Chapter II: To Seek Adventure [Henry's POV]
//TW: Mentions of war, coarse language, obnoxious childish adults (Wait that's not a warni-) //
Author's Note: *Cougghh not very good with scenes of just adults coougughggdkjghkgh* - Also, the enlisting process isn't accurate because I couldn't find much about the enlisting process at all. I just went off google images, but you get the gist of it. I'm gonna sit here fingers crossed in hope that this flows well
---
I adjusted the hat on my head whilst maintaining eye contact on the last few sheep still making their way through the gate. I looked over to Dan, who was a few meters to my left. I could tell his caramel/chokkie brown Waler Ruth was becoming a little reckless. Maybe she wasn't that used to people riding her, even though we would take both horses out almost everyday for the week during the sheep's breeding seasons. This is because the Rams would become a bit reckless around this time. We don't just hire the horses for the breeding season only - we sometimes are given extra time to care for them for whatever reason for the proper owners, who are our best family mates Markus and Nikita Oakley. I was riding the Clydesdale horse named Helen. She was very well behaved, maybe because she was older. I was about to lead Helen in closer so I could shut the gate when I had to turn her around because I heard a ladies' voice. It was my wife Hannah's, and she was calling for me.
"Henry! Henry, can you come over for a minute?"
"Yeah, sure. Just give me a sec." I yelled back.
I turned to Dan who had managed to calm Ruth down. "You think you can round up the last of the sheep and shut the gate by ya self?"
"Yeh, I'll be right. Go see what Mum wants." He replied, soothing Ruth with neck pats.
"Good on ya, boy." I guided Ruth into the direction of Hannah across the field. I felt cool for a moment, like a real cowboy - only without a lasso in hand. Just like what I would roleplay when I was a lil one.
I guided Helen to the small stables located along the right-hand side of the house (Western side). I jumped off her saddle, gripped the reins of her harness and walked her into her stall. I shut and locked the stall gate just as Hannah came walking up to me.
"Hey Hannah. You needed me?"
"Yes," She replied. "I need you to see something. I suggest Dan come see this as well." I could sense the desperation in her voice as she isn't all the best at hiding her emotions. I turned to see where abouts Dan was with Ruth. He looked to be just shutting the gate and guiding Ruth and the dogs back over to the stables where Hannah and I are now.
"He looks to be heading back now with the dogs." I pointed out. "What'd ya need us for?"
"When we headed down to the city, the roads and pavements were crowded with civilians, way busier than usual. I know Sydney's a large city, but I'm talking really busy, Henry. Heck, it's probably still very crowded now."
"That does sound a bit unusual, d'unnit?" I commented.
She continued: "Wilbur managed to pick up a newspaper coverin' why it's so busy, but he hasn't told me what it's about yet. I'm worried for him..."
I heard the nay and puff of Ruth behind me as Dan jumped off his saddle and guided Ruth into the stall next to Helen's. The dogs made their own way onto the porch, tapping their paws on the porch planks around the outdoor Seats. I walked up to him just before he locked the stall gate.
"Did'ya lock the gate properly Pearl?"
"Yeah, I did." He looked up at me. "And please don't call me that, it makes me think of them."
I realised what I said. "Awh sorry mate," I know I'm funny-sarcastic most of the time, but I meant it. "I need you to come inside, your brothers' got somethin' for us."
"Really? What is it?" He looked intrigued. Hannah and I glanced at each other.
***
Dan was the first to enter the house (Besides the dogs, who barged in immediately) and held the door open for us. I called out:
"Wil!"
I heard no reply.
I glanced to the first to my left - the living room. He wasn't there. Hannah called out:
"Wilbur, where are you?"
- "Oh sorry, in here."
His voice came from the dining room - the room 2nd left in the main hallway but had a door connected to the living room. Dan and I came into the dining room through the living room shortcut, and Hannah went through the hallway entrance. Wilbur and Teo were both sat there practically staring the newspaper down. He and Teo couldn't get their faces any closer to the paper. What was on it that was so interesting that it made Wilbur, or even Teo, want to read it? I interrupted their reading:
"Wil? Teo?"
