EYES LIKE RAZORS

(38) Thunder

Tell my loved ones not to cry,
For I was a soldier, born to die.

Jude H. Montgomery

18.09.1898 - 12.03.1917

Madison stood looking down upon his grave, the strong urge to throw up as memories of his mangled body swarmed her mind.

She wasn't normally bothered by dead bodies, or blood. But his, his body haunted her.

A crunch behind her, made Madi quickly turn, hand going for her hip. "I didn't mean to startle you, I didn't expect anyone to be here." Jacob replies with his both his hands up, a small child by his side.

"Papa? Who's that?"

"She was special to your uncle, Hugo." Jacob tells his son. "Can we say hi?" Hugo asks, and Jacob nods.

"Hi, I'm Hugo." He greets shyly offering his hand up to Madison. "I'm Madison." She replies, shaking his offered hand, his small fingers barely managing to wrap round two of her fingers.

"How old are you Hugo?" Madi asks. "Five." He answers, and Madison looks up to Jacob, "my wife got pregnant the week before I left for war, she gave birth whilst I was in France." Jacob tells her.

"Were you in France? Is that how you know Papa and Uncle J?" Hugo asks. "I met your Uncle in Belgium, I met your Papa where I live in Birmingham." Madison tells him.

"Is Birmingham nice?" Hugo inquires. "Not in the slightest, compared to here." Madi replies.

"Are you diary girl?" Hugo queries. "I suppose so." Madison laughs sadly.

"How do you know about the diary?" Jacob asks his son. "It was on the side." Hugo shrugs, turning back to Madison, "you made Uncle J happy. And I know he's not lying because he also said that you were pretty, and that certainly isn't a lie."

"He made me happy too." Madison responds, "very happy."

"Would he have liked me?" Hugo asks, "Dad says so, but he has to, he's my papa."

"Jude would've adored you, buddy. Absolutely adored you." Madison smiles, crouching down beside him.

"Did Jude like flowers?" Hugo queries.

"Yes. He had this saying, flowers represent kindness, the more you let it blossom-"

"The happier place the world becomes." Jacob finishes.

"Can we give him flowers?" Hugo asks excitedly.

-

"Is Madison in?" Chloe asks when Tommy opens the door, mascara stains down her cheeks, flowing down from her teared up, bloodshot eyes, wet hair covering one of her eyes.

"No, she's gone to Cambridge. What's wrong?" Tommy replies. "Nothing it's fine." Chloe states, going to turn away, being stopped by Tommy.

"You're obviously not fine. Just because Mads isn't here, doesn't mean you're not welcome in the house." Tommy tells her, "it's really nothing. I shouldn't of come here, sorry for bothering you." Chloe says hurriedly, trying to get away but once more being stopped by Tommy.

"Chloe, I don't know what you are to my sister, but I know you're important. And I know you're not okay, just come inside alright." Tommy sighs, his grip loosening around her wrist, dropping her arm.

He glanced upwards towards the sky, eyes flickering back to the red head when she flinched at the clap of thunder.

"Do you really want to walk home alone in this weather? At least come inside until the storm passes." Tommy says, as another loud slap of thunder sounds, and Chloe squeals slightly, clutching onto his arm, and jumping into the house.