大象传媒

One night the airraid warning had gone but none of the family took any notice, we often ignored it, The bombs grew geavier and my mother decided that perhaps it was time to take shelter. My dad who was home from the fire service at the docks, and my mother took me down into the cellar- it was too late to get to the airraid shelter in the garden- but still my nan, aunt and uncle would not come. My father went back up the stairs to find my nan standing at the front door watching the display! The dog too was wandering around obviously feeling rather worried. My dad by this time really put his foot down and insisted that nan came down into the cellar. Alright my nan said but if I come this silly old fool of a dog comes too! With that she picked up the dog and made her way down the steps into the cellar. She had not got very far when there was an almighty bang and nan, dog and dad landed at the bottom of the steps in a heap.Allthe lights went out and we managed to find a candle which was kept for emergencies and lit it. That was a bit close said my mum we only just made it in time. It must have been about 10.30pm Ther were some more bangs and rumbles on and off but mostly there were long silences. We sat and sat and perhaps we may even have nodded off to sleep I am sure I must have done. It must have been around 6oclock When my dad said he would go up and have a look.He went up the steps and we heard him walk along the hallway. The next thing we new he was falling through the floor back into the cellar! Ithink I had better stay put he said. Alittle while later a head appeared through the cellar ceiling asking if we were alright? Just about we said. Wellyou are better off down there at the moment as it is a right old mess up here was the reply. So we continued to sit there with dust and dirt sort of fluttering down from above. At about 7.30am more people appeared still through the floor saying they would get us out. My father warned them about the floor so we were all pulled up somehow to the front door dog and all! Dont go back in the house they said goto the rest centre at the church. So this motley crew picked our way through the rubble trying to take in our surroundings. The house opposite was completly gone it had had a direct hit of a landmine and our house was a sorry sight. My nans piano had been completly turned around and was facing the wall/ Her feather mattress was adorning the cherry tree in the back garden. Everypiece of crockery that had been on the dresser in the kitchen was on the floor and one plate was smashed round a kitten who lay curled up in a ball in the middle of it.Somehow it was alive but the mother cat and the rest of the kittens were nowhere to be seen.Any way we went to the rest centre where we stayed for three weeks until they found us somewhere new to live. I think the adults had been allowed back into the house to rescue anything they could. In the rest centre we slept on mattress s on the floor and were provided with food, from where Im not sure.