Dunkirk 1940

2

   I wake up in a bed with a cold sweat. I shuffle around to look for my phone to check the time. And remember where I am. I get up off of the bed and walk to the kitchen to find a watch on the counter. I see that it's 4:23 am. 

   I find a paper and write, 'I'm sorry that I left you, Corina. Thank you for taking me in, but I don't want you to do this. If I make it out alive, I will send you a souvenir.' I wrap the watch around my wrist and walk out of the house with her volunteer slip. 

   I steel the bike from the corner and ride to the docks. I see how these people had to live as I ride down the streets. I find the docks in the same place as they are where, or when I'm from. I look at my watch and see I only have five minutes to get on the large ship.

   I run to get on, I give the volunteer slip to the soldier in my way from entering, "Right this way Corina." Man, these people really are dumb. I get onto the boat and sat next to two middle aged ladies. I try to ignore the eyes watching me, but I notice that I am the only one not dressed the part, or with a suitcase.

   I walk to the nearest room to be alone. I lock the door and turn on the light. I find lots of suitcases piled up carelessly, 'Jackpot!' I open one of them and take an outfit to fit in with these judgmental women. I take one of the suitcases from the very back and walk out of the room. I felt bad for stealing so much, but I can't let anyone find out my secret. 

   I sit on the other side of the ship with different women. I sit down with my legs crossed and my hands resting on my lap as everyone else. All of the eyes were no longer on me. I felt like I fit in, I shuffle in the suitcase and find a mirror and red lipstick. I apply it and pop my lips. The lipstick was dryer than I am use to, but everyone was wearing it.

After a day or two, the ship finally stopped. Everyone remains seated as I got up. I slowly sit back down as a few soldiers walked in escorting us out. 

   One of them yelling, "Alright ladies, we are in the war zone, please stay close to each other and close to the army!" Everyone else stands up and began to walk out. I follow behind one of the soldiers and hold the stolen suitcase close to my chest out of fear of getting shot. 

   The soldiers handed everyone nurse uniforms and took everyone's suitcase to take them into a poor and damaged hotel, "Everyone go change into the uniforms and get into this ship to my left in one hour! Any later we might get bombed!"  

   I quickly change and run to the big ship. I see a line with most of the women. I get in line and twiddled with my thumbs looking at my feet as I got closer to the ship. Once I got into the ship, I began to make some tea and spread jelly on uncooked bread. 

   The boat began to move as the soldiers told us little by little, "We will be in the red zone in fifteen minutes." 

   My hands began to shake as the gunshots slowly became louder. The ship stopped and the wounded slowly started to get on board.

   I give the helping soldiers some tea and bread. I see everyone attending the wounded with wet cloths. I noticed they were cleaning the wounds with normal water. I looked everywhere for something better that just water. Later I find a few bottles of alcohol. 

  I give out the bottles to every few nurses nurses and tell them, "Use this instead, it will sting but It will clean a lot faster."

   The last set of soldiers come on board and I attend to them. I clean the wounds to a few soldiers before coming to this one boy. He looked terrified at me I lead him to a clear spot to put the dying soldier. Other nurses attend to him.

   I quickly run to another soldier. I attend to him with someone next to me. He looks at me as I work on the bullet wounds. 

   He places his hand on my back, "Please take care of him, he's my friend." 

   I look at the man, oh shit he's hot. "I shall do my best, could I know your names." He shakes his head, "I don't know his name. But mine is Alex."

   We shake hands, "I'm Emma, a pleasure to meet you." I quickly attend to the wounded soldier. 

   After  while of hearing the whimpers and moans of pain I heard the alarms go off.  Alex looks up and tells me to get down. 

   I look up and see planes, Alex grabs my arm and pulls me down. I scream as I hear the bombs dropping closer and closer. I cover my neck with my hands and my ears with my arms. I felt Alex shaking next to me, but compared to the others, he's holding this very well. "CUT HER LOSE!" I hear. My eyes widened. He's going to just let us drown. Alex grabbed my hand again, "Come one, we haven't got much time!"

   He goes overboard. I look at the wounded, but this is war, every man for them self. I jump overboard and try to swim. I start to drown from the harsh waves. I feel someone hold my waist as I start to run out of breath.

   I get dragged out of the water. I turn back and hear a man scream as he got squished from the boat. I quickly turned back around after I started to see the blood flow closer.

   I catch my breath as I lay on top of Alex. I look behind me to see the boy from earlier, "I'm Tommy and this is, uh, my friend." the quiet man waves at us. They help both of us up to the docks where we walked to the beach.