need to accompany them too."

"Like Rosalie McCarthy?"

"I don't know about Rosalie. Her mother thinks it's best that she remains in London." Miss Bird seemed like she disagreed with that.

"What would your tag say?" said Charlotte.

"It would be the same as yours, I expect," said Miss Bird.

"With your first-name too?"

"Yes, with my first-name."

"You know," said Lee Bell, "If your first-name was Black, you'd be Black Bird!"

"I would." Miss Bird smiled.

Someone blew a whistle. The last few children were getting on the train. I spotted Brandon on the platform. He was crying into his mummy's arms and she was crying too. Someone was shouting at them. A short man who looked like he had also been too eager with his lunch walked up to them. He spoke to Brandon's mummy and she cried harder. I could hear more shouting. Another whistle blew, and then another and another. The short man slammed the carriage doors shut. Miss Bird looked worried. She leaned out of the window and tried to say something to Brandon's mummy. Brandon's mummy shouted back at her but I didn't hear what she said. The train started moving and Miss Bird pulled her head back into the carriage. She closed the window and we pulled out of the station. I saw my mummy waving and I saw Brandon's mummy crying. I saw Brandon standing on the station, clinging onto his mummy's coat. I looked at Miss Bird and I saw a tear on her cheek.