Chapter 23. Wish upon a star

  Finn and Bish made plans to catch the same train back to London.

  They stood in the carriage windows waving until steam clouds

  blocked the view of the platform as the train pulled away.

  Bish lifted a bag onto the overhead rack and sat across from Finn.

  "What are your intentions with Vie?''

  Finn put a bag under his seat and sat down. "Vie is the one with all

  the intentions Bish, ask her."

  Bish laughed and looked out the window. "I love my cousin Finn.

  She means the world to me. Promise me you'll look after her when I'm gone.''

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I've had the same dream a few times now Finn. I've seen what's going to

  happen - how it's going to end for me, as clear as I'm sitting here next you.

  I'm not coming back from this War."

  Finn was lost for a moment. ''If you're that certain Bish, just don't go. Get off

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  the train at St.Erth and sit the War out. Become a conscientious objector."

  Bish shook his head. "There's no escaping your fate."

  Finn wondered what was there to be gained in believing in such a

  stupid concept.

  "Do you remember those two brothers from school that lived at the

  end of Swan Rd?"

  Finn was glad Bish had changed the subject.

  "If they're on the train we should sit together."

  ''Unlikely." Bish said.

  "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 itself thought Finn.

  *

  After the train was out of sight, Bish's sisters walked into town.

  Nain Joan and Vie walked back up the hill together.

  "You didn't want to go with the girls?" Nain Joan asked.

  "To be truthful I find their company to be painfully dull. They're a

  coven of dowagers in waiting."

  Nain Joan laughed. "There's always room at our house for you Vie.

  I could use some help in the garden."

  Vie smiled. "Thank you Nain Joan. Do you think F-Finn's Father

  would mind if I visited."

  "He will be very pleased to meet you Vie." Nain Joan saw that Vie

  was carrying something close to her chest. "What have you got there?"

  Vie opened her palm. She was holding the desert glass marble.

  "Finn gave it to me. It's beautiful don't you think."

  "It is." Nain Joan said.

  "Finn said that it's meant to keep you safe and bring you good luck.

  He said that if I looked through it, I might even be able to see into

  the future." Vie pressed it to her chest. "Last night when I was lying

  in bed I looked through it and thought I saw a falling star."

  Nain Joan saw the innocent longing in Vie's face.

  "So I made a wish on it, does that sound silly?"

  ''It doesn't sound silly at all." Nain Joan said.

  "I think that falling star has a wish set aside - just for you."

  *

  This is Book 1 in a series.     Book 1. Sleep now in the fire

  Book 2. Wake now in the fire

  Book 3. Breathe now in the fire

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