The Way Back Home

Chapter Six: Between Two Worlds

CHAPTER SONG: "Between Two Worlds" by Judy Kuhn & Billy Zane (from the movie Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World)

April 5th, 2020

London, England

Emmanuelle Julia Hunterson walked through the gift shop of the Imperial War Museum, her hands clutching onto a thick book of World War One history as she sifted through the pages. Each page gave her even more insight into such a horrific but vital four years in history.

The black and white quality of the photos along the blurred colors from the results of the pages being blotched from a printer error only made her look closer to decipher each soldier's face.

Her eyes were glued to the book as she walked up to the checkout counter, causing her to bump into a few disgruntled and impatient fellow tourists.

She ignored their glares aimed in her direction, not able to remove her focus from the picture in the book she planned to purchase.

Something about it pulled her towards the picture's subject. She looked closer into the picture, trying to look closer to see the facial features of the men in the grainy photograph.

According to the caption below the picture, two soldiers in the middle of an open field in Flanders, nearby a casualty clearing station. One of them, a tall dark haired Lance Corporal had his hand held out toward the other man, a Lieutenant with darker hair and slightly shorter stature. It seemed like the Corporal was handing something to the Lieutenant, something that glinted in the light similar to dog tags or possessions from a dearly departed comrade.

She read the names the labeled the two soldiers:

(Left): Lance Corporal Will Schofield. (Right): Lieutenant Joe Blake. Schofield hands over the dog tag and family rings belonging to Lt. Blake's fallen brother Tom, who had joined with him on a mission to deliver a message to the 2nd Devons preventing an attack on German units that would cost 1600 British men on April 7th 1917.

Emmanuelle slowly closed the book, holding it to her chest as a chilling shiver raked up her spine, as if the temperature in the room suddenly decreased into near subzero.

"Next." The cashier girl at the checkout suddenly called to Emmy, pulling back her attention.

The startled American girl looked up and went to place the book on the glass-case counter.

Emmy looked up at the bespectacled girl preparing to assist with her purchase of the book, History of World War I: BRITAIN.

"Were you able to find everything you wanted?" The cashier asked her in a sincere sweet tone. Her nametag read Lauri.

"Yes, I was, mostly." Emmy nodded, looking behind her to see that she was the only customer left in the store. The clock off to the side on the wall read 7:30, only half an hour before the museum was to close for the night.

"Is there something I can try to help you with before you buy this?" Lauri asked, a hint of a faint French accent flowing in her well-meaning question.

Emmanuelle took a step back to look into the glass case of the counter, trying to see if any worthy souvenirs were available.

A framed picture in the glass cabinet caught her eye, black and white and having one figure in view from the bosom up...

A young woman, her dark hair in a single braid over her shoulder, stared into the camera and pierced her gaze straight at Emmy as she looked at the photograph, dated December 24th 1918.