XX. December 3, 1919

Ada remembered when Finn held John's gun, down by the canal and she got the fright of her life when she almost got shot.

She was frightened again, but not at the fact she could of got shot but at the fact that someone else actually got shot.

Tom touched his shoulder, only for his own blood to stain his hand. The blood dripped off his hand and onto the gravel, and the sound of shouting and gunshots felt distant to him. Tommy was shot.

Danny Owen was shot, and fell to the ground as blood bled through his white shirt.

Freddie watched his wife and son as they were almost shot but remained in his spot with his gun held high, ready to protect them.

Ada looked to her sister as blood leaked from her side. Vivian stared at the pram where her nephew cried and sister. She was standing right beside it. Her sister grabbed her arm making sure she was okay and it was then she saw the blood pouring.

Ada looked at Kimber's boy and then Tommy's to see which gun had shot the bullet that pierced through her little sister's skin.

Everyone's voice rung through the street but Vivian couldn't make out a word. She stared at the ground. She saw the blood and knew that she was shot but what ever fucked voice that was in her head urged her to touch the wound. And stupidly she did and hurt more than she thought.

She groaned in pain as she looked at her sister, looking for help, she was a trained nurse after all.

And then another gunshot rang out, "Enough!" Her brother's voice sounded, "Kimber and me fought this battle one on one. It's over. Go home to your families." No one argued as they lowered there guns.

Vivian stared at Danny, who lay on the dirt, dead. He wasn't going home to his family, she thought. His eyes were shut closed and his blood mixed with the mucky water that cover the dirty streets. The two sisters dressed in black watched as the two men took his dead body away.

She then felt someone turn her away. It was her uncle Charlie. She stared at him a Monet before his eyes landed on the crimson red stain. His eyes widened but he kept cool as he guided her toward the Garrison.

She squirmed and cried as she leant on the wound. He spoke to her as if she were fine, trying to distract her it seemed, like when he guided her home after seeing her mother, lifeless in the canal.

Ada stayed behind with Freddie and Karl, and her brother made there way unaware of her sister's fresh wound.

Before entering the pub, Vivian stopped. She stared again at the doors. Charlie stood there waiting for her to move further. He tried to pull her gently through the doors, but her feet didn't budge until she turned and leaned against a crate.

Her uncle watched her. He knew there was a bullet that needed out and it wasn't helping that she was putting it off.

She looked at the frosted glass before she heard Tom's screams and groans as well as Arthur and Jeremiah speaking to him.

"Come on Viv, it ain't good." He spoke in his familiar deep voice.

"Just a minute." She breathed, before letting out a cry. She tried to silence it.

"No, Vivian." He tried before the young couple came up.

Ada gazed at her sister again, "You go in, I'll get her." Her sister said, stepping toward her, "Vi, you need to come in, it will hurt but it will make it better." She was bent down in fornt of her as the two men stood back, hesitating to go in.

"Ada, I love ya but stop talking to be like I'm seven." Her voice went up a pitch as she felt the sore sting again. Her face was pale and her eyes were closing on her.

Ada stood up straight, "Right then, get up before I get Pol to give you a kick up the arse." She took her sister's silence as an invitation to help. She held her the injury making sure nothing went near in but every time she accidentally put pressure on it, she shrieked.

The men inside were somewhat quiet before the doors opened and they heard Charlie's voice, and they shuffled toward the door.

At the door, Arthur and John stood with Charlie, their eyes fixated on the blood that stained her clothes and her hands that were smeared it too.

"Fuck sake." She heard Arthur mutter.

After that, her hands dropped from the fresh wound and her legs gave out. She lost all feeling in her legs and arms and stomach as her eyes closed.

—

Birmingham | 1910

    Vivian was skipping along the cut, happily. Her brother said he had a surprise for her brithday in the stable but she she would only find out tomorrow. She was warned not to sneak a peak but the family knew how much she hated surprises.

One Christmas morning, she woke up before anyone else to open her present as soon as Father Christmas had came and gone. To this day no one had any knowledge that she did this as she put the wrapping back together like nothing happened. She put on her fake surprise face when she opened her present and everyone believed the young girl.

She probably shouldn't have been going to the stables by herself but everyone was busy. Arthur was with their dad, Ada and John were with aunt Pol, Tom was probably off with Sarah and her mum was with baby Finn.

