大象传媒

To her it seemed like the end of an era as she sat on the train taking her home from evacuation for the second time. She was 13 and had been away for a year this time from South West London to a little Derbyshire village. It was 1945 and at last she was going home to stay.
She felt part apprehension and part excitement as the steam train slowly chugged its way to Kings Cross station in the heart of London. Apprehension at having to settle in at home again, make new friends, perhaps a new school. Excitement at having her Mum waiting to meet her to take her home to her two sisters. Her Mum had not visited at all during this evacuation but her eldest sister had. As the train slowed to enter the station she lifted her rucksack from the luggage rack and with the hand holdall she had she made her way through the compartment through the door. She was really getting excited now as she scanned the people waiting to meet arriving passengers, eagerly looking for her Mum. As she stepped off the train she heard her name being called and her face lit up into a big smile anticipating seeing her Mum again after all this time. But the smile soon faded as the slightly familiar figure of her next door neighbour came towards her and took her case. It appeared her Mum was not able to come and meet her after all, despite the year's absence from home. The utter disappointment left her speechless and the tears welled up in her eyes. The neighbour said "I expect you are crying with excitement at being home again dear". But she wasn't. As they made their way out of the station she saw the evidence of the bomb damage everywhere, which was repeated as they made their journey home to Raynes Park, South West London on a red No.77 bus.As the journey progressed she was in another world; thinking of the warm, caring foster parents and their daughter who had looked after her for what seemed a lifetime. Wondering what they were doing in their cottage. She was going to miss all the village activity, the beautiful countryside, going to Ilkeston on a Saturday lunch time with the wicker basket to buy pie, peas and mashed potatoes for the family.
Then she recognised they were nearly at their stop for home and wondered what would her future hold for her there.

The End

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