Time Line, Chapter Three

Hazel's life improves because she now has a friend, a best friend from another century. Then one day ...

Chapter Three

 

Although life at school continued to be something of a strain, somehow it didn’t bother Hazel as much as it had because she now had a friend to go home to. When she watched Jessica and her pals she was no longer envious, in fact she found herself inwardly laughing. Lucy had a way with words that Hazel wished she had. When she had told her about them, she’d called them ‘Stuck up little pressies.’ and said she was worth ten of them. She’d also stopped blushing as much when Mark spoke to her. She actually managed to speak to him sometimes now without getting tongue-tied. Lucy had made such a difference to her life.

They didn’t see each other every day but, even when they missed one another, they left little signs to show they’d been around. Some things though had not improved. Mum appeared ever more listless. She seemed to be sinking further into her own sad world. Hazel did her best to brighten her life, even though Aunt Jayne’s attitude didn’t help. She seemed to delight in making her sister feel totally useless. Hazel had to bite her tongue to prevent herself screaming at her. She longed to tell her to give her mother a break. Mum was never going to get well whilst Jayne constantly reminded her what a burden she was on her family.

It would soon be Hazel’s birthday and although she never had a party, it was still the highlight of her year; mainly because Gran came to stay and that always perked her mother up and made her feel brighter. When Gran was around Aunt Jayne’s tongue was much less bitter and cruel too. Hazel had always been particularly close to her grandmother. It was she who’d named her as a baby. She seemed to sense that her blue eyes would change to hazel as she grew, as indeed they had. There was something special about Gran that set her apart. Hazel looked forward to showing her to Lucy. She wanted her new friend to see how great she was.

She could ask her about the war too. She had already told Lucy that our side won, but couldn’t tell her any else because she simply didn’t know very much about it. When she’d asked Aunt Jayne she’d told her to ask her teacher because she didn’t have time to waste telling tales from the past. Besides, she hadn’t any memories; the war had ended years before she was born. Hazel had asked her teacher - and what a mistake that had been. She’d told her to look it up on the internet and then went on to set the whole class homework about it. That had gone down well with her classmates - extra homework! Boy was she popular!

On the internet she discovered that The Allies had defeated the Axis - whatever that meant. In 1945 Germany had been beaten first and, later the same year, Japan surrendered and the war came to an end. As it was now 1943 for Lucy, the war must still have two more years to run. That didn’t sound very long to her in 2012, but for Lucy it would mean an agonising wait before she found out whether her parents were alive or dead. The discovery that the first atomic bombs had been dropped on two Japanese cities before they surrendered shocked her. The pictures of the destruction they caused turned her stomach. She wouldn’t tell Lucy about that, nor would she say anything about the German death camps or the cruelty inflicted on prisoners of war by the Japanese. She didn’t need to know any of that yet. It seemed to her that there was little chance of Lucy’s parents surviving. They might already be dead. Better to say nothing at all than imply that conclusion.

 

Friday evening, when Aunt Jayne and Mum were watching television Hazel slipped away. She reached the scullery and lifted the trap door to Lucy’s world. She found the cellar in total darkness. She knew that she had to step over the threshold before she could cross into Lucy’s time. If she retraced her steps without doing so she’d still be 2012. She stepped into the darkness, quickly turned around and began to climb up to 1943. A sudden, ear-splitting wail accosted her ears. People began moving about above her. Through the pitch black of the scullery kitchen she felt her way towards the living room. As she turned the door handle and peeped inside, an increased level of non-stop wailing almost deafened her. Aunt Aggie was rushing the children into their outdoor things and urging them out of the house.

“Switch the light out, Lucy, so I can I pull back the blackout.”

Lucy obeyed and, as she did so, spotted Hazel. Her eyes widened and she grabbed her by the arm, whispering urgently in her ear,

“It’s an air raid; you’ll have to come to the shelter. You mightn’t have time to reach the attic before bombs start falling.”

