MagicAnimalClub: Happenings

3: Home

Stampys pov

It was about a day later, I drove Beth home. She lay on the back seats, eyes closed, yet she was awake.
"Beth, I should join the army." I said, breaking the silence. She turned her head and widened her eyes,
"W-what no.. No I.. I don't want you to." She said, I looked at her glimmering eyes. I had told her about the attack and it had shocked her.
"Beth I might not have a choice, YouTube will be on hold anyway." I said,
"But.. " she shook her head, "I don't want you to die, Joe." She begged, making me sigh.
"Im not going to die." I laughed. I just wanted to help. I felt like Beth was restricting me from real life.
"Joe, thousands of people have been killed already..."
We spoke no more as I drove down the driveway. Our house was small, but big enough for two offices, four bedrooms and three bathrooms.
I opened up the door, then ran back to my car, helping Beth into the house.
I sat her down on the couch,
"I should get ready.." She began,
"Beth..." I gave up, "okay whatever, if you want."
"What?" She raised an eyebrow,
"Beth.. it's six o'clock, no one is coming here and we aren't going anywhere." I said, rolling my eyes. "Beth, you've got a broken back, just.. Just do what you want."
I went into my office and wiped my brow, sometimes girls are just too much to handle. For this reason I dialled a boy. I called Ash, I hadn't talked to him in a while and I just wanted to catch up.
"Hi stamps," he greeted,
"Hiya Ash, what's going on?"
"Huh, what isn't going on, my brother and I have signed ourselves up to the army."
"Have you?"
"Yeh, I'm kinda scared about it but- but I'll try my best."
"I'm trying to convince Beth to let me go but.. Uhh.. She just broke her back and she's needy and-"
"Stamps don't feel you have to go."
"No- no I really think I should. More and more people are going and I don't want to sit here on my Xbox playing games."
"Yeh, yeh I understand. It's your choice, Stamps- by the way is she okay?"
"Beth, yeh she's fine just.. She's fine."
"Here stamps I've gotta go, alright,"
"Alright Ash, nice speaking to you,"
"You too, bye."

I hung up. Sighed. Then there was a knock on the front door. Huh, maybe Beth should get ready after all..
I walked out to see who it was. I was shocked.
It was the army.

They were dressed in blue uniform, guns in pockets and captain hats, much like they did during the world wars, but slightly more modern as they had mobile phones in their pockets.
I opened the door, my heart beating with nerves,
"H-hello.." I said,
"Hi, I'm Sargent John Newman, I'm from the Royal Navy and- yeh I think you know why I'm here."
"I'm Joe." I said, awkwardly shaking his hand.
"Joe, do you mind filling in this form?" John asked,
"Oh-Kay.." I grabbed a pen, filling in blanks stating my address, phone number, blood type and more.
Once I had finished John scanned through.
"Joe, we would like to formerly ask you to temporarily join the Navy as this war goes on."
My heart stopped.
I was the centre of attention, though there were only two other people in the room, and Beth was upstairs.
I thought about the positives and negatives, of course, the negatives outweighed the positives.. I could be killed and I wouldn't see Beth.. but.. I'd be helping my country, actually physically helping.
"Yes, yes okay then." I said, my heart thumping.. what have I done?
"Thank you so much, we are so grateful. We will pick you up tomorrow at 11am, bring only essentials, like a phone. Clothes are supplied, remember you have to be able to run with these things on. Feel free to bring thick socks and hats, we don't know the conditions we will have to fight in."
"Yeh.. Yep okay. Thank you very much." I said as they handed me a package.
"Thank you. See you tomorrow."
They both left, drove off in their car to ask someone else.

"Who was that?!" Beth called. I didn't answer. I walked up the stairs, she was sitting on the bed in her office.
"Who. Was. That." She whispered,
"Beth.. I-"
"Who was it?!"
"The Army!" I yelled, glaring at her. Her eyes widened her mouth opened, she leaned back,
"Please say you said no, please, tell me you said no! Please!"
"Beth.. I'm not selfish. I'm going."
"Yes you Are! Leaving me here with a broken back?!"
"What else do you want me to do?! Let more people die?! Let people think I'm a coward because I stayed just because my roommate has a sore back?!" I shouted. She was disgusted.
"Your roommate?! Is that all I am to you now?! Your bloody roommate!"
"Beth you're really pissing me off right now! Please just let me help!" I yelled, before I came to the conclusion that walking down the stairs and leaving the room would be the best thing to do.

I lifted up the suit he had given me, it was a boiler type suit with camouflaged green print. Just about my size. I then walked into my room and set it on the bed.

I thought about the war.. It would be something new, something exciting. I'd get fitter, more skilled.. But... my positive thoughts turned into negative, so many people had died. I'm going to die. My channel will die and all my fans will be upset.
I curled up into a ball, I never should have made my fans get attached to me. Everyone has to go in the end.
My eyes began to water and I covered my mouth. Lying down on my bed I couldn't think of anything else apart from the fact that I could die.
Tears streamed down my pale face. I decided if I was to do this "war thing" I needed to be professional, look professional and be able to keep myself together.
I finally put my portable charger in an inside pocket along with my phone and a notepad and pen.
After I packed what I needed I tucked up into my bed on my own then pulled my laptop out. There was a webcam on my laptop so all I had to do was press record. I was vlogging on my main channel.. Weird.
"Hello this is Stampy and if you are wondering why I am vlogging it's because this channel will be going through some changes. Well.. I'll get to that in a moment."
"Most of you are probably aware of the war that has started.. They have been asking for volunteers and.. I sort of volunteered. I'll try and catch up with you while I'm away, I've got good 4G so I can post my videos anywhere. But I'll only be bringing my phone so don't expect good quality.. So.. So I'm not ending Stampys story here.. But.. But I want to let you know that I had so much fun creating videos, storylines and plots. I loved every second of it and I would do it again in a heart beat. And- and if I.. If something happens to me.. I hope you know that you, yes you, you mean something. And I am honoured to have been just a tiny part of your life."
I could have said a lot more in that video, I could have told them that I might die, that I could seriously hurt myself. I could have told them that I was terrified of dying, of war, of fighting.. But I felt, although the video was for reassuring my fans, I really just made it to reassure myself.

I stopped recording. Tears ran down my face. I uploaded the video, before I broke down.
I tried not to let my cries be heard by Beth. But unfortunately they were.
I was greeted by a knock on the door, Beth walked in and put her hand on my back as I wept my heart out.
"I'm sorry, Beth." I cried, "I'm sorry I wasn't the boyfriend you wanted."

Beth said nothing, she slowly lay down on her back in bed and tilted her head towards me.
"Youre the only one I could ever love." She whispered,
I looked up at the ceiling, exposed with fear.
"You only happen once, Joseph.. Enjoy this happening." She told me.
I couldn't find the words to reply.
And so I just fell asleep but morning came sooner.