Rosie Goes to War

by Alison Knight

  ‘So you’re not from the country?’ he asks when I eventually stop talking.

  ‘Yes, I am from the country. But not from this time. You know, 1940. I was born after the millennium. May is my gran. When I left my time she was in her nineties.

  ‘Bloody hell! Are you sure that bang on your head ain’t brought all this on? I’ve heard stories about people being changed by a knock on the bonce.’

  ‘Bill, I promise you, it has nothing to do with my head wound. Think about it – Nelly’s been suspicious of me since the minute I arrived. And I arrived in their hall when the door was locked. How else could I have got there except to fall through a hole in time? I haven’t got a clue about what I’m doing here, I was supposed to spending my summer holiday in Italy. Well, till I fell out with my friend Jess.’

  ‘Don’t be daft. Everyone knows we’re at war with Italy.’

  I shake my head. ‘Not in the 21st century we’re not. And you saw me try to dance tonight. I haven’t got a clue.’ I pull away from him, desperate to make him understand. ‘Nelly wants to report me as a spy.’

  ‘She wouldn’t do that. Would she?’

  ‘Who knows? I probably would if I was her. I talk different from everyone too – even you’ve noticed that, haven’t you?’

  ‘I thought that was just how everyone talks in the country.’

  ‘It’s not the same – and I’m seriously not getting most things round here. I mean, I can’t even figure out pounds, shillings, and pence. I’d never seen a ha’penny before Monday morning because we’ve got a decimal system and different money where I come from. I really am from the future, Bill.’

  He frowns and we walk on in silence for a bit. I can almost see his brain working, trying to sort this out.

  ‘So, if you know the future, what happens?’

  I laugh. ‘Loads of stuff. I can’t tell you everything that’s going to happen over the next seventy-odd years. I wasn’t born for most of it.’

  ‘But what about the war? Who wins?’

  ‘We do. But not for a while.’

  ‘How long?’

  ‘1945.’

  ‘Blimey. That’s longer than the Great War.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘So, will the Yanks join in anytime soon?’

  ‘Yeah, but I can’t remember exactly when. I think they came in after Pearl Harbour in 1941. I’m not very good with history, sorry.’

  ‘What’s Pearl Harbour?’

  ‘A naval base in Hawaii. The Japanese attacked it. We went there a few years ago on holiday; that’s how I remember why the Americans joined the war.’

  ‘Where the blooming heck is Hawaii?’ he asks, but I don’t get the chance to answer before he goes on. ‘Hang on, did you say the Japs attacked it?’

  ‘Yes,’ I sigh. ‘This war is going to be fought all over the world, Bill, not just Europe, but Asia, and Africa too.’

  ‘And London? Will Jerry invade? Will we be fighting them here?’

  ‘No. They’ll keep on bombing, but they won’t land here.’

  ‘Thank Christ for that!’

  We carry on walking. Bill must be thinking about everything I’ve said, but doesn’t ask any more questions for a while. Down one street our way is blocked by another bombsite, so we find a different route round. I’m starting to feel so tired. I trip over a bit of drainpipe on the path and Bill catches me before I fall flat on my face.

  ‘Thanks,’ I say, giving him a tired smile. It’s obvious he doesn’t believe me. I feel so alone. I’m welling up when Bill notices.

  ‘Ah, come here, you daft ’apporth,’ he says, pulling me back into his arms.

  With a sigh I snuggle up and carry on walking, glad that he’s looking after me, even if he does think I’m crazy.

  There’s damage everywhere – glass from blown out windows, rubble and bits of household goods from people’s houses. In some places buildings are still on fire and the roads are criss-crossed with water hoses as teams fight the blazes. As we get nearer to the house the way gets clearer. It looks like our street got off lightly last night. We pass a church. The clock on the tower shows a quarter past six. It’s still dark, but it’s almost time to leave for work.

  ‘I hope the girls are all right,’ I say.

  ‘Don’t you know?’

  ‘I think I do, but what if my being here has changed things?’

  ‘How?’

  ‘Well, I don’t know what I’m doing here, right? What if I change something, and that changes history, and everything ends up different? I mean, I know May and Nelly are supposed to survive, but … if they don’t for some reason, then I won’t exist at all, will I?’