Teo looked up suddenly and elbow-nudged Wil. Wil spoke up: "Oh, hi dad."
"What'd ya need, kid? I heard you needed me..."
I came forward and pulled out a chair form the dining table and sat down. Dan brushed past me an took a seat. Hannah came forward. "Make it quick boys, I'll have to prepare lunch soon."
Teo sat up straight in his chair. "Come see this."
I looked at Wil who was holding the paper. He took one last look at it before ultimately passing it to me.
With Dan to my right peering over my shoulder I read through the main title.
EMPIRE AT WAR
GREAT BRITAIN DECLARES WAR ON GERMANY
Great Britain declares war on Germany after threatening Belgium and France on the western front. Australian troops offered, enlistees wanted . . .
"Britain's declaring war on Germany." Wil spoke up.
"I can see that," Dan looked at him. "And I'm sure Dad can read, too."
It's pretty obvious my boys try to act like me. Sometimes they try a little too hard.
"Actually," Teo's squeaky voice broke the small silence carried out by our own. "What does that have to do with us?"
"Straya's a part of the British Empire." I informed him.
-"Yeah," Wil continued on. "Haven't you noticed the union jack on our flag is just the British flag?"
Teo went silent for a moment. It went so silent I could hear the cogs in his head click and turn. "OOOOooooooohhhhhhh" He finally clicked.
"Teh" Dan rolled his eyes.
There was a silent second for the clock ticking 11:47am and the currawongs cawing outside from the dogs trying to chase them down. I randomly started counting the dust particles glistering in the sunlight. I got to a count of 7 when Hannah cleared her throat and broke the silence. "Um...Theodore, Wilbur, could ya come out into the kitchen and help put the groceries away?"
Wil and Teo reluctantly got up from their seats and followed Hannah into the kitchen through the kitchen-dining room doorway.
I held the newspaper up again and saw a section of the newspaper that stood out a bit:
ANY PERSONELL OVER THE AGE OF 18 ARE FREE TO ENLIST - ANY PERSONELL OF THE AGE OF 18 MAY ENLIST WITH THE PERMISSION OF A PARENT OR LEGAL GUARDIAN.
I side glanced at Dan. He's seventeen, turning eighteen in February the following year.
I looked back at the paper and read it through completely, Dan reading along with me over my shoulder. Thoughts flew straight through my head.
'Seek great adventure!'
'Journey of a lifetime!'
'Be a hero!'
Words of encouragement were written everywhere. I'm almost certain Dan knows what I'm considering. Well, that was until he spoke up literally asking about it:
"So...what ya thinkin'?"
I cocked one eyebrow and g ave a small side-smirk. "I'll give ya three guesses, boy."
***
- August 5th, 1914
I kicked the fly screen door open with my leg, carrying the paper from the day before. I couldn't help but wonder how it was scrunched up in the way it was. What did Wil do to it?
Hannah turned towards the door. "Henry, what have I said about kickin' the door open?"
"Oh relax Hannah. What's the worst that could happen if I did?"
She gave me a look. I mean, one of those looks.
"...*Ahem* sorry dear." - she smiled and shook her head.
I threw the paper onto the outdoor table and took my seat. Markus picked up the paper. "Awh, no way!"
- "Yeah, what'd I tell ya mate?" I told him. "Only a few days ago as well. I'm thinkin' about enlistin'. You in?"
Mark skimmed through the first few paper lines before answering: "Awh, hell yeah!"
The girls stopped talking amongst themselves. Niki leaned forward slightly, tapping the top of the paper and gently pushing it down. "Woah, hold on there Mark. Ya don't know what you're enlistin' for."
"Awh yeah I do," He turned the paper around so they could read the cover. "There's a war."
There was a slight pause. Catherine 'Cathy' spoke up to us: "So there's a British/German war now they say?" She has a Scottish accent.
-"Yeah, it was declared earlier this week." Hannah turned to her. I looked over to Thomas David, another family friend. "You in, Tom?"
"Hold on, le'me read the damn thing first."
