Hope at Dunkirk

5.

The two sat in silence on the beach, watching a group of soldiers try to get a small boat back out to sea on the rough waves. There was no hope for them, and all they were doing was getting themselves wet for no reason. But they kept trying. They wanted to go home, and they tried everything they could.

Olivia had stopped crying a while ago, but didn't move from Harry's warm embrace. His arm still stuck to her shoulders, and he said nothing at having her head tucked into the side of his neck. If they weren't in the situation they were in, Harry would have maybe even been more daring and placed a kiss on Olivia's forehead. But he knew this wasn't the time for it, and he had other things on his mind.

How was his family going? Was his Mother worried? Was his sister Gemma still doing okay? No matter what they were doing, they were in a better situation than he was at the moment. He wasn't sure if he'd make it home. From the way the waves look and the lack of ships docking in, it was only a matter of time before another enemy plane flies over and does what he likes.

"Where are you from?", Harry was broken out of his trance, and turned his head slightly to the side at Olivia's question.

"Chesire", he answered. "Holmes Chapel more precisely. What about you?".

"Aylesbury", she replied. "My parents don't know I'm here".

"What?".

"I signed up for the Army aid without them knowing", Olivia explained while Harry looked at her in shock. "If they knew, they wouldn't let me do it. But I wanted to help in anyway that I could. And since Women aren't allowed to sign up as soldiers, I can at least tend to their wounds and help with their trauma. But I didn't expect to be shipped off to Dunkirk.....".

Olivia stopped talking when she and Harry saw a soldier walk lonesomely towards the water. He took off his tin hat and dropped it on to the sand, and continued to walk into the water. Harry slowly slid his hand from Olivia's shoulder and covered her bright blue eyes, in attempt to prevent her from seeing the soldiers intentions in walking into the sea. But dread had already filled Olivia's heart as the soldier walked further and further, before ducking under the waves and not returning to the surface. It had gotten to that point in time where everyone was starting to lose hope, as no boats were seen and little to none Allied planes flew over head.

Harry slid his hand from her eyes and let it sail down her side, resting it on the curve of her torso that her blue medical dress covered. He unintentionally shuffled closer to have a more comfortable angle, which resulted in him being almost stuck to her side. But neither of them minded.

"My parents were reluctant to let me go as well", Harry continued with the conversation in attempt to calm Olivia after what they had just seen. It wasn't the first time for him, but I bet she had never seen a Man commit suicide before. "They're probably worried sick right now because I haven't written to them in weeks".

"What will you do when you go home?", Olivia asked, noticeably using the word 'when' and not 'if'. She shuffled closer to Harry's figure, using one hand to clutch on to the side of Harry's dark green uniform.

"Maybe go work in my parents' bakery. I can imagine unemployment will be on the rise once this bloody war ends", he confesses. "But I want to work with the radio station. I always found it fascinating to be a speaker on the world's newest technology".

"You should apply for the BBC radio", Olivia murmured. "You'd be a good host".

Harry chuckled in the slightest, before his small smile dropped when he saw a group of soldiers speed walking along the beach. He saw Tommy and his friend get up to tag along with the group, as clueless as he was. He mumbled to Olivia to follow him as he stood up and took a hold of her hand, intertwining their fingers. They caught up with the group just in time to hear where they were heading.

"See if that boat has any supplies innit", a young looking boy explained to Tommy. "Might even be able to sail it out to sea. If we wait for the tide to come in, we can get off this fuckin' beach".

An old sailing boat was washed up on the shore, looking abandoned and rusty. But it could be an escape plan back to England. Olivia tried her best to keep up with the soldiers' long legs, as she was only 5'5 with a bunch of 6'0 boys/men. But holding Harry's hand gave her some leeway, and made a warm feeling spread through her heart at his larger palm enclosed over her own.

The group got up on to the boat and decided to slip into the larger room under the deck, that held a large chest and some other items. It would be a couple of hours until the tide would wash in, and hopefully bring the sailing boat deep enough to sail out towards home. The group of soldiers and the one Nurse sat down in silence, either ready to sleep or entertain themselves in some way.

Harry stood up and opened up the chest that looked old and empty. Olivia sat beside it, with Tommy on her left and a space between them where Harry was previously sitting. He rummaged through the useless stuff in the chest, grabbing a box inside and rattling it, before throwing it back into the deep chest.

"Need a tin box?", Harry asked sarcastically to Tommy's friend who hadn't said a word. Once again, he said nothing and just blinked at him. "Talkative sod aren't you?".

He grumbled and swore under his breath, the crashing and throwing made Olivia jump multiple times. She could tell he was getting frustrated, as he was starting to move more vigorously and throw things back in their place. She hoped he wouldn't be set off completely by something, but from where they were, that was pretty likely at this point.

And once again, they wait.