Chapter 2. Junction

England 1916

Finn and Bish made plans to catch the same train back

to London. As the train pulled out, they stood in the carriage

window waving until steam clouds blocked the view of the

St. Ives station platform and their love ones.

Bish lifted one of his bags onto the overhead rack and sat

across from Finn.

"What are your intentions with Vie?'' he asked.

Finn put a bag under his seat and sat down.

"Vie is the one with all the intentions Bish, ask her."

Bish laughed then looked out the window and sighed.

"I love my cousin Finn, she means more to me than

anyone else in the world. Promise me you'll look after

her when I'm gone.''

Finn was unsure what he meant.

"I've had the same dream a few times now. I've seen how it

ends for me, as clear as I'm sitting here next to you.

We're off to the Great War and I'm not coming back."

For a moment Finn was lost for words.

''If you're so sure about what's going to happen - don't go.

Sit the War out, become a conscientious objector."

Bish slowly shook his head. "There's no escaping your fate."

Finn wondered what was there to be gained in believing

in such a stupid idea.

"Do you remember those two brothers from school who lived

at the end of Swan Rd?" Bish asked.

Finn was glad for the change in subject.

"If they're on the train we should all sit together." he said.

''Unlikely." Bish replied.

"They're both dead. Killed in separate actions in the first few

weeks of the War. I wonder if they thought they were coming back."

"Fate can go and fuck itself." Finn muttered under his breath.

*

Finn started to worry that it was going to be a long trip back

to London if Bish kept going on, but after they changed trains

at the St.Erth station, Bishs' mood lightened.

The London bound train was surprisingly half empty.

Bish and Finn stretched out on the seats and enjoyed the

luxury of extra space. Bish ruffled through one of his bags and

produced a flask of whiskey.

''I originally put in for an infantry regiment," he said,

"but when the recruiters found out I could speak German,

and that I was studying law they asked me if I'd be interested in

the Signals corps."

He unscrewed the lid and took a long sip from his flask then

passed it to Finn.

"What I don't understand Finn, is what on earth made you chose

the Medical corps. Your going to a War but you won't be carrying

a gun. Are you mad?"

Finn laughed and looked at the flask in his hand.

"I didn't choose the Medical corps. I put in for the infantry just like

you did, but for whatever reason, I ended up being assigned

to the RAMC."

"Maybe it was a paperwork error." Bish said. "Surely you can

appeal it or go before a tribunal."

"That's the lawyer coming out in you." Finn said.

He drank from the flask and passed it back to Bish.

*

Authors Note

This chapter is unfinished. I will add to it in the next few weeks