  ‘Bloody hell, I can’t take all this in.’

  ‘Tell me about it. How do you think I feel? It’s totally doing my head in.’

  ‘But hang on. If you’ve come from the future, why haven’t loads of other people?’

  ‘I don’t know, do I? There could be thousands of us wandering round like idiots, or I could just be some random freak of nature, one of a kind, some cosmic joke! I could’ve gone back tonight, you know. It was right there in front of me. I could see an underground car park with modern cars – there was one just like my dad’s, so I’m pretty sure it was the right time. All I had to do was step through that hole and I’ve have been back where I belong. I’d have disappeared into thin air, and someone else would’ve had to try and rescue Shirley. But I couldn’t do it, could I? I could hear her, she was so scared. I had to stay and help her, and the hole just disappeared. I missed my chance, and now I’m scared to death I’m stuck here and I’ve messed everything up by saving someone who wasn’t meant to be saved.’

  Bill shakes his head and pulls me into a bear hug. ‘Calm down, don’t be daft, you ain’t changed nothing. If you hadn’t saved her, someone else would’ve. We weren’t going to leave her down there. I’m just glad you didn’t disappear, or I’d have had to face May and Nelly and tell ’em I’d lost you. They’d have had my guts for garters.’

  I laugh. ‘Probably.’

  ‘So don’t you fret. I reckon if this mysterious hole has appeared once, I bet it’ll happen again, you’ll see.’

  I take a deep breath and blow it out, clinging onto him for dear life. ‘You do believe me, don’t you, Bill? You’re not just humouring me?’

  ‘To be honest, I don’t know what to believe. I know you believe it. And there’s definitely something very funny about you, missus.’

  I punch him in the stomach. Not that I make a dent, because he’s solid muscle. We stand there for a bit, just holding each other.

  ‘You were great tonight,’ I say. ‘You got everyone organised.’

  ‘Least I could do,’ he says. ‘You do what you can, and hope someone’ll do the same for you if you’re in trouble.’

  ‘And you’re a soldier. That must be scary.’

  I feel him shrug.

  ‘Everyone’s scared, Rosie. At least joining up means I’m doing my bit. I couldn’t sit back and let Jerry win, could I?’

  ‘So you chose to be a soldier. You didn’t wait to be called up?’

  ‘Nah. Better to get on with it, I say.’

  I’m almost dozing off when he moves back and looks down at me.

  ‘I don’t’ suppose you know what happens to me? I mean, you’ve seen May and Nelly in the future, but … well, it’d be nice to know whether get through this n’all.’

  I don’t know what to say. I haven’t said anything to him about him being my grandpa. Should I say anything? He and May seem like good friends, but what if they need a nudge in the right direction? Or what if that horrible Harry messes it all up?

  Bill takes my silence the wrong way. He drops his hands and looks away.

  ‘Bill, I …’

  ‘Nah, it’s all right, Rosie. Maybe it’s best if I don’t know.’

  ‘It’s not that. It’s …’

  ‘I mean it, you don’t have to tell me.’

  ‘Oh for God’s sake, you
are not going to die in the war, Billy McAllister!’

  He looks at me again. ‘Really? You’re not just saying it? Don’t say it if it ain’t true.’

  ‘Just tell me something,’ I say. ‘How much do you fancy May?’

  He blushes. He actually blushes! In the soft light of the dawn, Billy McAllister goes bright red. ‘Who says I fancy May?’

  ‘No one. But your reaction is telling me loads, so don’t deny it.’

  ‘All right I won’t. But what difference does it make? It ain’t never going to happen. I’m the brother she never had.’

  ‘Well you’d better make it happen, Billy boy, because my life depends on it.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’

  ‘My name isn’t Rose Smith. I don’t have a clue who she is or why I’ve ended up with her suitcase. My name is Rosie McAllister, and you’re my Grandpa.’

  He looks completely stunned.

  ‘I’m your grandpa?’

  I nod. ‘And May is my gran. Go figure.’

  He’s shaking his head and smiling at the same time. ‘Nah, you’re having a laugh.’

  ‘No way. You’re going to marry May, and have my dad, who’s going to meet my mum, and I’m going to be the happy result.’