Hazel felt herself pulled out into the blackness outside. She had no coat and shivered with cold. She stumbled down the back steps. Lucy kept a tight hold on her arm and stopped her falling. Aunt Aggie locked the door and they set off into an unreal world. There were no street lights whatsoever. Hazel had no idea where they were heading but she realised the air raid could start any second. Terror surged as they hurried along gloomy streets where every few steps shadowy figures loomed up in the darkness. The siren stopped as suddenly as it had begun but there followed another sound - far more terrifying; the low rumble of approaching planes. Hazel thought her heart would burst with fright. They reached the shelter and stumbled inside. She found herself pressed up against Lucy in a corner of the dim interior. It was cold and damp but the voices around them seemed to accept the situation almost cheerfully. Hazel realised that air raids had become a part of life, a disruptive one, but something they had got used to. She daren’t speak to Lucy and knew that they would not be able to talk whilst crushed in with so many people. She wondered how long the air raid would last and what would happen at home if Aunt Jayne or Mum missed her. She couldn’t explain where she’d been? They’d never believe her.

The shelter rocked, shaken by a sudden explosion,

“That was a close one!” a voice said.

A baby began to cry. Hazel felt Lucy tremble next to her, though she squeezed her hand and, through the gloom, attempted a smile. Another boom followed, then another, however they didn’t sound as close. All ears strained with the effort of trying to judge the distance of the blasts. It reminded Hazel of counting the seconds between flash and thunder as a storm passed overhead. The rumble of engines gradually grew fainter until at last it faded altogether.

“That’ll be it for tonight, I reckon.” An old man close to them spoke up, “They’re heading up Newtown, for the factories; don’t reckon the bombs were meant for us at all, just someone dropping ‘em too soon.”

“Haven’t heard the ack-acks,” someone answered him, “they should’ve been firing by now, if they’re after the foundries. Ah, there they go now. They’ll not come back this way. They’ll try avoid the flack by skirting the town.”

The noise of gun fire joined other unfamiliar sounds, adding to Hazel’s alarm. Lucy though had stopped trembling and the boys showed signs of restlessness. Aunt Aggie kept a tight hold on them. A different wailing began and a collective sigh of relief flooded the shelter.

“That’s the all clear.” Lucy whispered.

Everyone relaxed. People began to disperse with unimaginable speed; everyone anxious to see if their homes were still standing. Lucy and Hazel lagged behind the other three as they made their way back through the black-out. Dust and smoke hung on the air. Hazel saw several damaged houses. Thankfully theirs had been spared. It stood like a haven, untouched and whole. Entering, they found it warm and inviting.

“I was putting my things away when the siren sounded, I’ll just finish off after I’ve put the kettle on. ”Lucy told her aunt.

“That’s a good idea; I’m dying for a cuppa. Boys, if you get ready for bed quickly, I’ll make a nice hot cocoa, to warm you up.”

“It isn’t bedtime yet.” John grumbled.

“No, but I’d want you washed and ready just in case the bombers come back, like they did the other night. The second raid went on so late that you both went to bed in your filth. I’ll not have that again.”

Hazel was anxious to get back to her own time as quickly as she could.

“I’ve got to go, Lucy,” she said as soon as the bedroom door closed behind them, “I might already have been missed. I came to tell you that my Grandmother is coming to stay with us tomorrow for a few days and I’d love you to see her. She’s very special to me.”

“I’ll come tomorrow evening, if I can get away. The boys have been asked to go to the pictures with their friend and Aunt Aggie’s off to a whist drive at the church hall.”

“Air raids are awful; I don’t know how you stand them. Do they happen often?”

“No, not as much as they used to. Usually they head straight for the armament factories and miss us completely. I was terrified when you turned up just after the warning sounded. Oh, I wish this horrible war would end.”

“It will but not until 1945 I’m sorry to have to tell you.”

“So long? You are sure that we win in the end, aren’t you?”

“Mmm, I’m certain. Sorry I can’t stay any longer, Lucy. I’ve been away ages. I just hope I haven’t been missed. I really must go, see you tomorrow.”