"It'll be a good escape from our wives, boys." Mark spat out. All 3 of our wives, Hannah, Niki and Cathy (They were sitting opposite us) all death stared Mark down, especially Niki. Mark cracked up at it. They just rolled their eyes at him.
"Gonna have to be a no champs," Tom spoke up, chucking the paper back onto the table. "Gotta 'nother child on the way, remember?" He directed Mark and I's attention to Cathy, who had her hand on her belly. He continued: "Already got a eight-year-old lil yapper playin' with Henry's boys on the field now." He didn't have a Scottish accent like Cathy's.
We looked over to our rights (We're facing east) and glanced over at the kids. Dan, Wil, Teo and Anna (Cathy and Tom's eight-year-old daughter) were all playing with the dogs Ruby, Spark and the Oakley's family dog Adelaide out on the field. Well Wil and the dogs were running around while Teo was walking with Anna, who found a hobby of picking buttercups scattered around the field property. Dan was laying down tearing up dead grass and supervising them to make sure one of them didn't run too close to the barbed wire fence or didn't get hurt somehow. We have to have multiple eyes on them at once because they manage to get themselves hurt in the most bizarre ways possible, no idea how.
"Sorry champs." He added.
"Nah mate, it's fine." Mark told him. "You got 2 and a half to deal with." He chuckled. Mark is the type of person who isn't afraid to insult anyone. Well, everyone except Niki obviously, but he does occasionally poke fun of her too.
"Well, I'm sure Hannah, Wil and Teo can handle the farm just fine by themselves." I said, looking at Hannah waiting for her reaction. She seemed to understand that I was very willing to enlist along with Mark. I mean, I did discuss the idea with her the night before whilst the boys were asleep, and we settled on a decision. We were interrupted by Anna and Teo who came up onto the porch. Anna had a handful of 6 buttercups - one for each of us.
"Anna wants to give these to you." Teo told us. Anna handed 3 to Teo, and gestured for Hannah to lean forward. She then picked one of the buttercups from her hand put it in her hair.
"Awh, thank you!" She thanked her in a high pitched friendly voice. She did the same to Niki, but paused for Cathy. She then very gently placed the little buttercup on her unborn younger sibling. We all just awed at it. Teo came around to our side and jokingly put the buttercups on Tom and Mark's head, but stopped at me like how Anna stopped at her mother. He then looked down at the buttercup for a moment, twirling it in between his forefinger and thumb. He then looked back at me, smiling mischievously. He then threw the buttercup in my face, it then falling and landing on my left leg. I did that jitter thing when something hits your face and you blink uncontrollably and jerk your head back suddenly. He giggled boisterously and ran off with Anna down to Dan and Wilbur.
"Looks like we have a least favourite, lads." Tom cracked. Teo doesn't fail to surprise us, but him and Annabelle together they have become the ultimate jokester duo.
***
I heard Hannah and Wil mention how it was quite busy in the city, but my word, 'busy' is an understatement. Maybe it was busier today than what it was yesterday when Hannah and Wil were here. Mark and I were standing about a block or 2 away from the recruiting station. We kind of just looked at each other.
"Well... shit. We might be here a while." I barely managed to hear him.
"Hurry your backside up then." I nudged him. "The sooner we line up the sooner we're out of here."
I couldn't imagine how busy it could be in the central part of the city. We live in the far south-east of Sydney just were the suburbs and farmlands meet and the railways intercept. We've never really needed to be in central Sydney, although, I had hoped one day we could visit it.
We arrived there at about 4:12 and were there for a while. It was winter, so the sun had set pretty soon and by 5:30 the sunset had started to truly take form. We could finally enter the building. The building was still arguably crowded, but that was fine.
***
I couldn't remember enlisting for the Australian Imperial Force - or in short the AIF - exactly, but it was simpler than I originally thought. We walked in and saw a group of men sitting at a large desk with piles of paper in front of them with pens in their hands. I do recall them asking for our full names, date of births and signatures.
"Henry Lorraine Moss, 34"
"Markus Clovewood Oakley, 33"
I was 4 months and 2 days older than him. We signed the papers and arranged a time and date to meet up and do a check up to see whether we met the physical requirements to actually enlist.
