Corbin

Winds of Change

I wouldn't let it happen. I couldn't let it happen. Winter needed me. Who knew where she would be discarded if I willingly placed her in the hands of those who didn't know her, let alone care for her. I wasn't sure what I'd do...but I wasn't going to let them have Winter. I folded the letter up hastily and put it back in the envelope.

"What's wrong, Yosha?" Winter asked, trying to climb up my legs as she brought me a glass of milk.

"Nothing," I tried to smile and pulled Winter onto my lap, "everything's fine."

But as she sat listening to the beating of my heart, a storm was brewing in my mind.

By the next evening it was all arranged. I had stayed up all of the previous night, running possible scenarios through my head. It had taken me awhile to come up with a plan but eventually I knew that the last idea I'd had was the one we'd have to settle for. I had no idea if it would work, if I was brutally honest, but what choice did I have? I was doing this for Winter. I needed a safe life for her.

It was with that thought in mind that I had spoken to an old paper round acquaintance that afternoon and he had taken matters into his own hands. He knew of my plight and of Winter, taking pity on us both. Even when I explained that I couldn't offer him much in the way of compensation he didn't fuss.

"Just give that girl the life she deserves, eh?" he smiled, "For the sake of your Ma."

As I sat by the fire, I wondered how to tell Winter what was about to happen.

"Yosha? Why aren't you in your pyjamas?" Winter asked as she crawled into my lap, "Why aren't you ready for bed?"

I paused, trying to think of how to say the words I needed to, "We're ummm... well we're not going to bed tonight, Winter."

Winter's soft blue eyes turned confused, "Why not?"

"Because... we have to go to England," I replied as gently as I could.

"Why?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowing the exact same way mine often did.

I didn't want to really explain what was happening, I didn't want to scare her.

"Do you think you can manage to trust me on this one, little Cub?" I brushed Winter's hair back off her face.

"I think so..." there was a wobble in her voice.

I smiled and kissed her forehead, "That's my brave one. Now go get everything you want to take. I'm not sure if we will be coming back."

Winter hesitated, the uncertainty of the future seemingly gluing her to the spot.

"It'll be okay," I whispered.

An hour later both of us were packed. Every item we owned that was dear to us was stowed away in two large suitcases and waiting by the front door. I helped Winter get dressed and put woollen clothes on over her nightgown. I too pulled on my warmest clothes, tucking our precious coins and valuables into the pockets, then pressing my thumb to the silver key as it hung from my neck. Finally we sat at the kitchen table. I had made us cups of tea and warm bread and milk for supper which we ate as slowly as possible.

Winter was silent, though I could see questions running through her head. A part of me felt I should try to answer them, but another felt answers might be better left unsaid. I sighed. This making decisions lark was tough. But as Winter scraped the remnants of food from her bowl I was dragged back to reality. I shook my head, stood up and cleared the table, washed and dried the dishes, closed all the windows, grabbed our bags, unhooked the lantern and then... we left.

We walked quietly along the streets with barely enough light to see by. Winter still had not spoken a word since packing. Instead the wind was biting at our faces and fingers, chilling us through and the road was wet from where it had rained. A rusty car drove past and drenched us mercilessly in cold, muddy water. Suddenly, Winter broke the silence.

"How far away is England, Yosha?"

I squeezed her hand in mine, "Quite a way... we'll have to go there by plane."

"I didn't think we could afford a plane ride."

"We can't but a friend of a friend is going to fly us there in an old war plane."

Winter frowned, "Well where is the old war plane?"

"About twenty miles from here."

This time Winter's nose scrunched, "What's a mile?"

I laughed at my error, despite the current state of misery we were in, "You know when we walk to town for ice cream?"

Winter nodded.

"Well imagine walking there and back again, ten whole times. That's how far away the plane is."

Her eyes widened and Winter was quiet again. As we walked on, she clenched ever tighter to my hand and I wondered if she too was feeling nervous about this new land we were journeying to. I wished we didn't have to go but I needed Winter safe and I remembered briefly the stories Mother used to tell me about British children fleeing to the countryside during the war for safety there. If it worked for them, surely it could work for us. At least I hoped.

Suddenly, Winter spoke through the darkness.

"Do you think Corbin is still alive?"

I nodded, "I like to think he is."

"Where do you think Corbin went?"

I shrugged my shoulders and kicked a stone out of our path, "I don't know. Maybe he went somewhere warm and sunny."

"Do you think we might find Corbin in England, Yosha?"

I smiled, "England isn't exactly bright and sunny... but you never know."

Five miles of tramping through the murky wetness later, Winter was beyond exhausted. Two miles back I had offered to carry her but I could see she was going to collapse with exhaustion if I didn't do something. So I placed our cases on the grass and thought for a moment. I could carry her but I had two large suitcases to bring too. There was no expecting her to hold onto me either, not with how tired she was. So instead I unbuttoned my coat, scooped her up into my arms and buttoned the coat around us both. The previously slack material was now taut and held her snugly in place.

"Thanks Yosha," Winter mumbled, settling her head on my shoulder.

"You're welcome little Cub."

I smiled and picked up the cases again, then kept on walking. Before I knew it, Winter was a light weight across my body as she fell into sleep.

Eventually, with the breaking of dawn, the twenty mile journey was over and the old war plane was in sight. The friend of a friend, who always went by the name of Silver Fox, was waiting to fly us safely out of the country. He helped me climb into the only spare seat in the plane with Winter on my lap and strapped our suitcases into the cargo hold. Then he hopped in and the propeller started whirring until the noise was almost deafening, yet somehow Winter slept through it all. I kissed her exhausted head.

Then before I even knew what was happening the plane rose gently off the ground and a few minutes later, the sea was beneath us. It had all gone perfectly. We had escaped.

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