Free Before the Storm by Sean McMullen

Man.’
    â€˜That’s me,’ explained Daniel.
    â€˜BC, status?’ asked Fox with concern that bordered on alarm.
    â€˜Benzothoractine, myself, for use of, depleted,’ replied BC. ‘Pain, severe.’
    â€˜Why’s the young cove called BC?’ whispered Barry to Daniel.
    â€˜Battle Commander,’ said BC, who had somehow heard the whisper from right across the room. ‘Parade name, Liore-BC. Battle standard name, BC. British Imperial SYS-IK Cadets.’
    Truly exceptional hearing, thought Emily. Now she noticed that a spot of blood had appeared on the bandage at the centre of BC’s stomach.
    â€˜Excuse me Master BC, but you seem unwell, and um …’ Emily’s voice trailed away as her mind finally caught up with her tongue and pointed out just how utterly ridiculous her words were probably sounding.
    BC looked to Emily, then to Fox. ‘Joking, is?’ asked BC wearily.
    â€˜Sixteen,’ explained Fox. ‘Young, naive.’
    â€˜Sixteen?’ exclaimed BC, casting a suspicious glance back at Emily before pointing to himself. ‘Three, explain, more. Am fifteen, am Battle Commander. After twelve, naive, nobody is.’
    More was said in the ensuing minutes, but Emily’s mind had gone blank through absolute and complete mortification. BC, the youth who had been her obsession over the two days past, was alive. Emily should have been overjoyed about this, yet she could not recall ever being so unhappy. BC, her idol, her god, had caught her armed with a letter opener, wearing a pink dress with white ruffle frills, and cowering behind a packing case between her younger brother and Barry the Bag. Worst of all, the deadly, courageous, dynamic BC now knew Emily’s age … and Emily was a year older than BC.

    Mrs Lang had always said that people should do what they did best, and not try to be what they were not. For all of Emily’s mortification, one thing was all too clear to her, and that was BC’s condition. He was sick, injured, and in pain. Further, he was certainly not being looked after properly. Blood was seeping through his bandages, and quite possibly the wound was infected. He had no proper bed, and his food did not look at all nourishing. Worst of all, there was nobody to care for him. Attempting to gather some dignity together, Emily took a deep breath and opened her mouth. Fox and BC immediately focussed on her. Emily lost her nerve for a moment, exhaled with her mouth still open, then took another breath.
    â€˜BC, you need to be looked after properly,’ Emily managed.
    â€˜Am soldier,’ said BC, as if this explained everything.
    â€˜Even soldiers need to be looked after.’
    â€˜Fox, medi-tech,’ declared BC.
    â€˜Er, Fox is too young to be a doctor,’ guessed Emily.
    â€˜Medi-tech!’ insisted BC, gesturing to Fox with a bloody hand before clutching at his stomach again.
    â€˜You need someone with you all the time. You need to come home with us.’
    â€˜Home?’ asked BC, turning to Fox. ‘Define?’
    â€˜Small courtly-house,’ explained Fox.
    This answer did not appear to satisfy BC, but events suddenly overtook the youth. His eyes lost focus, the gun fell from his hand, and he began to topple. Fox caught him and laid him out on the bedding on the floor. His manner was efficient and brisk, rather than caring and gentle. Emily began to get up, but Fox turned on her.
    â€˜Back!’ he said in a soft but urgent voice. ‘BC, my charge.’
    â€˜He’ll die if he’s not nursed properly.’
    â€˜Soldiers die,’ responded Fox, looking down at BC with what might have been sadness.
    â€˜But he doesn’t have to die!’
    â€˜Battle status!’ insisted Fox.
    â€˜This is not a battlefield!’ retorted Emily.
    â€˜Battlefield, is!’ snapped Fox. ‘World, all, battlefield is. BC dies. Am left. Will fight. Sometime, will