CW

The war destroyed everything in my young life.
The once overcrowded streets of London now lay in rubble beneath my feet. I was young, maybe 15 or 16 when my father left to fight for our country. There was nothing any of my family could do to stop him. He kissed my family farewell promising to come back home safely.
He never came back.
A couple of years later, the Nazis attacked the city of London. Houses , buildings, streets were all left in a heap of rubble. Families that our family knew perished in the burning hell that was now London. The pain was too great for anyone to bear. We knew we had to get away from it all.
We knew that we had to escape.


July 10th, 1941.
I leant my shoulder against the door frame of my home and gazed outside into the foggy country air. The air was sweet with summer and humid from the previous rain. It was 7 in the morning and the sun was starting to peek through the lush green trees beyond the freshly cut grass of our lawn. The dew on the front porch of our white estate glistened as the light hit it. I made my way off the porch and onto the damp grass. I loved the feeling of it against my bare feet, the way it curved and bent to make way for me and then slowly spring up after words as if I was never walked upon it at all. I was only in my peach colored nigh gown that ended at my ankles. My waist length brown hair was neatly braided and put to one shoulder so it would not disturb me in my sleep. I took in a deep breath and let out a sigh of contentment as I turned around to walk back inside.
I was delighted to move back to Hertfordshire. The Blitz in London was the reason my mother decided to relocate back to the grand estate that my twin brother and I grew up in. We were to turn 18 in one month and we were delighted to celebrate it in a house that our family owned for hundreds of years. The Mordret estate was one of the biggest estates in Hertfordshire. While making my way back to the manor I turned my head to the right to look at the neighboring house. I looked around the same as ours matching us in size and beauty. I saw a man outside on the porch. He stood tall with his hands in his pockets. He was so far away that I could not tell if he was staring at me or elsewhere. I decided to ignore whoever was there and head back inside to wake my brother.
Charles hugged his pillow tightly as he slumbered; his blond hair was tousled and he had a loud snore. I crept into his bedroom and snuck up to his bed. I lowered by head so I could whisper in his ear.
“I hope you’re not pretending that the pillow is a woman Charles.”
Before I had time to react Charles grabbed me and pulled me into bed with him.
“Didn’t I tell you not to disturb me when I am sleeping?” Charles said playfully as he held on to me tight.
“Told me to wake you at 7:30; you’re going to your friend’s house for breakfast.”
Charles yawned and released me for his steel grip.
“Want to come along? Alec’s house is only walking distance.”
“Who is Alec?”
Charles gave her a shocked expression.
“For once in your bloody life, think! He was my best friend growing up. He always kissed your hand when you two would meet.”
I pondered for a moment trying to recollect him yet nothing seemed to hit me.
“No sorry, don’t remember a thing about him.”
Charles rolled his eyes and reluctantly got out of bed. He went to the closet across the room to choose his clothes for the day to come.
“Come with me then; I’m sure when you see him you’ll remember.”
“Is he handsome?”
Charles snorted at my forward question.
“Why do you care? Weren’t you determined to marry George Wilson?” Charles said teasingly.
I glared at him; he promised that he would seize teasing me about that man.
“You bloody know that it was only a crush. I was 12 for Christ’s sake!”
I picked up a pillow that and fallen to the floor and flung it at the back of Charles’ head. It hit him with a thud. He turned looked angrily at me.
“Stop being such a child.”
“You cannot say that! You and I are the same age!”
“Please don’t remind me!” Charles said as he picked out a suit and threw it on the bed beside me. I wrinkled my nose at his choice.
“Why are you wearing tweed? Momma bought you those brand new suits!”
Charles walked to the drawers to pick out a tie.
“Because it is comfortable so shut up Victoria.” Charles said while looking at two choices of tie to wear. He held both out for me to look at.
“Which one would look best?”
I pointed to the dark brown one and he threw it on his bed. He grabbed both of my hands and pulled me to my feet.
“Now my dear you must leave so I can get changed.” Charles said while pushing me out the door.
“Fine fine I’ll do the same.”
“If it is possible for you, be ready in an hour.” Charles said playfully as he smacked me in the bum to leave. He closed the door behind me.
I walked down the long hallway to my room. Since the estate was last renovated in the late 1800’s the Victorian décor had stayed; giving the old manor a ghostly feeling. The wall paper was a dark burgundy with an elegant French design. The dark wood furniture, although beautifully handcrafted, looked uninviting to sit upon and the pictures of my ancestors watched me from above as I made me way to my room. Floor creaked under the fleur de le rug when my foot exerted its pressure. I did not let my house frighten me though. If there were spirits determined to get me then they would have gotten me long ago. If there were any spirits then they were spirits of my forefathers protecting me from any harm. Convincing myself of that, I quickly made my way to my room and shut and locked the door behind me.
“Charlotte, where are you?”
A woman walked out of the walk in closet. She was a short older woman of about 50. She wore a simple light blue maid’s dress with a bonnet.
“I already picked out your clothes Miss. Mordret. They are on the bed.”
I turned toward the bed and frowned.
“I need something a bit fancier, I’ll be dining out for breakfast.”
