𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞𝐧。𝙳𝚞𝚗𝚔𝚒𝚛𝚔 (✔)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝙸 | "𝚆𝚎'𝚛𝚎 𝙴𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑."

⌖

EVELYN TREMBLED AS SHE sat in the corner of the old house. The roof looked as if it might fall at any second, all the windows had been smashed, and the wind sent chills down her spine as she tried to calm herself. She suffered from dyspnea, a condition where one can't fill their lungs with enough air. So, otherwise known as "short breath" Evelyn was having a hard time taking deep breaths, and it was painful. Her chest ached and she couldn't calm herself.

She then decided to fix her position, so she stood up and walked about the house, or what was left of it, and tried to breathe in some air. This wasn't working, and it wasn't until the smell of smoke filled her nostrils that made her fled from the house like a mad man, or in this case, a mad woman.

She races outside and turns around just in time to see the house go up in flames. The hazardous chemicals from the smoke made there way into Evelyn's nose and mouth once more, and she was sent into a coughing fit. This made things worse, number one, she still hadn't been able to control her breaths, number two, she was choking on the smoke, and number three, the smoke had fogged her vision, and she ran around somewhat like a blind mouse as she scurried from the fire. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. After running after some time, she stopped near a watering hose, to tired and out of sorts to think properly. But during all of this, just as she happened to look up at the sky, she spotted a piece of paper falling in it. As one reached the ground, many more did. She leans over and grabs the one nearest to her. Her eyes went ride as she read the little message on it.

( • • • )

  Tommy walked through the empty streets of Dunkirk with his fellow soldiers. He had indeed seen the paper which had fallen from the sky. It was definitely from the Germans. He continues to walk with his fellow men, or gender, for Tommy wasn't even that close to being a man. His eighteenth birthday was at the end of the year and he was only a mere seventeen year old boy. He had lied about his age, because he felt that he needed to serve his country. He also felt as if his country needed, not that they necessarily needed HIM precisely, but still, they needed men. They could have 400,000 more if they found a way to free everyone from Dunkirk.

One final piece of paper falls out of the sky, and the Brits poke about looking for anything useful. One finds an old cigarette, some find some left over food that looked aged, but Tommy didn't smoke, and he wasn't hungry, he needed water.

( • • • )

Tommy looks around and can't help but sigh in relief when his eyes fall on a red rubber watering hose, what he also found wasn't something you see everyday. A girl, not much older, in fact probably younger than him sat with her knees up to her chest. She had her arms wrapped tightly around them, and she struggled to breathe.

When the poor and timid figure looked up, she gasped and moved back. Tommy didn't like to be seen as someone fearful, especially to a rather pretty girl. He placed his gun down slowly and held his hand out. She was indeed British, because she looked exactly like all the other nurses that he had seen from his country.

-"Hey, it's ok! I won't hurt you! I'll keep you safe! I promise!"

His voice was gentle when he spoke, and he was even surprised to hear it, for Tommy was a man of few words.

Evelyn took another shaky breath and her chest heaved up and down as he slowly moved towards her.

"It's ok! I promise! I'm going to help you, alright?"

Evelyn looks up and nods. She studies his face, something about this lad made him different from the rest.

"Alright, do you trust me?"

Evelyn nods slowly.

"Ok, breath in, ready, one, two, three, four,"

Evelyn does as told, she becomes panicked when her chest tightens after four seconds.

"It's alright! Now, hold for, five, six, seven, eight,"

The process becomes harder and more painful as Evelyn tries her best to do as told. She can tell that this boy is trying to help her. After all, she did tell him that she trusted him.

"And now, let go, nine, ten, eleven, twelve!"

When the process had been completed, Evelyn did start breathing a little better. She and Tommy continued for two more times until they heard a loud boom in the distance.

Gunfire is heard and bullets go whizzing past the two. Someone yelps as they get shot and blood splatters all over the now dead man. Tommy holds his hand out to Evelyn, and without hesitation, she takes it. The two run, not hand in hand, towards a tall gate Tommy helps her climb over it. Just as he's going over himself, another solider tried to get over but fails, because he gets shot. Once over on the other side, Tommy tries to reload his gun. His hands shake vigorously as he tries his best. He eventually tosses it to the side and continues to run with Evelyn right behind him. They climb over shed and run through the streets and from  the gunfire. They stop a duck behind wall that's been blown up only leaving a small portion of the bottom. Tommy peaks from behind and notices that it's the French who's been shooting at them.

"Comrades!" He shouts, but the French don't hear and continues to fire.

Tommy stands up with Evelyn behind him and puts his hands up in surrender.

"We're English! From England!" He calls once more. The Frenchie stops firing and points to Evelyn.

-"Her?" He asks in broken English.

-"I'm British!" Evelyn answers back.

Tommy glances at her and she does the same to him. The two walk forward and climb over the sand bags and walk towards the shore.

When they're out earshot, Evelyn turns to Tommy.

-"Thank you, for what you did back there." She smiles slightly in appreciation.

Tommy cheeks turn a tiny bit pink as he chuckles nervously and starches the back of his neck.

-"It's no problem!" He smiles ever so slightly back.

The two jog some more in an awkward, but comfortable silence.

"What's your name?" He asks with curiosity.

-"Evelyn, and you?"

-"Tommy."

———————————————
Yes, it's a new book.

What did you guys think?!

So that breathing method about the hold for four seconds thing, is an actual thing for taking a deep breath, and I suggest that you guys use it if you ever need help in taking one. It's very helpful☁️

Don't forget to vote and comment!

Thanks for reading!

<3 Catherine💫