Evacuee (Phan Fiction)

When Things Fall Apart

I wrote this when I was supposed to be writing a History essay in my revision session but was pissed off with my teacher for going overtime and making me miss my bus

Morale in Britain was getting low throughout the towns and cities and this was having a knock on effect to those living in the countryside. With the mass bombing that was taking place came a large number of deaths. Each of these fatalities was reported back to those in the countryside meaning that every evacuee was on edge, distress settling in amongst each and every of them. So when the news came in the form of a letter from his mother informing him that his beloved teacher was dead, Dan was unable to cope with the information.

She had been visiting London to help with a second round of evacuations and had payed a visit to Dan's mother whilst on her journey in order to discuss the possibility of her visiting Dan. On her way back to the train station she had been near a street that was bombed. As a building came tumbling down she was caught up in the wreckage and lost her life instantly. Hazel Hayes died on the 18th January 1917 and Dan Howell would not stop crying. When reading the letter he had been in shock but after processing the information he began to shake and cry and he simply wouldn't stop. He stayed huddled in a corner, clutching the book Alice In Wonderland to his chest and wouldn't talk to anyone.

Phil even called Sophie over to try and calm him but it was no use. So he sat in the corner of his room, rocking back and forth while Sophie, PJ and Phil stood in the doorway, discussing what to do. Chris was sat on Dan's bed staring at the broken boy in the corner with sad eyes. He had offered to read the book to Dan when he had first arrived but the boy would not let it out of his harsh grip. He knew what the boy felt like but he didn't know how to help.

PJ, in all fairness, looked a little confused as to what was going on but soon heard the crying coming from the corner and pieced everything together. He tried to coax Dan into talking to them but he simply wouldn't. So they waited. Eventually, they retired to the living area to have some tea and biscuits and put on the fire in an attempt to mildly warm the house. It was getting late in the evening when a small sniffle came from the doorway and Dan stood before them all with a tear stained face and a book hanging loosely from his left hand.

Without saying a word, Phil opened his arms, inviting Dan over to hug him. Dan dragged his feet slightly as he made his way over to Phil and sat beside him before wrapping his arms around Phil's waist and resting his head carefully on his chest. Phil wrapped his arms protectively around the boy and cuddled him close, hoping to provide the comfort that he needed. Dan moved his hand from around Phil's waist to the book that was sat in his lap. With precise, gentle movements Dan opened up the cover of the book.

On the first page, written in near pencil, was a message from his late teacher. One that was short and simple but meant a lot to Dan. Good luck with everything, you brave boy. Your mum and I love you dearly, Miss Hayes. And then Dan was once again sobbing while clutching the book but this time he nestled further into Phil's warm embrace, letting himself fall apart.