She was happy when she found out she wouldn't be the youngest. She didn't want to be the baby of the family. Ada told her no matter what, the boys would always treat her like the baby as she was their sister.

Vivian didn't understand that but still, she had to get on with it, as her older sister said, she that is what she had to do.

Now she had to sneak past her uncle and Curly and entered the stables which would be easy enough if Curly didn't check on the horses every ten minutes. She had to wait until Curly came and gone before she could sneak in but she'd have to be quick.

So she waited be behind a stack of crates and old, rusted tools. She heard a pair of foot steps  behind her, but ignored them as Curly was coming the other way.

The person soon walked away from her, and she heard Curly and Charlie walk in the structure. She waited about ten minutes before only Charlie walked out. Curly must have been shovelling the horse shit.

She sighed at the realisation and stood up, decided to make her way home.

Her aunt said her, Ada and John had to help with the dinner as punishment. She forgot what her brother and sister did to end up helping with dinner and cleaning the house but Vivian had skipped school and her teacher, Mrs. Changretta had dragged her home after finding her asleep in the bathroom.

Her mum didn't really care, but her aunt agave her a good slap and a very boring lecture. Her dad had just sat and watched the interaction. Her aunt was taking care of her more than her own parents.

She wondered along the Cut, kicking rocks. She was bored now. She had nothing to do. She always found the days leading up to her birthday were boring. They didn't mean anything.

Her last birthday, her mum surprised the family with the news of a new baby, which made it the best birthday ever for the young Shelby girl.

Now she wondered if the surprise was even as good as that (probably not) but she still hoped it would be.

Over by the back gates to the yard stood Charlie and Tom with Sarah a few steps behind her friend. Charlie, like everyone else in the family, still thought they were a couple. They weren't.

Sarah loved Tom and Tom loved Sarah but not in the way people thought.

"So has Vivian come by yet?" Sarah asked.

"You never know, she's a sneaky one." Charlie answered, smiling at the young woman.

Sarah saw Charlie and the Shelby family as her own family, and she loved them all and would do anything for them. Vivian and Ada held a special place in her heart. When they met Sarah they loved her but soon hated her like a sister because they were as protective as their brothers.

Sarah was family, no question.

"Bet she's in there now." She smiled.

"She better not be." Tom said, "She's not allowed up here alone and she should be being punished now."

"Ach, Tom, leave her be."

"I won't, she's seven, Sarah."

He argued but still smiled at the girl, "ah, almost eight. What were you doing at eight, Thomas?" Charlie smiled at the pair as they continued to bicker until they heard something.

Something no one ever wants to hear.

People around heard a bloodcurdling scream. Sarah looked to Tom but he was looking at Charlie. Before a word was said they took of running to the scream that became a loud cry.

There she was. There they were.

Vivian saw a sight no child wants to see. Her mother floating, face up in the water, still. Her body was blue with the cold.

The three saw the woman in the water. They saw the little girl in the water. One lay motionless, and the other sobbed.

"Mum!" Her voice called loudly for the tenth time already.

Vivian kept above the surface as she tried to wake up mum up. She didn't understand why she wouldn't wake up. She called out to her mother, but not matter how loud she shouted, she didn't answer.She pushed her eyelids open but their was now life behind them. Whenever she was ignored, she cried louder.

She felt two pairs of hands pull her away from her mother and she screamed, pushing them away. She felt her back it the edge as someone pulled her out. She never took her eyes off her mum. She didn't wanted to.

She continued to cry and scream and call for her. When she was forced to move away from her mum, she got louder

"Love sh-she's gone, it's okay-" she felt the girl hit her, trying to get away, but she wouldn't let her see her mother like that. The young woman didn't know what to say. She saw what she saw and the words just came out.

"She's there!" The girl screamed in Sarah's shoulder. Sarah felt her eyes drift over to Maeve Shelby who lay peaceful.

The girl continued to kick and scream against the young woman. Again her screams turned to cries but they were almost as loud. It pained the adults hearing the girl weeping loudly.

She looked to her friend who helped his uncle and Curly pull her out. The three men were all shook at the sight of the corpse.

She spaced out as she saw the woman, wet and cold. Sarah didn't realise that she lost grip of Vivian. The girl turned her head quickly, seeing her uncle leaned over the woman. Her mum.

