For six years my family and I have gone to hell and back because of this war. My eldest brother killed in action, my father on the brink of death, and my sister working herself to death because of her husband reported as missing in action, leaving her alone with three hungry kids. With our city in ruins, it was time for everyone to make a fresh start, for new beginnings.



I look over at the setting sun in the western sky and think, could the war really be over? Or is this a cruel trick that the government is playing on us? But it couldn’t be, the celebrations that were being held all over England couldn’t be part of the elaborate scheme.

It has been a while since I had seen a sunset like this one; six years to be exact, since the Nazis first started bombing my beloved city when I was eleven years old. The horizon was full of colors I haven’t seen in years, bright oranges, rosy pinks, and the rare but magnificent shades of purple. The sun was so beautiful from this building I stood on, one of the few that remained in the great city of London.

“Nicole, now that the war is over do you think that Johnny will be coming home?” my younger sister, Charlotte, asked me after the few moments of utter peace. My second eldest brother, Johnny had enlisted with our older brother, Alexander, and father the moment he turned eighteen. Johnny was the only one to make it through the entire war; Alexander had died and father was gravely wounded and may not last through the next year, even with modern medicine.

“Yes, I think he will. He is probably on a train right now thinking about how excited he will be to see his two younger sisters again.”

“Really?”

“Of coarse silly, who else would he be thinking about?” I asked her, after a moment of silence I continued; “Now how about you and I go find a diner and get a soda.”

“Really? Nicole that would make me so happy, I haven’t had a soda in ages,” Charlotte basically squealed with excitement. Charlotte was five when the war started, but she grew up fast, all of us had to. However as the end of the war came upon us Charlotte started making up for those lost years, she ran about the streets without the slightest worry of enemy planes, she stuffed her face with every little bit of candy she could find, and she started acting, younger.

“Yes, really, do you think I would really lie to you?”

“Yes.”

“I’m wounded,” I told her as I clutched my chest as if she just shot me there.

“I can’t wait for that bubbly goodness to touch my sweet lips,” Charlotte said as she ran off the roof.


It had been a week since the war had ended and Johnny was finally coming home today. Mother had been up all night preparing for his arrival, and the minute I woke-up; she had me doing chores too. She must have had a pretty long list because the moment I was done with one thing, she had me working on something else.

It was almost two in the afternoon when she finally announced that the house was perfect and everyone could bathe before we went to pick up Johnny.

Twenty minutes after we arrived at the train station Johnny’s train pulled up. It was filled with soldiers happy to be home from the war, and children from the countryside ready to embrace their parents once again.

My brother, being my brother, was naturally one of the last ones to get off the train. I had forgotten how handsome he looked, his features sharp and his dark hair curly. You would have never guessed that we were related, him with those features and me with my long blonde hair and soft features that made me look like an actress.

“Sorry,” he said as he hugged my mum, “one of the orphans didn’t want to get off. She said that there were going to be bad things that would happen if she got off. Ben finally coxed her out of her compartment long enough for a nun to take her to the orphanage.”

“Johnny, I am so happy to see you alive and well,” mum said with tears coming out of her puffy eyes.

“I am too,” he replied, then he looked at Charlotte and I. “Wow, you two have grown, I’ve been gone four years and you are almost women.”

“John, I missed you so much,” I said flinging myself at him to give him a huge hug.

“And I you, you have no idea how much,” he said returning the hug and then opening his arms for Charlotte. “You have grown the most, you were just turning seven when I left and I come back to find a young lady.”

“Brother I have missed you so,” Charlotte said, the grown-up in her emerging again.

“How about we all go out for ice cream, I hear the diner on Main Street is open for business again,” mother said to the three of us. We just looked at each other and smiled, none of us has had ice cream since the war started; it was a luxury we all had to give up in the name of war.

The diner was exactly like the way it was six years ago before the war had started, people sitting around drinking soda, eating ice cream, talking, enjoying life. If there is one thing this war has taught us it is to enjoy life while you have it because it could be taken away in the blink of an eye.

Mum lead us to a booth in the corner, it was Alexander’s favorite booth before he died. I guess this was just another way mum was trying to hold on to him, she had kept his room the exact same way since he died, she always talks about him like he was still here, and she always left a plate for him at the dinner table.

