Across the Years ( Camren )

Happy birthday John

"Think...Think." I said, as I tried to vainly remember the history class and something I could find useful. I was so confident at the time that Mr. Moore's history class wouldn't have bearing on my life what so ever.

"Mr. Moore, I stand corrected." I said, suddenly feeling very stupid.

"Shelter. I need to find a shelter." The problem was that I had no idea where the nearest one was. Suddenly another fragment of Mr. Moore's history lecture, coursed thought my mind.

"During the Blitz, many Londoners took shelter in the London Underground."

I suddenly remembered passing the entrance to one a block back. With the explosions getting louder and closer, I ran for the tube station. Despite the fact the shoes I was wearing weren't designed for running, I made it quickly and ran down the stairs. A minute later I emerged onto where the platform was. It looked much like it did in my day with obvious differences of course. Standing on the platform, I could see all the people. Dozens of people were crowded on the platform and tracks. Most of them were lying down, with blankets and things. Men, women, children, old, young, families they were all here. I remembered from the lecture that people would spend the whole night here. So it's understandable that people would have brought blankets and the like.

The crowd was mostly quiet save for a few people chattering about. They mostly seemed intent on listening to the muffled sounds of explosions above. It was the pensive looks on their faces which struck me.

"Miss, Would you like some coffee?" Said a man with a Red Cross arm band to my left.

After the experience I had just been through, the thought of coffee was a wonderful one. "Yes, Please."

A part of me wanted to make a snarky comment about how I thought the Germans were trying to kill me personally. But seeing the fearful looks on the peoples faces, I didn't have the heart.

Instead I took my coffee, found an empty spot in the corner at the end of the platform and sat down. All I could do now was wait. To pass the time, I put my headphones in, covered my ears with my hair and listened to my IPod. It struck me, Lana del Rey probably never guessed that at least one of their fans would be listening to them during a WWII air raid.

After a while, I had to use the rest room, so I made it into the bathroom which seemed deserted. But as soon as I sat on the toilet, I could hear what sounded like the sound of a child quietly crying.

I realized that the crying was coming from the stall next to mine. As I finished up and washed my hands, I realized that the child and me were the only ones in here. Why is she alone? I wondered. As pissed off and annoyed as I was, there was something in her sobs that I couldn't ignore.

"Hey...Are you alright?" I called out.

The sound of the crying stopped for a second but I could hear her start up again. "It's ok to be scared. Are you scared? Why don't you come out. It's ok."

A moment later I saw a small girl of about 6 in a grey wool coat with curly brown hair and blue eyes emerge from the stall. She looked scared and was crying. "I want my mommy!"

I looked to the door and then back to her. "Isn't your mommy out there with the others, or maybe your daddy?"

She shook her head. "I don't know where my mommy is?"

I realized she must be lost. "Are you lost?"

She nodded and more tears came down. "We were at the big store, and I went to look at the toys and didn't tell my mommy. When the siren sounded, people were rushing to get to the shelter, I couldn't find my mommy."