She knew what death was and she had been to many funerals — too many for a seven old—, but she refused to believe her mother was dead, that she had to go to her mother's funeral.

In her head, her mother, as well as her family, would be spared from death.

"She's gone." Vivian heard Sarah muttered. The woman didn't know those words were her own.

"She's dead?" It was a question but a question she knew the answer to already. She felt Sarah's head hit hers gently as she nodded in response. "Who pushed her in?"

"No one, Vivi." Sarah's voice broke as she answered the young girl's question, "Fell in herself."

"Why was she here anyway? Did she... mean to? She's not waking up." Vivian whispered, watching as they tried to wake her up.

"I think so." She whispered back, before kissing her head. She jumped in herself? She wanted to?

Tom looked at Charlie, with eyes full of tears. Charlie looked up at the him. There were no words spoke between them.

Vivian didn't want to remember what happened after that but she couldn't make herself forget the sight of her dead mum.

They all went home, much to Tom and Vivian's dismay. Vivian was brought up to her room with Sarah. Ada followed the girls up wondering what was wrong. She saw Tom, tears running down his blank face.

"What's happening?"

Vivian sat on her bed beside Sarah. Sarah patted the bed beside her but Ada sat beside her wide-eyed sister. Immediately, Vivian wrapped her arms around her sister, and tried to muffle her cries.

Ada saw Sarah's face scrunch up as she felt herself beginning to cry. Ada hugged her sister back and held Sarah's hand, confused and concerned.

Sarah didn't answer Ada's questions until five minutes later when Polly came up stairs and entered the room. The room was quiet when she came in, Vivian's loud cries stopped but she kept her face buried in Ada's shoulder.

It pained Vivian to see her mother like that but she wanted to be with her.

"What's going on, aunt Pol?" Ada asked again. Polly sat beside her oldest niece.

"You know your mum hasn't been herself for a while." Polly started and Ada already guessed and started tearing up.

"She's gone?" Ada whispered, and Polly nodded.

Vivian hated the word 'gone' when they talked about the dead. It sounded like they had gone to the shop, gone to school, gone to sleep. Polly had said people  never really gone but dead people were really gone, forever.

The four woman cried. Not matter how strong Polly tried to be, a tear still rolled down her cheek. Polly held Ada and Ada held Vivian. Sarah cried, staring at the door until she heard a small voice. The voice of Polly Gray. Polly held her arm out on the left, reaching out for the woman.

Sarah took her hand and felt a pull. Polly pulled her arm and the girl followed over. Sarah now sat beside Polly and the aunt hugged the girl tightly. The four cried together, holding each other.

"I want to see her." Vivian whispered.

"Not now, love." Polly asked, softly.

"But she's alone."

"No she's not, she's definitely not alone."

The boys soon found out when they all got home. Tom sat tearfully with John and Arthur stood confused at the door. Arthur Sr. stood looking a bit drunk.

That night Charlie and their dad got in a bit of a scrap over the woman they had all lost. No one saw Arthur Sr. for the rest of the week. He never made it to the funeral.

Sarah stayed over and helped look after Finn and Polly's kids but they all knew thats he was suffering too and she needed the family, like they needed her.

Tom didn't speak to anyone that night, but he did comfort his siblings with his presence. Sarah stayed in his room that night. He cried in her arms and fell asleep in her arms.

Arthur cried silently, not that he would let anyone know. Polly knew, Tom knew and Vivian knew. His mother made him promise he wouldn't drink today. She didn't say why but now he sat, slumped in a chair, drinking cheap whiskey, breaking the promise. He ended up sleeping on the couch.

Ada ended up in Polly's room. And John ended up sleeping on the couch, beside Arthur.

Vivian slept in her parent's room. She hadn't slept in this room since she was a toddler. It was painfully quiet. She lay in the bed.

She waited for her mum to walk in the door and jump into bed. Her mum didn't come home through the night and Vivian knew that but she still waited, hoping the miracle would occur.

She laid awake all night and fell asleep at sunrise.

The funeral was eight days later, per Arthur Sr.'s request (although it was more like a demand). Eight days. The day Vivian turned eight years old, she watched her mother's wagon catch fire.

