Free Tin Hats and Gas Masks by Joan Moules Page A

wouldn’t have minded doing that. Oh, I can’t ride, but I’d have loved to try. Still, it’s a different world in the country and maybe I wouldn’t enjoy it for long. You go where the Lord puts you, don’t you?’
    Johnny thought his heart would burst. He wasn’t sure whether with excitement or happiness, just to be back walking the streets of home. To make a perfect day it needed his dad and brothers there too, but Jim and Ron were both overseas now, and, like his mum often said, ‘You can’t have everything.’ He would see his dad tonight anyway, and tomorrow morning, because he didn’t work on Sundays. Anyway, if they were all there he’d probably be in trouble for something or another, he thought, he usually was.
    ‘How’s Doris, Mum?’ he said, and, turning to Annie, ‘That’s me sister-in-law.’
    ‘I know. You never stop telling me.’
    ‘She’s OK, Johnny. Working in the factory with me in the week, and usually goes to her mum’s at weekends. And I heard from Ron and Jim the other day. Not much, but they’re both all right. Thank God you’re not old enough yet to go in the forces.’
    She turned towards Annie. ‘Jim and Ron, our other sons, are both overseas now,’ she said to her.
    They gave themselves plenty of time before the theatre for their tea.
    ‘Oh, it’s lovely, isn’t it?’ Annie said when they were inside the little restaurant with its red-plush wallpaper and white tablecloths. The waiter was elderly with a thatch of white hair and a charming manner. Both children studiedthe menu for so long that Mrs Bookman suggested she should order for them.
    ‘No mum – I know what I want but it’s nice to see what else you could have. If you weren’t having what you are having, I mean.’
    Mrs Bookman and Annie went into a fit of giggles at this piece of logic and it was a very jolly party who eventually tucked into steak-and-kidney pie, potatoes and vegetables.
    ‘Leave enough room for your éclair Johnny.’ Annie laughed as he wiped the last piece of pie on his fork round the plate.
    The éclairs, when they arrived, looked every bit as scrumptious as Mrs Bookman’s description of them. Johnny looked at the silver cake-fork by his plate, then watched to see what Annie would do.
    ‘Mmm, this looks gorgeous,’ she said. She picked up the fork and cut into the éclair’s creamy centre just as the air raid warning sounded. Johnny and Annie looked at each other then turned to Mrs Bookman who was already pushing back her chair. The waiter clapped his hands for attention.
    ‘We have a deep cellar,’ he said loudly, ‘anyone who wishes to use it please follow me.’
    Some customers stayed at their tables but Mrs Bookman ushered the children to join others who were following the waiter through to the back of the premises. Not sure whether to take the cake with him Johnny saw no one else had done so, and with a mouth-watering glance at the gleaming richness of the chocolate éclair on his plate, hetagged along behind Annie.
    They reached the kitchen doorway just as an almighty noise rumbled around and the ceiling caved in on them.

CHAPTER 5
1941
    ‘Johnny, Johnny where are you?’
    ‘Annie, I’m here but I can’t see you. Where’s me mum?’
    Both children called for her, but the only sound was of someone moaning.
    ‘Mum, are you OK?’ Johnny began crawling towards the sound.
    A man’s voice answered. ‘It’s my leg – I can’t move my leg.’
    ‘Wait,’ Johnny said. ‘Someone’ll be here in a minute. It must ‘ave bin a bleedin’ bomb. Annie, Mum, answer me for God’s sake.’
    His eyes were gradually becoming accustomed to the gloom and when he crawled on to something soft Annie’s voice, very close, said, ‘Johnny, is that you? Can you lift this thing off me, it’s squashing my arm.’
    He fumbled around, trying to feel the shape of whateverwas pinioning her. ‘Are you hurt Annie?’
    ‘I – I don’t think so. Are you? And – and what about your