She gave her friend a farewell smile and climbed the rickety ladder back to her own time.

* * *

 

Gran arrived next morning. Hazel couldn’t wait to pump her for more information about the war. But she had to be patient. Grandma wanted to talk to the grown ups before settling down with her granddaughter. Hazel could tell that she was shocked at Mum’s appearance. She had hoped for an improvement since her last visit; but if anything, one daughter looked paler than ever and the other more strained and irritable. Hazel wished she could tell her that Aunt Jayne’s grumbles made her mother worse, but thought she’d be scolded if she did. She knew her aunt did her best to take care of them despite her unhappiness, but it still seemed to her that she’d like everyone else to be as miserable as she was.

“Well, Hazel, how is life at the new school? Settled in ok?” Gran asked when at last she settled down by her on the settee.

“Sort of; it’s not too bad.”

“Hazel’s seemed a lot happier recently.” Mum told her mother. Hazel hadn’t known that she’d noticed the change, “Although sometimes she seems to live in a secret world of her own. She spends so much time in her room by herself.”

“Don’t you have any friends, dear?” Gran’s penetrating gaze searched her face.

“I do have a best friend, yes.” Hazel answered automatically and could have bitten off her tongue for doing so.

Mum looked surprised, “Someone new?” she asked, “You never said.”

“Newish. I haven’t known her long.”

Gran smiled and her look spoke more than her words, “It’s always nice for a girl to have a best friend to confide in.”

If Hazel hadn’t known it to be impossible she’d have sworn that Gran knew her secret - but she couldn’t, could she? She pushed the idea away and changed the subject,

“I hope the weather will stay nice for my birthday, if it does, can we go somewhere?”

“Of course we can. We’ll go even if it’s raining; see a film or something.”

“You’ll come too, won’t you Mum?”

Before her mother could answer Grandma reached out and took her daughter’s hand in hers,

“You will, won’t you, Carol? It’s important to Hazel and it would do you good too. You ought to get out more. It isn’t healthy to stay indoors all the time.”

Mum smiled sadly and shook her head,

“It’s better if I stay here. It’s such an effort to get me in and out of the car and it restricts the rest of you because I tire so easily.”

“Don’t be silly!” Gran was having none of it, “Hazel wouldn’t enjoy it without you and besides if you don’t get out every now and again, you’ll never get the colour back in your cheeks. You’re as white as a ghost.”

“I keep telling her that,” Aunt Jayne looked petulant, “She’s never going to improve if she doesn’t make the effort.”

“I don’t like to be a bother, that’s all.”

“You’re never a bother, Mum.” Hazel pecked her on the cheek and glared at her aunt, daring her to contradict.

“Well, that’s settled then; we’ll all go.” Gran ended the discussion.

 

After tea Hazel sat in her bedroom waiting for Lucy to arrive. When she hadn’t come after an hour she began to get worried. What if there had been another air raid after she’d left last night? What if the house had been bombed?” Panic surged through her. She had to find out if she was alright, but she couldn’t slip away now without being seen. She’d have to wait until the others had gone to bed. Time seemed almost to stand still. The hands of the clock moved so slowly they might have been stuck. Gran kept throwing her funny looks. Hazel knew she was wondering why she constantly looked at the clock.

When she finally got to bed, she lay fully dressed beneath the covers listening for the adults to come up. Mum and Gran weren’t long after her but it was ages before Aunt Jayne’s footsteps moved off along the corridor. She seemed to spend forever in the bathroom and then, at long last, Hazel heard her bedroom door open and close. She lay silent until certain that everyone else was asleep. Then throwing off the covers, she grabbed her outdoor coat and crept downstairs.

She knew something was wrong immediately she stepped into the cellar. She stumbled into something in the dark; something huge and hard; something that shouldn’t be there. Fear erupted as realisation sunk in - it wasn’t Lucy cellar, it was theirs. She was still in her own time!