Instead of lighting candles on a cake, they were lighting their mother's wagon. Instead of getting dressed up for a party, they were wearing black in honour of the dead. The sound of people's cries were heard and the smell of a wood burning fire filled the air.

Vivian stood in front Arthur and Tom, Ada and John beside them. Sarah held Finn and Pol held Anna. Micheal, Polly's son, stood beside her, almost hiding behind her. Other family and friends stood near to.

Before the wagon caught fire, they each placed something into the wagon. Some wrote letters and others brought sentimental pieces for the woman. Vivian didn't know what to write or what to give her.

So instead she gathered daisies and placed the pile of small flowers on the wagon.

It was Arthur who lit the fire as the eldest child, and they saw in his eyes how much it hurt to do that. Vivian leaned against him, her legs growing tired. Her body was growing tired. She growing was tired. He wrapped his arm around his young sister, hugging her.

They all watched as it burned. They all comforted each other in their own way. As the fire grew, they all made promises to themselves, promises only they would know.

Vivian had never felt so much hurt in so little time. She was seven, no, eight. Eight and she was exhausted from the pain.

A friend of their parents said something to Arthur and her, "at least she's in a better place." Maybe but wouldn't a better place be with her kids? How is that meant to make them feel better. It would be better if she was here.

She didn't have a birthday in 1910. There was no cake, no 'happy birthday' greetings, no celebration, no surprise, no party. It was a day for mourning and she accepted that.

—

Birmingham | December 3, 1919

    Slowly, she opened her eyes and adjusted to yellow light. She stared up at the light. It was bright and as she looked around she saw spots. She saw her brother looking down at her, "Fuck sake." He muttered looking across from him.

Isaiah's dad stood to Vivian's right, "alright, this is gonna hurt." He sighed, seeing Vivian's eyes open.

She was sat on in the booth, her head laying against the back on the couch. Her back ached at the angle she was sat at. She felt cold but hot at the same time. Her hands and forehead were sweaty but she felt her teeth clatter together as she shivered. She was sore too.

Arthur pushed her down easily as she just sat there confused. Her head moved around slowly. She saw her aunt beside Arthur, obviously worried and angry but had a comforting smile on her face all at the same time.

She saw her sister a few feet behind her with Tom, Freddie no where in sight. Did Tommy kill him?

Before she had a change to think or prepare, she felt a hand, Polly's hand, tighten around hers and then she felt the pain. The searing, agonising, burning pain. Feeling the warm liquid cover her wound, she screamed.

She tried to let go of her aunt's hand but Polly held tightly. Her other hand was held by John who winced as his sister began to cry. They knew it was the right thing to do, but he was a punch in the face when she kept shouting for them to stop.

Her body shaking and her legs kicking, she screamed, "Stop, stop, ahhh-!" She couldn't stop her voice from breaking. She just wanted the pain to stop.

And it did, eventually.

Jeremiah stepped away, holding the bullet in his hand and John let go of her hand but remained by her side. Arthur took a step back behind Polly. The Gray woman didn't budge.

"Not bad." John smirked, as she gave him a pained look.

"Fuck's happened." She breathed out

John answered, "You got a bullet out of ya."

"Really? Because I hadn't bloody noticed the blood and the hole in my body, John." Vivian got out, still trying to catch her breath.

"You have been in and out of consciousness since you came in." Polly mentioned, using a cloth to wipe the sweat from her face.

"What were you thinking?" Tom came into view abruptly.

Vivian leaned back, looking at her brother. He shared the same look as Polly did before but no comforting smile, "I was thinking, family stick together... and that I always wondered what it would be like to get shot."

Vivian lifted her head slowly as Tom spoke, "It was fucking stupid-."

"It was my idea Tom, leave her." Ada interrupted. Ada and Tom glared at each other for a moment while Vivian took in her surroundings, the Garrison. She pulled Polly's hand from hers and she pushed herself up.

"Slow down." her aunt spoke, pushing her down gently down again but she pulled herself up.

Then she saw him. The snug door was wide open and Vivian saw right in. His body lay across the table. Danny Owen. The man who helped her brother and Freddie teach her how to ride a bike. The man, shot dead, lay in a pub, not surrounded by his family like she was. And she wasn't even dead.

Polly saw what her eyes were stuck to and let go of her, giving her a bit of space. John went to Arthur and Ada went to her husband and baby boy. Tom took a seat beside her. He wore a bandage. It just covered his chest.