  ‘But May don’t see me like that.’ He looks miserable again. ‘It don’t matter how much I want her to, she’ll never take me serious.’

  I roll my eyes. ‘It’s got to happen. Or I won’t be born. But as I have been born, that means it has happened. You’ve just got to work out what you’re going to do about it.’

  ‘I can’t take all this in. You’re not kidding me, are you, Rosie. You really think you’re from the future, and all that stuff’s going to happen?’

  ‘I am seriously not kidding, Bill.’

  He takes a deep breath and nods. ‘Right. Let me think about it for a bit.’

  ‘OK. I know it’s a lot to take it, but I’m really not joking about all this. The thing is, I haven’t told anyone else. I mean, Nelly already thinks I’m a spy or something. If I try to tell her the truth she’ll have me locked up for sure, and then I’ll never get home.’

  ‘Right. Mum’s the word. To be honest, I don’t reckon anyone would believe me if I told them, so I’ll keep schtum.’ He looks at me with narrowed eyes. ‘You really need to meet my nan while you’re here.’ He gives his head a little shake. ‘Now, let’s get you back to the girls at least. They’ll be heading off to work soon.’

  ‘Oh God! I’ll have to go to work too. I’ll never make it in time.’

  ‘Well, after the night you’ve had, I reckon you should be staying at home anyway. You never know with head injuries. If the girls are working, I’ll get me nan to pop over and see you’re all right.’

  ‘OK. It’ll be nice to meet her. After all, she is my, what – my great-grandmother? No, it must be great-great. Wow.’

  ‘Oh Christ, don’t go telling her nothing about this, girl. She’s as mad as a hatter anyway, without you making things worse.’

  ‘Fair enough. Now, let’s get a move on. My feet are killing me.’

  ‘Well why didn’t you say so?’ He swoops and hooks an arm under my knees and swings me up into his arms. ‘I said I’d carry you, didn’t I?’

  We’re both laughing as we turn into the street and come face to face with Nelly and May on their way to work.

  ‘Where the hell have you been?’ Nelly shouts, hands on hips.

  ‘Oh my God, look at the state of you!’ May runs forward and touches my face. ‘Are you all right?’

  ‘I’m fine, May.’

  ‘Then why is he carrying you?’ asks Nelly. ‘You were supposed to keep her safe, Jock. What were you thinking?’

  ‘It’s not his fault,’ I say, as Bill lowers me to my feet. ‘There was a bomb and a woman called Shirley was trapped in her basement –’

  ‘And Rosie here’s a heroine,’ he interrupts. ‘She went down there and dug with her bare hands. She got to the woman and stayed with her till we could dig them both out.’

  ‘Bloody hell! Well done, Queenie!’ May hugs me, but backs off a bit quick when she realises just how filthy I am. ‘Is that my dress?’

  ‘Yeah, what’s left of it. Sorry.’

  I wait for her to shout at me for ruining her lovely dress, but she shrugs. ‘It wasn’t my favourite, thank God. I might be able to salvage something from it – make a new blouse maybe. What’s more important is sorting you out before we’re late for work.’

  ‘You go ahead. No point in us all having our wages docked. To be honest, I’ve been up all night and I’m aching in places I didn’t know existed, so I’m going to bed. Can you tell them for me?’

  ‘We can’t leave you like this.’

  ‘Honestly, May. I’m fine. I just need to clean up and have a lie down.’

  ‘I’ll look after her,’ says Bill.

  ‘Oh no you won’t,’ says Nelly, so fiercely that he takes a step back. ‘It’s bad enough you’ve been out all night, I’m not leaving her alone with you in our house. What will people say?’

  ‘She’ll be safe with me, Nell, I promise.’

  Nelly looks torn. She looks at her watch and then at me. ‘You ain’t in no fit state for work, that’s for sure. We’d better take you home and sort you out.’

  ‘No, it’s all right, really,’ I say. ‘You can’t miss work. I don’t want you to get into trouble because of me. I’ll be OK. It looks a lot worse than it is,’ I grin.

  ‘How you going to get the bath out and fill it when you’re all cut and bruised?’

  ‘I’ll do that, then go and get me nan to help her,’ says Bill. ‘I swear I won’t hang about like some peeping Tom. What d’you take me for?’

