Hurting and Deserting (Completed)

Chapter 3

Alice began gathering the things they'd need as soon as she woke up. She took some bottles of lemonade from the kitchen, some of the rolls from the shed and even took some of the soup they had eaten for dinner to give to Alexander later. 

It was evening. Mrs Evans was reading the evening paper. "Ooh some soldier's gone missing from the army. Maybe he's a deserter." She said.

"Really?" George replied "what coward would do that?"

"Well you can't really blame them George I'm sure you wouldn't like to go around killing people."

"But we're killing the Germans, Mrs Evans. They killed my parents." Alice said.

"I know dear. But it's still human life isn't it. They're killing our people but we shouldn't be doing the same to them."

"I can't wait until November so I can go" George said, changing the subject.

"Oh George you can't be serious," Mrs Evans replied "it's killing innocent people. They're only shooting us because Hitler told them to."

"And the Prime Minister wants us to shoot the Germans" George replied.

"Does it say who the soldier was Mrs Evans?" Alice asked.

"No dear, it doesn't," Mrs Evans replied "it just says that they've either deserted or they're presumed to be dead or injured. Missing in action they call it. It's usually not a good sign."

Alice wondered whether it was someone Alexander knew. She decided she'd ask him that evening. She hoped it wasn't for his sake. How terrible it must be to know that someone you've fought alongside is dead.

When night came Alice snuck outside to give Alexander the soup and a bottle of lemonade. She opened the door and sure enough Alexander was waiting for her.

"I thought you weren't coming" he said.

"Of course I was," Alice replied "I had to wait for Mrs Evans and George to go to bed." She handed him the soup and the lemonade.

"Who are they?" Alexander asked as he opened the lemonade.

"Mrs Evans is Lord Thornby's cook. She's rather old and she sometimes gets things wrong but she's like a mother to me. And George is the footman, though he's in charge of the house as the butler, Mr Stephens has gone to fight in the war."

"Why has George not gone too?"

"He's not old enough yet. He's only 17."

"There were men in my regiment who were 17."

"What do you mean 'were'?" Alice asked.

Alexander had forgotten himself "oh we had two 17 year olds when I joined up. They were both killed in action." This was a lie. Infact, both of these men were alive and well. Alexander hated lying but he was certain Alice would never help a deserter. He would tell her the truth when he got back to Coventry.

"That's so sad," Alice replied "I couldn't imagine how their parents must've felt."

"No, neither could I," Alexander replied "but they died while fighting for their country."

"Speaking of soldiers dying," Alice said. Alexander tensed, he hoped she hadn't found him out. She continued "there's a soldier reported as missing in action. He was from the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Perhaps you knew him?"

"No," Alexander lied "I'm not in that Regiment. I was in another. My mother only recently moved to Coventry. I'm in the Suffolk Regiment."

"Oh that's good. I'm glad it's no one you know."