World's Apart

For Old Times Sake

The three of them, cold and wet, sludge back up the beach towards the narrow path leading to the road.

The three of them talk idly, walking in single file, as they reach the footpath off the beach.

"Remind me never to go swimming in November ever again," Emily shivers. She too has her towel pulled tight around her shoulders.

"Agreed!" Ali laughs.

"It was fun! It was a great idea on my part," Jack laughs throwing his arms in the air.

Emily turns, giving him a sarcastic look "On second thoughts, scratch that. Remind me never to listen to Jack and his stupid ideas ever again!"

"Indeed!" Ali laughs again.

Jack looks at them both with mock hurt. He holds his hand against his chest and shakes his head "You wound me girls,"

Emily laughs then, pushing Jack gently "Call yourself a soldier Jack, please," she pokes her tongue out at him and the three of them laugh together.

As they reach the road, Jack holds his hand out to the girls as they climb over the step gate in the fence.

They linger at the fence for a few minutes and brush the sand off their feet before pulling on their socks and shoes.

As they walk up the lane, the three of them reminisce about times before the war. Back when they were children and the biggest worry to them was Charlie's older brother Thomas finding out that they'd stolen old pennies from him.

"Charlie used to get such a beating for that," Jack laughed.

Tears of humour pricked in their eyes as the memories of Thomas throttling Charlie came back to them.

They laughed hard, all of them. Once the laughter fell silent Emily sighed.

"And where is he now?" she said.

The smiles left Jack and Ali as they looked at Emily. Today had been fun but no matter how hard they tried to ignore it, the nagging feeling that somebody was missing, bothered all of them.

There was still no word from him. He'd left a few months before Jack, but nobody had heard a word from him since he boarded the train. Even his parents had heard nothing. By now his training was long complete and the thought that played on everybodies mind became more real with every passing day. Was he already out there?

"Maybe his letters are lost," Ali says hopeful.

Emily forces a polite smile at her "Maybe," she nods "Or maybe he's already in France,"

Ali's eyes fill with sadness as she looks up at Jack. His expression is unreadable as he listens to Emily's words.

Emily shakes her head "He'll write, I know he will. I'll wait for his letter even if it's the last thing I do," she clears her throat and smiles brightly, pushing her thoughts to the back of her head.

Ali does the same and wipes at the tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She runs and jumps onto Jack's back.

He huffs before grabbing her legs and jumping her into a better position.

"Comfy up there" He asks as he walks.

Ali swings her legs either side of him happily, her arms draped loosely around his neck.

"Hmmm," she hums content.

Jack chuckles as he walks, carrying her with ease.

"It's just like old times," Ali muses, resting her head on his shoulder.

Jack shakes his head "Actually this was old times,"

Before he can finish his sentence Ali tightens her arms around him. She clenches her legs and wraps them around his waist. She knows what's coming next...

Jack takes off running and jumping down the lane. He is shouting and laughing as he spins about and Ali is screaming as she holds on tightly.

Jack spins around in dizzying circles. The browns and oranges of the autumn leaves blur into a sea of colour as the world turns about her. Ali leans her head back as Jack spins. Her blonde hair splays around her spraying out droplets of water.

"Stop Jack!" She laughs, lifting her head back up.

Jack stops, his breaths coming out in ragged gasps. He laughs breathlessly "It had to be done," He grins "For old times sake,"

A/N: Thankyou so much, 100 reads already! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

R.      (20/01/18)