  ‘He ain’t wrong, Nell,’ says May. ‘Old Lil will make sure she’s all right.’

  ‘Well, see you knock on her door and get her over to ours straight away,’ says Nelly, digging in her handbag. She hands me a key. ‘Here, you look after that. I don’t want to be locked out of me own house when I get back.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Bill and his nan will look after me.’

  ‘Bill? Oh, you mean Jock. No one calls him Bill.’

  ‘Well I do,’ I smile at their confused faces. ‘I’ll see you later.’

  ‘Are you sure?’ says Nelly. May’s looking at Bill like she’s never seen him before.

  ‘Absolutely. Go on, and see if you can make sure I keep my job.’ I might need it for longer than I thought.

  ‘Right,’ says Nell. ‘Come on, May. See you later.’ They clatter off down the road.

  ‘OK,’ I say turning back to Bill. ‘I’ll go and put the kettle on, and you’d better see if your nan’s up. I’m looking forward to meeting my great-great-grandmother.’

  ‘Bloody hell, please don’t tell her that, whatever you do, or we’ll all end up in the loony bin!’ With a groan and a shake of his head, Bill crosses the road to knock on his nan’s door while I let myself into the house and kick off my shoes.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Meeting Lil McAllister was amazing. She didn’t come over to the house, but instead sent Bill over to get me.

  ‘She’s got the boiler on for washing, so she says you can have a bath over there without having to wait for the water to heat up. I’ve already got the bath out and she’s filling it up.’

  As I walked into her kitchen, Bill’s nan was tipping a bucketful of hot water into the tin bath. She wasn’t what I expected. Lil McAllister was a little round woman with laughing brown eyes and red cheeks – but that might have been caused by the steam in the air. Her silver-streaked dark hair was tied up in a bun, but little wispy curls were escaping, and softening the edges of her face. ‘Hallo, love. My, don’t you look a sight! Not to worry. A nice hot bath’ll see you right. Here Billy, you get another bucketful while I pour the girl a nice cup of tea.’

  He took the bucket and ducked into a little room off the kitchen. Through the doorway I saw a huge steaming copper vat and an old mangl
e.

  ‘Sit down, dear. You look done in. What a night you’ve had! I hope our Billy looked after you.’

  ‘Oh he did, Mrs McAllister. He’s been great.’

  She tutted and fussed just like gran as I sat at the kitchen table. ‘He’s a good boy,’ she said putting a cup of strong tea in front of me. ‘And the name’s Lil, love. Mrs McAllister sounds like me mother-in-law, God rest her.’

  Bill brought through two buckets and topped up the bath water.

  ‘Thanks so much for this, M – er, Lil. I’m sorry to interrupt your washing.’

  ‘I’m not,’ she laughed. ‘I bleeding hate wash days. You’ve done me a favour.’

  ‘Any danger of a cuppa, Nan?’ asked Billy.

  ‘It’s on the side, darling. Nice and strong, just how you like it.’

  ‘Ooh, ta.’

  He stood by the sink sipping his tea while Lil tested the water and pulled a screen round the bath.

  ‘Right, that’s ready. Come on, dear, and we’ll soon get you sorted. Billy, you pop over the road and bring her back some clean clothes. Then you can light the fire in the front parlour. When we’re done, your friend can go in there and you can have a soak as well. I love you dearly, boy, but you don’t half need a bath this morning!’

  Bill burst out laughing and put his tea down. ‘Thanks, Nan. I love you too. I’ll nip round and be back in a minute. Chuck us the key, Rose.’

  I told him where he could find my stuff. A couple of seconds later he slammed the front door behind him and I turned to Lil with a smile. That’s when I realised something was wrong. She was staring at me, white as a sheet, her damp hands clutched at her chest.

  ‘Are you all right? Shall I get Bill?’

  She shook her head. ‘No, love. What did he call you?’

  ‘Rose.’

  ‘I thought you were called Queenie.’

  ‘May and Nelly call me that. But my real name is Rosie.’

  ‘Come here,’ she beckoned me over urgently. I walked over to her and she took my face in her damp, shaking hands. ‘I never recognised you with all that dirt on your face. Is it really you? Oh my God, oh my God, I never thought I’d see the day. After all these years.’