"You were shot in the heart." She saw the blood seeping through the bandage.

He scoffed, pouring a drink, "Bit dramatic. The shoulder, nothing bad."

She looked at the liquid fill the glass, "I heard you before." She remembered his screams and discomfort. She heard the pain in his voice.

"A little bad."

"Just a little?" She sounded like a child as her voice came out soft and scared.

"Just a little." He confirmed, his voice soft. Curly and Charlie entered.

Vivian's eyes drifted over to Freddie who held his son, smiling down at him, "You haven't killed Freddie."

"I haven't." Tom looked over too, seeing the warm, happy smile of his sister's face. They all knew if Freddie ever hurt Ada, he'd be a dead man.

"Good cause that would break Ada's heart." She said, Scudboat and Lovelock came in as well.

A few minutes later everyone silently made their way into the snug. Tom's good arm hung around Vivian's shoulder. Vivian leaned against her older brother as everyone filed into the small private room.

They all entered, Polly last with Finn. Vivian reached out, holding her hand out to her younger brother.

Finn didn't take Vivian's hand but walked over to her. It was only when he was by her side, did he lean into her. As Tom's arm wrapped around her, Vivian's arms hung around Finn.

They all stood around Danny. The boys spoke about their friend. They passed around the bottle, drinking to the man. Vivian kept her head down but she couldn't help but let her eyes drift to his lifeless body.

Vivian remembered overhearing Danny telling John about how he was to marry Rose. She kept that secret for four months, cause that's how long it took him to ask the woman. She remembered how she found him, Freddie and her brothers drunk off their heads, playing a game of snap at three in the morning.

"To Danny." They all toasted, taking a sip of the whiskey.

"Come on the day is ours." Tom interrupted. They were used to death. They all lost someone, before or during the war.

She watched them leave. She watched as a tear ran down Curly's face. She watched as Poly bowed her head before leaving. She watched as Tom patted Freddie friendly on the back on the way out. Maybe things were going to change.

Leaving the snug with Finn beside her, she saw Polly leave and Ryan and Isaiah.

She quickly made her way over to her two best friends, Finn stood beside her. "If it isn't my favourite little Shelby." Isaiah smiled looking the girl.

Vivian said as Ryan saw the bloody bandage, "You better be talking to Finn, Isaiah."

"I'm not."

She stared at him for a moment, "I'm older than you, you twat."

Isaiah stepped closer, squaring up to her "Well I'm taller and stronger."

Ryan and Finn let out a scoff at Isaiah's comment. The Jesus boy and the Shelby girl's head snapped to the side looking at the two. Vivian turned back to Isaiah, smirking as he glared at the two boys.

"What?" Isaiah said.

Ryan mocked, pushing the two together, seeing their height, "There isn't much between you."

"She's looking down at you right now." Finn pointed as Vivian stood tall, grinning more.

Before Ryan could make a joke, Isaiah stopped him, "I think it's time for a drink, so let's finish this another time."

—

Vivian and her friends spent the night laughing, dancing and drinking — all while under adult supervision. With Ryan's brother, Isaiah's dad and Vivian's whole family, they couldn't enjoy the night as they had wanted to.

She played cards with Finn and joked and laughed with her brothers, expected Tommy who decided to take little stroll to a certain someone's house. She drank with Ada, this time, the mother was more cautious. She spoke a few words to Freddie before started talking to Curly about anything that was going on.

Now the Jesus boy was twirling the girl around quickly yet carefully. She kept stepping on her friend's feet as they danced.

"I got a question for my favourite Shelby." Isaiah stated while Vivian looked down at her feet.

"Me?" She asked, not looking up and he nodded, "Go on then."

His mouth inches away from her ear, he whispered, "What's goin' on with Jones over there and your secret someone?" He didn't know.

Vivian shrugged, "explain more."

"Ryan's been a bit... cold to him and avoiding him when he's around." Isaiah spoke, "and Scotty boy has been acting strange since John's surprise wedding. Just thought, if you know what's going on with Scott then we can see why Ryan is the way he is."

"I don't know, maybe you should just ask him."

"Or you could."

Vivian's head lulled back as she groaned, "Isaiah, nothing's wrong. God, for someone who couldn't give a fuck about... anything really, you're sure invested in this."