“Mum, why are we sitting here?” Johnny asked echoing my thoughts.

“Because Alexander wants to, he always wants to,” she said taking a seat, leaving a large portion of the seat between her and the wall empty.

“Umm, Johnny can I talk to you for a quick minute?” I asked Johnny pulling him towards the entrance.

“Why is she like that? Does she think he is still here or something? Because he isn’t, I know he isn’t.”

“She is convinced that his spirit is lingering around, that he actually came home to die, but doesn’t want to leave.”

“That isn’t possible, ghost don’t exist.”

“I know, and I have tried telling her that, but she won’t listen. You and I both know how stubborn she can be, where do think we get it from?”

“Trust me, she already knows that…. What the hell?” Johnny said as we heard a loud fire, he started to freak out. “Get away from the window.”

“John it was probably just the crew moving some rubble,” I said trying to calm him down, but it wasn’t working. His breathing was getting heavier and he kept looking around as if he was expecting a swarm of Germans to come crashing through the four walls that surrounded us.

“Johnny? What’s wrong?” mum asked coming up from behind of us.

“I don’t know, we heard a loud noise and he started freaking out. You don’t think he is shell shocked?”

“Johnny, Johnny, look at me. It’s your mum, Johnny it’s okay, you’re safe; no Germans can harm you now.” As fast as his breathing had speed up, it now slowed to a soft and steady rhythm.

“What just happened?” Johnny asked after a few minutes of looking dazed.

“You heard a noise and started freaking out on us. Are you okay?”

“Peachy, better than ever actually,” he lied. I don’t know if mum could tell, but I could. It was in the way his eyes would shift around the room as he spoke, there was also a little quiver to his voice that was barely detectable.

“Mum, I’m going to take Johnny home, I’m pretty sure he is just tired from the trip,” I told mother.

“Okay, let me get Charlotte and we can head on over home.”

“No, it’s okay, let Charlotte get some ice cream, and it’s been a while since she’s had it.”

“Are you sure you two can get home on your own? What if something were to happen?”

“It’s okay mum, I have John to protect me, he’s a big strong man now.” Turning back to where John was standing I said, “Come on Johnny, let’s get you home so you can get some rest.”




The next month or so hadn’t been any better, my sister’s kids were always over because she was at work trying to support them, Johnny would jump anytime there was a sound louder than mum washing dishes, and father was still terrible hurt.

“I’ve decided that I am checking myself into the hospital,” John announced one night over dinner.

“What!” mother screeched.

“If I wish to get better I need help, and that is what I am doing, getting help.”

“When will you be back?” Charlotte asked our brother, all of our eyes went to him.

“I should be back by Christmas if the program works out right. If not, I’ll be by for a holiday visit then I’m back to the hospital.”

“You can’t do this Johnny,” I told him. “We need you here.”

“You wont have me if I keep jumping at every little thing. Trust me, I know what I am doing.”

“Is there anything we can do to keep you from going?” mum asked.

“I’ve made-up my mind.”

“Then I guess there is no stopping you.”



Four days before Christmas our injured father made his way down the stairs with mother. The doctor had been in that day and said the infection in his wound was almost gone now and he was going to make it.

“Father, you can walk!!” I exclaimed with excitement.

“Yes, it seems I can,” he replied to my comment.

“And I am happy to see it,” I heard a male voice from the hallway.

“Johnny?” Charlotte asked the mysterious voice.

“The one and only. Now we can truly have a family Christmas, one that is six years late.”

“Dinner’s ready,” mother said from the kitchen.

“Mum! I’m home.”

“Johnny? My Johnny? I was wondering when you would decide to stop by.”

“Johnny’s here?” another voice from the kitchen asked, it must have been Sarah, Johnny’s twin sister. And surly enough, Sarah appeared in the doorway a moment later. “Well, are you guys going to come and eat?”

As we all piled into the dinning room I saw we were one seat short, the only open seat was Alexander’s and mother never let anybody sit there. Then she did something that surprised me. She asked Johnny to sit next to her, in Alexander’s seat.

Dinner was probably one of the best dinners of my life, there was so much laughing, so much joy, and it was incredible.


In the past six and half years my family has gone to hell and back because of this war. And I am proud to say; I wouldn’t have it any other way.