“Yes Miss. Mordret.” Charlotte said as she hurried back into the closet.
I walked over to my vanity and sat down. I released my hair from the confinements of my braid and picked up the silver brush and ran in through my hair. Charlotte came out of the closet again with a red pencil skirt, a red jacket with gold thread around the pockets and gold buttons. I smiled and nodded at her selection. My long hair always posed an issue. Because of it thickness it was difficult to put it up in a bun.
I assessed myself in the mirror of my vanity. My long hair was neatly put up in a bun with a small red hat leaning slightly to the right of my head.
“It’s going to be a chilly day Miss. Mordret.”
I smiled and nodded; I paid no attention to what she said. It was difficult for me to pay attention to small talk. I was never good at it nor did I ever find a reason to do it.
My height always posed an issue to my egotism. I was the shortest in my family standing at a petite stature of 5 foot 2. I was the only one in my family that had an issue with height. My mother was 5 foot 10, my brother 6 feet and my late father 6 foot 4. My mother told me that men liked smaller women; I never found that believable. All of the film stars and singers were much taller than I and they had men crawling to their doorstep. I sighed and took one last look in the mirror before I took my purse and left.
My brother’s bright eyes followed me down the stairs. When I got to the bottom of the stairs, I twirled around playfully.
“So, how do I look?”
“It looks like you are trying to impress someone.” He said truthfully; my faced turned red.”
“I’m not; I just want to make a good first impression.”
“Why? Alec Ryder won’t go after a best mate’s sister.”
“I made no inkling that wanted him as a husband.”
“By the way your dressed, you don’t have to.”
I wanted to argue further but I knew I would get myself nowhere.
“Are we walking to his house or driving.”
“I was going to walk, but seeing your attire I think that we should take the car.”
I shook my head, I loved a good walk. I sat down at the foot of the stairs and removed my heels. Charles rolled his eyes.
“You can’t bloody be serious; you’ll get all muddy.”
“Well then, it will prove to you that I have no desire to make Alec Ryder fall in love with me.”
“What about your expensive jacket that mother got you form Paris?”
“They’re just clothes; pieces of cloth that one uses to hide flesh.”
Charles laughed and held out a hand to help me up. I gratefully took it and he pulled me up effortlessly.
“I never knew that my dear sister was so poetic.”
“They’re a lot of things you don’t know about me Charles.”
“I highly doubt that; you’re not that difficult to figure out.”
He received a punch on the arm; he frowned and rubbed the wound. I scoffed and took his hand to pull him towards the door.
“Oh you’re so fragile; come on, we’ll be late.”
“Fine, lead the way.”
We walked into the forest, mud squished in between my toes, laughing and talking about the weather. Inquires of Alec Ryder were ignored by my brother. Charles put his hands in his pockets.
“Why is it always so rainy in England? Couldn’t it stop raining for once?”
I frowned at his remark. He was obviously trying to change the subject. Why was he so uncomfortable talking about him?
“I don’t know, it’s been like this for thousands of years and it’s not likely to change on your behave Charles.”
“It’s been especially rainy this summer don’t you think?”
“Yes I suppose so, but I enjoy the rain.”
I said while looking up at the cloudy sky. The clouds were dark, indicating the upcoming storm.
“Why? The mood around here is so depressing; our house looks depressing, ever since father died, the world seems a bit darker.”
“We are at war Charles, everyone feels that way.”
“You know we will be 18 this August; that means I will be forced to enter the draft.”
I bit my bottom lip and squeezed my eyes tight; his words hit me like a bullet. I hated hearing about the draft. This was the one year that I was not looking forward to my birthday.
“Charles please don’t talk about this now.”
“I’m sorry Victoria, but you know-”
“Shut up Charles!” I hissed; I picked up my pace to get away from him. Charles caught up with me quickly.
“Don’t be angry with me please.”
“I wouldn’t be angry with you if you seized talking about the bloody draft.”
“Stop walking so damn fast.”
I complied and slowed down. I wasn’t completely and entirely upset with him; I could never hold a grudge for more than five minutes. Charles knew that so he gave me my space for a little while until we got to a mud pile that had formed from the previous rain.
“It’s too wide to walk around it.”
A smirk crept on Charles’ face. He bent down to remove his shoes and roll up his pant legs. I gave him a suspicious look.
“Charles don’t you dare push me in that mud pile.”
“No, I’m going to walk right through it.”
“Through that mud pile?”
He nodded and stepped right in; both his feet disappeared into the goop. I cringed in utter disgust and took a step back. Charles held his large hand out for me; I took another step back and shook my head in a child-like manner. Charles’ hand dropped to the side in annoyance. We stood in silence for a moment, his devious gaze made me nervous. Without a word of warning he came forward towards me and hugged me at the waist, throwing me like a rag doll over his shoulder.
“Charles Mordret you put me down this instant or I swear to God-”
“You’ll do what, annoy me to death?”
“No I will rip you’re bloody head from your body.”
“Oh I’m so scared.”
I hated Charles’ sarcasm, he was utterly frustrating.
When we reached the other side he let me down gently.
“You’re completely humiliating you know that?” I hissed as I threw him his shoes and his socks.
“Stop being such a child.”