"Cause they're our mates, Viv. Scott's yo-"

Vivian let go of his hands and rested hers on his shoulders. She and Scott were nothing anymore but she wasn't gonna tell Isaiah anything. She wanted to enjoy her last night. She stared at him, "right, look, I know what's going on, but I don't want to tell you. Not because I don't trust you — because I do—, it's just I don't want to tell anyone."

Her friend stared at for a moment. He trusted her, and he knew she trusted him. She respected him and he respected her. It would of liked Vivian to tell him what's happening but he knew she was allowed to keep things to herself; he didn't hate her for having secrets.

He smiled before hugging her. She hugged him back, ignoring the pain.

In the corner of the room, two men sat in the booth, "you think they're shagging."

"I don't want to be talkin' 'bout who my sister is shagging." John groaned, rubbing his eyes.

"Alright, but you are aware that the man that for sure shagged your other sister is drinking with the man you call uncle." Kol whispered in his ear. John shoved him across the couch, "I'd shag your sister." Kol spoke, watching Ada laugh across the room.

He felt a kick on the shin as John kicked him, "Why the fuck do I still talk to you?" John muttered into his glass before taking a gulp.

"I'm your only friend who doesn't have the name Shelby." He whispered in his friend's ear again like a little voice in his head.

Soon Arthur joined the two, filling their glasses. While the three drank and fought and talked, Vivian made excused herself.

Now she walked down the street to her home. She enjoyed her night. She spent time with almost everyone. She wished she had a moment with her aunt. And her brother. The brother with a broken up heart.

The sky was dark. The air was cold. Her feet were sore. Her wound was even worse.

Eventually she made to the house. Number 29. Her home. The place she grew up in and the place she was now leaving. The fire was lit. Unconsciously, she made her way up the stairs, avoiding the loose floorboards as she went up.

Looking down the hall, her door was open. She closed it before she left. She grew worried it was Scott. That it was Janet. She didn't want to see either of them. Maybe she was being dramatic and that, realistically, neither would be in her room, in her home, but her mind would continue to expect the unexpected.

No one expected her mother would go the way she did, no one expected Arthur Sr. to show up after a decade and Tommy didn't expect Grace to be a traitor. Now Vivian had to expect the two traitors in her life to be in her room, in her home.

As she got closer to her room, she realised who it was and let go of her breath she had been holding.

"What are you doing?" She whispered, standing in the doorway on her own room.

"Well you aren't the best packer and when I saw this, I couldn't let you go so messily." Her soft voice replied.

"Why?" Vivian stepped further into her room, "Why aren't you mad?" She asked, as her aunt folded a beautiful blue dress.

"I love this dress." Polly said, smiling down at the material. When she placed it into the now neatly packed case, she turned to her niece. She smiled as she held Vivian's face, "Why would I be mad? You think I want you near this business after today?"

Water built up in the young woman's eyes as she stared at the woman who raised her most of her life. She shrugged slightly, "How did you know I was leaving?"

"I'm Polly Gray." She smiled, wiping the tear that ran down Vivian's cheek, "I want you to be happy, so do the others. If this is what you want... leave."

Polly always worried for her kids, her own and the Shelbys. She loved them. She saw them all at their lowest and their highest. She wanted what was best for them. Ever since seeing Vivian broken like that, after what this stranger did to her, she wanted the girl out. She wanted Ada and her family out, she wanted John and his family out, she wanted Arthur, Tom, Finn and everyone out.

Out of the city, even if it meant the woman couldn't watch over them and protect them. Small Heath radiated danger and trouble more that any other place she had been.

"Does anyone else know you're leaving?" Vivian shook her head a little, "I assumed with the state of your case, that you weren't properly prepared." She pulled out a train ticket.

"I was going to get a ticket myself." Vivian told her, pulling out a few notes. Polly smiled at the girl, "Promise when I get a job, wherever I go, I'll pay it back."

"You got it from the safe." Polly stated but Vivian nodded anyway, "This isn't me trying to change your mind, because I don't want to you change your mind, but when you eventually decide to come back, which I know you will, there will be a proper, more official position for you. Maybe a position that will suit you better, 'cause I know that sitting at a desk is not what will make you happy."

