"Jamie Wiltshire you bloody leech! I'll chuck you out, I tell ya!". Jamie beamed a cocky grin at his mother before bounding down the cobbled side street, swerving to avoid an elderly man clad in a working man's attire with a soft cap, as he disappeared out of his mother's view. "'E'll be the death of me that rotten kid will" sighed Ms. Wiltshire to the man Jamie had nearly tackled. "Aye" the man agreed, "and of 'imself". Ms. Wiltshire had taken Jamie in as a boy. His real mother had gone insane shortly after giving birth to him, and his father had abandoned them both before Jamie had even drawn his first breath. Ms. Wiltshire was a friend of Jamie's mother. They had used to attend the same church, participating in the same choir every Sunday. She hadn't been keen on the idea of raising a child, especially as she had lost her own during childbirth, not to mention her husband's passing 20 years ago, but she reluctantly agreed as there were no others who could look after him. However, she now began to regret her decision. Jamie was mischievous, and rebellious. He had little respect for authority, let alone respect for the woman he called his 'mother'. "Lack of a father figure" the old ladies at the church had whispered behind her back when they thought she wasn't listening. "A good beatin' will teach 'im a thing or two!". Ms. Wiltshire had tried her best to control the boy, but her age and ever-worsening condition made it an impossibility. Now Jamie was seventeen, nearly considered a man, yet he still behaved like a child. "What can I do about him?" Ms. Wiltshire pondered to herself as she retrieved the milk the old man had given her, thanking him as he left. She turned and returned back into her humble little cottage.
'The streets of the Yorkshire Dales were particularly busy today' thought Jamie as he passed through the town centre, clutching the pound note he has swiped off of his mother's bed-side cabinet that morning. Small, quaint cottages equipped with their thatched roofs and neatly kept gardens gave way to large glass-windowed shops, displaying everything you could ever want. There was the green grocers on the corner, the toy shop to its left, the post office where the funny looking man that had caught him stealing stamps worked down the slope to its right, but only one building caught Jamie's eye. The regal-looking building took centre stage in this small village. Its stonework put the buildings around it to shame. Jamie imagined the building to be his mother: strong, firm, old. While he was the toy shop; fun and liked. Jamie couldn't help but be in awe of the out-of- place building every time he laid his eyes upon it. It boasted the Union Jack high above its archway that led into a vast room with a solitary desk in the middle. The sound of footsteps echoed and bounced off the walls and stone pillars as Jamie, almost entranced, stood at the entrance. He had nearly not seen the two soldiers stood at either side of the archway, staring straight ahead, not batting an eyelid at the young boy who stood between them. Their clothes were pristine, composed of the warmest shade of green. Polished silver buttons formed neat lines up their torso. Their caps bore the insignia of a crown and jewels in the centre. The lines on their shoulders meant nothing to Jamie, but he knew it must have been of importance. Waltzing past the men, Jamie crumpled the note into his pocked and pushed further into the slightly intimidating room. His legs felt heavy yet he didn't really understand why. Maybe it was the mean-looking military officer who sat behind the large oak desk, or maybe it was the posters that littered the walls declaring that 'Belgium has been invaded!' and 'War declared on Germany and Austo-Hungary!' Jamie knew of the rising trouble brewing in Europe, but he didn't realise just how severe things were. "You boy" a posh voice came from across the table, "Are you here to enlist?"
"Enlist?" thought Jamie. "What's that word mean, sir?" Jamie's voice trembled at the stern look in the man's eyes. "Join, boy" "Are you here to join?"
"Join what, sir?" Jamie was quick to remember his manners that had all too often fled when talking to other people."The Army. There's a war on you know, and we could do with a few young men like you, itching for some fun"
"But I'm-" Jamie was quick to cut himself off. He had been about to let slip that he was a year too young to join the army, but his curiosity took hold. "Why should I? I mean, what's in it fer me?" Jamie sputtered before realising that he had slipped back into his usual arrogant tone. "Well..." the towering man began, his tone surprisingly calm after Jamie's shift in tone, as he got up out of his chair. "You'll be a proud member the British army, defending King and country, and bringing justice to that bastard of a Kaiser". He spoke as if reading a script; he made sure his voice was loud and commanding. "And" he continued, lowering his voice to almost a whisper, "You can have some fun, bring home a bit of cash before Christmas comes, and who knows, there may even be a girl here, waiting to welcome her heroes back".
His words were like honey to Jamie, sweet and sticky. He hung on to every last word as his eyes flared with excitement. His hands tingled with joy. If Jamie could see himself, he imagined he would be glowing with joy. "So?" the man's finger pointed downwards to a piece of paper that sat in the middle of the table. "Are you in?"
"Yes"
Comments (3)
See all