Going Home
The night train swayed over the points. Danny gazed at the ceiling from his bunk, unable to sleep, and listened to the clacking of the rails. Thirty-six hours in transit. Thirty-six hours awake. Two years of explosion, bugs and gunfire, housed with lads who snored. He learned to sleep in that. Why couldn't he sleep in silence?

The throb in his shoulder worsened. He got up, hoisted his duffle, and left the sleeping-compartment to stand by a door. Another station; Danny stared at the clock as it passed. Fifteen minutes more. Through the window he saw familiar, unfamiliar sights: green fields, brick steeples and pale, English villages. After the hell hole of sand and poverty, stench, hot blazed days under rags to protect his sweating, sweltered head. The cool, green landscape outside the window looked remote, surreal; a dream under the moonlight.

The train screeched and slowed. He saw Tanya waiting, anxious, then smiling, part of the dream. He smiled back, jumped from the train, and ran to embrace her, his duffle bag forgotten.



Comng Home
Tanya waited on the dingy platform. Cold prowled around and she hugged her thin body. She paced up and down walked to the edge to look along the line into dark nothingness. Her shadow landed on the brick building. Thrown by sodium yellow lamplight as she retreated to stand and stamp against the waiting-room wall.

Inside children sang, “Daddy is coming home, daddy is coming home”. Their mother’s weary eyes shone. A man with military bearing stood apart, to attention. He tapped his wrist watch every few minutes. They waited in warmth for their soldier. But she preferred outside. Five minutes more.

Two years lived in fear, afraid of the news, the ringing telephone. She smoothed her hair and stood in a pool of lamplight. Suddenly, a train whooshed into the station. Her heart raced so she could hardly breathe. Three soldiers jumped. Children ran, joy erupted. She smiled at Danny and tears ran down her face. He rushed to hold her. Their arms opened and on the wall the shadows merged and melded.

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