I wasn't so certain on it really being that easy to join. Some fifteen-year-old could just waltz in on there, say they're 19 and be accepted just like that, but I guess it just is that easy. Thinking that made me realise Wil and Dan could just enlist whenever they wanted to.
***
August 6th, 1914
The clacking of the tracks and the blisteringly loud whistle of the steam train was unmistakable. Mark stood still fully next to me, facing forward. We had been successfully accepted into the AIF, and had already received our uniforms. Now, it was a matter of catching the train to the Holsworthy Barracks military camp, about a few hours' train ride south of Sydney. I didn't like standing so stiff like that though, it does get painful after a bit.
Minutes ticked by patiently. Commanders and officers walked past us judging our posture and size, nip-picking at anyone who wasn't standing as stiff as plywood or had their hat two degrees to far to the left.
I really wanted to speak up: maybe make the point that we were about to board a train that would take us somewhere where we're going to learn to follow commands and to stop taking their sweet bloody time to make everything perfect. But you can't just say something like that with little power. Besides, I'll be honest - the commanders did look intimidating. Their marches had the potential to spook mortal enemies. And their voices - being deeper and sharper than blades in a way - sounded as if it could slice a sword straight through your skull if you dare asked to repeat what they said, or if you simply questioned them in general.
After taking their sweet time, we were finally commanded to board the train. I had somehow forgotten Hannah and the boys were watching from among a crowd behind closed gates; somehow.
A loud whistle rang a second time. One by one, step by step we made our way onto the troop train. It was a large midnight black stream train proudly painted a dark rose red colour. It stood with great pride, with steam pouring from its front chimney and wheels tracing stars along it's metal beams. True I see trams almost everyday, but trams just aren't the same as stream trains. Steam trains are larger and built for heavy duty transportation that stretch from state to state, whilst trams are merely for transporting people within cities and suburbs. Mark likes to call them 'public cars on string' which honestly, fair enough. Anyone would stop to watch a train track the railways. It made me bring up a good memory from a long time ago.
There's a distinct steam train like the troop train - only instead of it being painted red, it was a dark navy blue colour - that runs along the railway just down the road from where we live. Then came a time when the train was pulling more cabins than it usually would. Teo and I watched it ride past up close, and Teo looked up and said to me "That train is a bit like you - big, strong, fast and likes the colour blue!"
That was 8 years ago, but I remember it so well.
"What are you smiling at, Blondie?"
I had been in a sort of life autopilot for a moment. I snapped back. Mark was sitting in one of the train cabin seats looking up at me, elbow on the window seal. "Huh? Oh, just remembering back to when Teo compared me to a steam train at one point 8 years ago." I replied whilst sitting down opposite Mark. It was one of those memories that could force a smile on your face no matter what mood you were in.
"Ah, I see. Good idea to hold on to them, who knows when you'll see 'em again." I wasn't sure what to make of that comment. It definitely threw me off because Mark is always positive. I decided to just take it as sarcasm.
It took me a moment to spot them again. Wil stood beside Teo, hands in his jacket pockets talking to him. It made me wonder what they were talking about. Hannah, Dan and Nikita were scanning the cabins trying to find Mark and I. Nikita spotted us first, tapped Hannah's right arm to grab her attention and pointed us out. Surely enough Hannah had notified the boys too and soon enough they were all waving us down like we were exotic monkeys in a zoo. I gave them waves back, but Mark didn't.
"Aren't you going to wave back Mark?"
He side glanced at me. "Awh, you're boring!"
I was confused at first. Was I boring? He then leaned forward towards the steam train cabin's window and twisted a metal knob on the window seal.
"Mark, what are you-" I was going to ask him but my question was interrupted as the metal knob squeaked and the window popped open like the weasel from that one nursery rhyme. He then leaned out the window and started waving and shouting to them obnoxiously like a five-year-old. I sighed. It made me question:
"How did I manage to maintain a 15 year long friendship with you?" Of course I didn't mean it. Mark dealt the cards, so I'll play them.