Vivian smiled, hugging her aunt tightly. Pol wrapped her arms around the girl. She never ever wanted to know what a day would be like without another one of her kids. A tear rolled down her cheek and into the girl's head.

—

    After her aunt left her alone, Vivian stared at the bag. She was leaving. Tonight. This was it. She didn't want to give herself the idea of leaving and coming back next week. She wanted to go and stay gone.

She was going to change for the best. Heal. She would be somewhere were she wouldn't be constantly reminded of everything bad that had happened.

She wouldn't walk down Waterly lane knowing Janet lived across from her. She wouldn't go to the stable, thinking of her last memories of her mother. She wouldn't wake up in the middle of the night to get some water and remember how her dad shoved her mum against the kitchen table.

She would live somewhere where she could make new, happier memories. Small Heath would always be where it is and it would always be home. Her family would always be her family, no matter what. And her real friends would and, hopefully, will understand why she is leaving.

Maybe she would only go as far as London or she'd go to the docks and sail across the Atlantic. Maybe she'd go to Italy or France. Or travel all the way to Australia. Somewhere warm. I'm gonna need more money, she thought

Her neat case of clothes and sentimental belongings sat on her freshly made bed in her tidy room, not to be her room for awhile. Polly fitted more in it than she ever could.

'I have to go.'

The last train will have come and gone if she didn't go now. It would be stupid if she missed it and had to get a train the next day. They would stop her or she'd stop herself and make excuses.

She closed her bag and put on her brother's coat. The one that's as past down to her years ago. It gave her comfort even when she had worn it through the worse of times. It was her brother's and he always kept her safe.

Under the coat, she wore her black dress which had a large hole in it now. She brought the two edges together with a safety pin and covered it by wrapping her coat tightly around her body.

Looking around her room, before leaving, she saw her gift. The one Janet had given her. How nice of her? Vivian thought. She gazed at the cigarette case, with the wrong initials, thinking. Thinking about how Janet had her mother's shoes and she had this stupid pieces of metal.

Her eyes looked out her window and she saw her window. The window that looked right into her room where they stood now, kissing, holding each other lovingly. Her eyes travelled back down to the case and she grabbed it and shoving it in her pocket.

She walked out her empty room with her bag in her hand. She walked down the stairs quickly. Before leaving she made her way past the kitchen and past the green doors. Stepping in the dark betting den, she past the empty office that she once dreamt she worked in. That she would sit at the now empty desk.

She walked past the other desks and made a beeline for the safe. She knew the code to the safe. 14-2-12.

She took out ten pounds, before stuffing it in her boot. Closing the safe quickly, she felt guilty taking the money but she left note.

Vivian wrote a note earlier, hiding it in Arthur's office in the Garrison, knowing that if he found a random letter tonight, he'd be to drunk to even give it another thought.

Making her way through the house, with her bag in her right and and her left hand in her pocket, her fingers gliding over the smooth metal. The floorboards creaked beneath her feet. The house was quiet and empty. It was odd but she ignored it as she stepped out the door, and closed it behind her.

She looked down the Lane, checking her surroundings before looking up at the lit room across the street. She saw their shadows. She heard their voices from the open window. Laughing.

It was reckless and maybe wrong but she couldn't stop herself from throwing the cigarette case at the window. She didn't know how she managed to throw the piece of metal that hard, so high, but it went through, shattering the glass. Neither were laughing now, she heard.

Vivian let out a satisfied sigh and she went on her way, quickly. She didn't look back down the lane when she reached the top, she was in too much of a rush.

Soon, she saw the train station in the distance. The last time she went to the station was with Polly and Ada but Freddie came and no one got on the train. Before that, the family went to pick up the boys who had had made it home from war, forever changed. She never got on the train. She never had ever been on any train.

She was leaving.

"Where to, miss?" The man asked tiredly.

Handing him the ticket Polly gave her, "London." She said. Polly gave her a ticket to London. After she got to London, she would have to figure it out on her own.

"Thanks." She walked up the concrete ramp, seeing the train pulling up.

She stood on the platform and looking to her right, she saw a man getting lifted away on a gurney. Blood stained the ground beneath him. She felt no compassion for the man when she saw his face.

Vivian didn't give the man another thought and got on the train. The same train a certain spy was on. Neither saw the other on the train the whole ride and it was definitely for the better.

—

TO BE CONTINUED ... 🤭