𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 - 𝐃𝐮𝐧𝐤𝐢𝐫𝐤

~ 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 7 ~

dejection
/dɪˈdʒɛkʃ(ə)n/
noun
1. a sad and depressed state; low spirits

~~~~

The boat docked and the men unloaded from the boat and two stretches were brought on by soldiers. The two Mills siblings put onto them, one covered by a sheet, the other covered by bandages.

Lila was rushed off and Tommy and Alex followed her to where she was being brought, desperate to stay with her.

She was placed into a vehicle which Tommy and Alex jumped into and was taken away to a hospital and rushed off into surgery.

Tommy and Alex sat on chairs watching the busy nurses around them tending to the injured soldiers and civilians around them but Alex had to look to the ground, the nurses uniform reminding him too much of Lila.

"So... you and Lila got pretty close." Alex finally broke the silence and looked over to Tommy. But the only response Alex got was a nod of the head.

"I'm sorry." Tommy looked over at him, carefully listening to the words that were about to continue coming out of his mouth. "I'm sorry for the things I did, saying you would be... you would be the next person to leave the ship, I was desperate and just wanted to get home. But that was no excuse, you wanted to get home too. And I was too busy caring for myself to even notice Lila was injured and I hate myself for it."

Alex still got no voice back, but what he got meant more than any words ever could; Tommy looked over and gave him a nod, but this nod held more emotions- it held forgiveness and understanding, it gave hope and most of all, it showed friendship.

~~~

Lila was now out of surgery and had been bandaged up by the doctors and was ready to go home. She was exhausted and drained of any ounce of energy she once had. The spark that was once shining in her eyes had dimmed down so much that you had to strain your eyes to see it.

Lila was pushed in a wheelchair with a bag of blood filled with B+ blood flowing into her body at a steady pace to help her with the blood loss she had suffered.

She had been told that they're going to transfer her to the hospital in the town she lives in via the train that the soldiers are returning home on.

Lila was excited to go home and see her mum but the loss of her brother still left a raw pain in her chest- a deeper pain that she felt compared to the loss of Liz and the gunshot that nearly took her life.

As Lila was pushed through the final set of double doors she came face to face to the two men that held her heart dearly and gave a weak smile. They shot to their feet relief flooding through their bodies at the sight of a surprisingly healthy Lila considering the things she's been put through.

"Lila! Are you alright? Why didn't you tell us?!" Alex shot out with many people questions causing Lila's head to spin from thinking too much.

"Easy tiger, she's still recovering. Don't overload her with too many questions, you'll stress her out and that is definitely not good for her." The nurse that was pushing her informed with a kind smile.

"Sorry...sorry, I didn't mean to rush out so many things, I was just so worried. Lila? Are you okay?" Alex slowed his words down considerably. Lila gave a weak nod of her head and let out an exhausted smile.

"I'm okay." Her raspy voice called out. Her tired eyes travelled over to Tommy's figure which stood awkwardly behind Alex, keeping hidden and not saying anything.

"I... what's happened to George... his body?" Any positive emotions that the trio may have held immediately disappeared and Alex's and Tommy's eyes moved to the floor, avoiding Lilas gaze that bore into them.

"His- his body has been taken away on a stretcher, we didn't see where they took him because we came with you- we wanted to know if you would be okay..." Alex spoke. Lila gave a slow nod.

The nurse interrupted their conversation saying that the train would be leaving soon and they must hurry otherwise they will miss their journey home causing them to quickly exit the hospital and move into a vehicle that will transport them to a station.

~~~

Lila, Tommy and Alex all now sit in a train compartment asleep. Attempting to make a dent in their recovery of many days without rest. 

Lilas side is covered in bandages and the wheelchair is folded and placed in the overhead compartment so Lila can rest on the comfy sofas provided. Her head sits on Tommy's shoulder as he slowly awakens when he feels the train start to slow down and looks around him to gather his bearings.

His eyes travel over to Lila's body and the steady rise and fall of Lilas chest reassuring him that she's still okay and alive. He looks up when he hears shuffling and sees that Alex has awoken too and is also looking around.

He suddenly shoots out of the chair and pulls open the window and shouts out at a boy.

"Hey! Where are we?!"

"Siding! You'll be put in in a minute!" The young boy replied.

"What station?"

"Working." Alex's eyes travelled to a stack of papers that the boy was loading.

"Grab me one of them papers." After the boy hesitates Alex pressed on at him. "Go on!" The boy rushes to grab one and climbs up onto the train and passes him the paper. Alex is quick to take it and sits back in his chair and unfolds it on the table in front of him. Lila now sits up awake watching Alex from across her, Tommy doing the same.

Lila could just make out the words of the title in front of him 'CHURCHILL ADDRESSES DUNKIRK EVACUATION IN COMMONS' before he slid the paper over to Tommy's side of the table.

"I can't bear it. You read it."

"Can't bear it?"

"They'll be spitting at us in the streets. If they're not locked up waiting for the invasion." Alex kept his eyes on the table ignoring the stare Lila was giving him.

Tommy looks down at the paper and started reading out loud whilst Lila continued to stare at Alex.

"Wars are not won by evacuation-" they started pulling up to a station where civilians crowd the streets causing Alex to slouch into his seat- attempting to hide himself, someone bangs on the glass causing Lila to jump- memories of being shot flying through her head, she takes a deep breath and returns her sight to Alex.

"I can't look." Tommy continues to read the paper.

"-But there was a victory inside this deliverance which should be noted-" The guy hits three beer bottles on the window causing Alex to finally direct his eyes towards him. His eyes were filled with confusion as he took the bottles from the man and looked at the other cheering people around the man outside, he passed Lila and Tommy their bottles and knelt on the chair looking out of the window.

"-Our thankfulness at the escape of our army-" Alex takes food and drink from the civilians outside.

"-Must not blind us to the fact that what has happened in France and Belgium ... is a colossal military disaster. We shall defend our island- whatever the cost may be- we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender. And even if we do- which for I do not for a moment believe, this island... we're subjugated and starving. Until... in God's good time- the new world, with all its power and night steps forth to the rescue and liberation of the old."

Tommy looks up once he's finished and sees tears in Lila's and Alex's eyes.

"George died a hero." Lila whispers. But she already knows that, he died saving her. He may not have known it at the time. But he did.