Children of Darkness

Angry thoughts

Along with Rose and Michael, there were two other children under the care of Mrs. Kent. Eleanor was seven and Sarah ten. Michael quickly aquatinted himself with Eleanor and the two quietly began playing on the floor.

Rose sat across from Sarah and buried her nose in a book before she could say anything to her. Unlike Michael, who could charm anyone, she did not make friends easily.

"What're you reading?" Sarah spoke confidently. Rose could already tell she was much more outgoing than herself.

"Just a book my mum packed for me." Rose muttered back. She didn't feel like talking.

"Oh." Sarah replied, sounding defeated. She pulled out a book of her own, turned away from Rose, and began reading herself.

Apart from soft giggles from the younger children, their compartment was quiet for hours. All of the children seemed content enough that Mrs. Kent bustled around the busy train without much worry.

At half past six, Mrs. Kent came back to their compartment with food. She passed around sandwiches and made sure none of the greasy papers touched the ground. "We can't have a mess, now can we?"

After their meal, they were instructed to clean their teeth, dress into their pyjamas, and gather for a goodnight story. Rose watched as Michael and Eleanor listened with wide eyes and glared every time Sarah smiled at a funny bit.

Rose didn't feel like listening. She wanted to be at home, sitting in the kitchen and reading a comic while the wireless played in the background. She wanted to hear Helen coo as Mum tickled her and Gavin babble on to their father about the ladybug he'd seen that morning. She wanted to smell the food cooking, see the chickens pecking around outside, and be with her parents. But instead, she was stuck in a smelly train compartment with people she didn't know, heading overseas to a new country.

The next morning, she awoke to Michael wrapped around her leg, sleeping peacefully. She shook him off and dressed angrily, a newly acquired feeling of abandonment and betrayal looming over her. Mrs. Kent lead them off the train, said her goodbye, and left them at a hostel for evacuee children.

They spent a few days there, where they were told what to do and at what time, slept in long rows, and were lead in songs and games, none of which Rose wanted to participate in. They were examined by doctors and on their third day at the hostel, they were escorted to the ship.

"Are we going on the ship now, Rose? The one mum and dad were talking about?" Michael asked fervently.

She only nodded in response as she grabbed his hand and pulled him forward. At the front of the line, the children were given numbers of identification, had their luggage checked, and were told to dispose of their gas masks. Rose was made to sit tightly with Michael on a long bench as they waited for the ship to be ready for boarding. Food was given to the children, but Rose only stored her sandwich in her coat pocket as she watched Michael nibble like a squirrel on his. She didn't feel hungry.

After hours of sitting and listening to escorts drone on about rules, the gangway was made accessible to board the ship. Rose took Michael's hot hand in her own cold one and slowly, the two made their way onto the boat.

Despite her moody self, Rose felt a spark of excitement inside of her. She had never travelled on a ship before! She made a mental note to document how it felt, looked, and smelled so she could write back to her parents.

As the engines started up, Rose listened to the whistles and chirps from the seagulls as they began to pull away from the harbour. She glanced at the hazy sky before turning away from her home, determined to not look back.