"An 18 year long one, actually. But who the hell's counting?"
There was a pause for Mark's saluting to Nikita. "Oh come on, Blondie. It's not like we'll be the only ones doin' it. Look outside!"
He was right. People from the cabins were waving out of windows and throwing hats like they were flags and stuff. It convinced me to pitch in. Mark did make a good point earlier anyway - there was no certain telling of when we'll see them next. Well, that is in person at least.
I kind of let loose and relaxed my thoughts and senses in a way. I mean, I was waving out of a window and yelling out to my family over a giant crowd of Sydney civilians sat next to a five-year-old stuck inside of a thirty-three-year-old's body who would slur toxic words jokingly whenever the train's whistle overpowered his yelling.
Eventually the train blew it's last whistle alongside the sound of the steam train's engine preparing itself. The cabin shifted and the train started to move. I looked Dan in the eyes, trying to read his face. I wanted to assure him a final time that everything would be okay without me. His only real struggle would be to teach Wil how to ride a horse, and he's already seen us ride horses so surely he would've picked something up from us. I gave him one of those bright re-assuring smiles you give to someone when they're nervous about something, and it seemed to have worked on him. I had spoken to all 3 of my boys before I left the house a final time: Dan to keep working hard, Wil to help out, Teo to behave.
Well, I'm not sure if telling Teo that really helped. Anyone that knows him can agree he's a great party bag but just doesn't know when to stop. Mark and I shook our last waves to our family and pulled our arms back in through the window. We were off to Holsworthy Barracks.
"You reckon my wife's gotten sick of me yet?" Mark asked me, getting comfortable in the stream train cabin's cinnamon-brown leather seats.
"Probably." I said, fiddling with my AIF uniform sleeve. I found myself studying the uniform we were given. It was a copper-bronze colour with two small pockets over the chest and two larger pockets that drooped below the belt. It had a semi-spread collar with the rising sun badge on either collar flaps. 2 "AUSTRALIA" labelled badges were pinned on either shoulder title.
"How long do you think the train ride will be? I wasn't really paying attention that much."
I just looked at him. "You weren't payin' attention?"
"Well I mean, I tried to...but good luck trying to focus on a yelling grumpy old man whilst trying to shapeshift into plywood."
I gave him the tip. "Good point."
I started to gaze out into the window, only to be asked the one question everyone knows, but only parents know the true annoyance of.
"'ey Blondie?"
"Yeah?"
"Are we there yet?" A cheeky cruel smirk spread across his face. He knows it irritates me, but doesn't fully understand what it feels like as a parent because he doesn't have kids.
I sighed. "No Mark, we haven't even left the fucking city." I responded jokingly. I decided to ask the question that's been lingering in my head for a while.
"Riddle me this, Mark - how are you a 33 year old man, yet you act like this?"
He questioned himself for a bit, collecting thoughts in his head. "Well, you gotta get a good kick out of everything to enjoy it. Most people wouldn't dare do that out of humiliation or reputation, or both. But me? Nah, I enjoy the best in everything. It's what makes me me, ya know. It's also probably why some people love me and others hate my annoying ass." he chuckled.
I was honestly not expecting his response to be that personal. You'd normally expect something funny, sarcastic or controversial, or often all of them at once. Sure he's extremely expressive, but he's rarely honest with himself. I digested what he had said, and in a way compared it to what we were about to face. Get a good kick out of everything to enjoy...the war? I wasn't sure what to make of it exactly, but I knew what he meant. Come to think of it, I can't recall a time I've ever seen him cry or shed a tear, not even once. Always so chirpy and motivated, even at 33.
"Don't look so salty."
I looked up from the waddle wooden floor tiles. "Sorry, what you said kind of caught me off guard."
"-Don't mention it. Small side note, you didn't answer my question."
I took a moment to catch on to what question he was talking about. "Oh yeah, I reckon 3 hours at least."
"Ugghhhh" He groaned at the ceiling and slouched down in his seat. He was being such a child. I'm in for quite a ride I guess.
To Holsworthy Barracks military camp.
- END OF CHAPTER TWO -
Release date: 25th September 2021