Chapter 2. Bell tower

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 notion.

"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 herself." 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 St.Erth station, Bishs' mood seemed to lighten.

The London bound train was surprisingly half empty.

Bish and Finn stretched out and enjoyed the luxury of the

extra space. Bish looked through one of his bags and produced

a flask of whiskey.

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

unscrewed the lid. "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 took a long sip from the flask and passed it to Finn.

"What I don't understand Finn, is what on Earth made you choose

the Medical corps. Your basically going to a War without a gun.

Are you completely 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 just a mistake." Bish said.

"Surely you can appeal or go before a tribunal."

Finn drank from the flask and handed it back.

"You know Bish, there is bound to be two German lads,

just like us, somewhere in Germany having pretty much

the same conversation we're having."

"Whats your point Finn?"

''I was angry at first about being assigned to the

Medical corps, but after coming home for a few days

and spending time with my Nain and Vie, I've changed

my mind."

Bish held up his flask in a toast.

"Trying to help save lives during a War doesn't seem

like such a bad idea after all."

*

Finn got his bags ready, his station was next.

Bish was lying stretched out on his seat fast asleep and

quietly snoring. Finn wondered if he should wake him

to say goodbye. He'd already slept through the last few

station stops, so it was unlikely he was going to wake up.

Finn wrote a note and put it in one of his bags.

He looked at his face - maybe this would be the last time

he would see him.

"Good luck Bish". Finn said as he got off the train.

*

In the bell tower of a church that overlooked the

town centre, a raven watched Finn leave the train station

and cross the road. "There you are young man."

Making sure to stay out of sight, the raven flew along the

roof tops following him as he made his way home.

It landed on a lamp post and looked on as Finn walked

through a park.

"Fate leads the willing and drags along the

reluctant Finn."

*

Authors Note

I will add more chapters in the next few weeks.

Any comments or ideas you have would be welcome.

Thank you for reading what I have written so far.