Free War Kids by HJ Lawson

forget a lot of stuff,” she admits. “But why were you home?”
    I pause and think quickly. “I had a bad stomach.”
    “What about Father?” Her tone indicates she’s braced herself for bad news. Thank God at least I can tell her the truth about him… give her something to fight for.
    “Father is alive –”
    Tilly jumps to her feet, with a smile across her face.
    “– But the soldiers took him,” I finish.
    Sadness washes back over her as she slumps her shoulders.
    “Where did they take him?” she asks.
    Jesus, how do I know? I wish I had the answers; I really do. I’m as lost as well.
    “I don’t know where they took him, but I am going to find him!”
    Tilly looks down at me proudly, reaching out her hand to help me. Rising up from the ground, I can see the unthinkable sight unfolding in front of me – the soldiers are entering Tilly’s school. I got her out just in time.
    But the other children won’t be as lucky.

Chapter 17
Beware: You Do Not Know What You Have Woken.
     
    JADA
     
     
    I have become conscious of the fact that someone is in my room. There is a dark shadow at the foot of my bed looking down on me.
    I lie still and pretend I’m still asleep, or better, dead. My body is ice cold… he has removed my blanket, and he’s looking at me. I feel so vulnerable right now. How he dare make me feel this way in my own room!
    His breath reeks of alcohol, and his body stinks of repulsive sweat as if he hasn’t washed for days. I have to force myself not to vomit. Who is he? What does he want? My mother warned me about men like these once the war broke out, and my father taught me what to do with them. I am not weak. I will defend myself to the death if I have to.
     
    At the start of the war, my parents tried to pretend everything would be fine, and that it was the grownups’ problems, not children’s.
    But after a few months, things changed.
    Planes flew over our house at night. Lucas and I would watch from the window. It was fun at first to see them, and then it just became normal.
    As the months went by, we had less and less food. When I asked my father why, he told me the food prices had increased by four times the amount they were paying before the war, and instead of helping others, people were getting greedy. My parents really cut back on their food; Mother was already slim, but she was shrinking right before my eyes. It disgusted me that people were making a profit from this war, but Father told me not to worry. “We’re a smart family, and we’ll be fine.”
    I didn’t know what he meant by that. It became clear the next morning when he was in the back garden with a large bundle of wire.
    “What’s that for?” I asked.
    A big smile crossed his face. He was so handsome when he smiled, and it was nice to see him happy for a change.
    “You and I are going to get chickens today,” he said excitedly.
    “What? Chickens!”
    Father laughed. “Yes, chickens.”
    “Okay, you have finally lost it. Does Mother know?”
    “Yes, and she thinks it’s a good idea,” my father said proudly. He was as excited as a schoolboy, and I shook my head. But maybe it was a good idea… If the prices of food were going up, then we had to control them. But what’s next, a cow? The thought made me giggle.
    “What you laughing at?” Father asked.
    “Nothing,” I replied, forcing myself to keep a straight face.
    Then a thought struck… “You know, there are lots of rabbits and birds in the fields out back. We, umm,” I hesitated a moment. “We could get a gun, and you know, find them…”
    Father gave me a surprised glance. “We don’t need to get a gun. I’ll need to check with your mother, but I think it’s time for me to teach you how to shoot. And who knows, maybe we could get some lunch out of it as well,” he said with a smile. He patted me on my head and walked into the house.
    As I sat down on the grass and smelled the flowers in the garden, I could not believe how he had