Arrival

[aine]

Perry stares in astonishment as Mike shakes his hand like a grown-up. Then he follows Mrs. Hartley, as she orders, and climbs into the front seat of the ute. He looks around at the countryside, it's a lot softer and rounded than the stark plains back home and seems to match the gentle accent of the old porter as he speaks to the passengers about their luggage.

[royya]

"All right, now you boys be good," said the warden with a cheerful smile. "Oh, before you go could you sign this for me just to say that the boys have been deposited in the orphanage's care?"

The older woman in black frowns at her and the other lads, and her frown only deepens when she see the ute. "Perry, you will have to sit in between us. I will not have your life risked in the back of that ... vehicle." Then she turns to regard the teenager. "You call call me Mrs. Hartley. What is your name? Your full name?"

Mike signs the letter of deposition and hand it back to the warden.
My name is Mike Taylor Mrs. Hartley.
Mike replies, nodding his head slightly as he opens the door for her

[CrackheadC.]

Davey swings himself up into the back of the truck, stretches his legs out across the bed and leans against one of the sides.

OOC,I'm assuming a ute is an old sort of pickup truck right?

[Laraqua]

The warden gives Mike a sympathetic smile and a sidelong glance toward Mrs. Hartley as if to say 'I know the type and I feel sorry for you'. "Well, I'd best be off to see what accomodation you have here." With that, she folds up the letter of deposition and puts it in her handbag before trotting off into the railway station.

Mrs. Hartley nods curtly to him at his response and leaves Perry's large suitcase on the platform for Mike to carry and instead ensures that he is shepherded into the ute before she attempts to delicately climb him with grace and decorum and only somewhat succeeds.

Show,yup a ute is a pick up truck. In Australia, we call them utes. Ahh, the golden days where you could ride around in the back....

[Mr. Handy]

Clive climbs aboard the truck with a bit more grace, but he's used to climbing trees. After that, this is no problem for him.

[Philulhu]

Jimmy pulls himself up into the back of the vehicle and sits down where he will be able to watch the world go by. An East-end lad, he's only been out in the country a few times, so he's excited to visit again.

OOC,The "ute" is an American/Australian construct. In the UK at the time you would have lorries and vans but I'm not aware we had pick-up trucks. Given petrol rationing, a lot of horse-drawn vehicles were still being used. Chances are, something like a orphanage might have an ex-army lorry that it would use to ferry the kids around, assuming they just weren't expected to walk everywhere! :(

[Laraqua]

They drive off down Greet Road, passing the Winchcombe school on the left which is packed with evacuees and locals playing on the oval during lunchtime (the orphans have their own tutors), through the center of town whose windows are all criss crossed with sticking tape and there was bread on display at the bakery rather than cakes and biscuits (as has generally been the case over the past few years). The local police sergeant is chatting to an ARP warden and a woman in WVS uniform pushing a pram. The bus to Cheltenham trundled past them on its way.

They head on out of the main area of town through Castle Street and soon pass one set of soldiers who have set up posts around the village. There are artillery guns and Bren Gun carriers which are small open armoured vehicles with caterpillar tracks that are parked near road blocks incorporating large round concrete blocks and concrete pill boxes for machine guns which have also been built on all approach roads into the village. Thus far there had been no bombs though the local boys know that when Coventry was bombed a number of people drove down there to assist (or spectate) though as they never get to talk to the local people most of what they know is from eavesdropping on the women who run the place. Mike got to hear a bit more about that.

Just past St. Kenelm's Chapel and down Ford Road Coppice a bit is a winding dirt road that has no name down which they go. There's a big wooden fence that protects about four acres of land upon which an old convalescent home once stood before it had been turned into an orphanage in the 1920s. Before then it had apparently been some sort of farming warehouse or such-like for it is a big brick structure with very small, disapproving windows like from an office warehouse. The basement is filled with archways that connect the rooms beneath although the boys aren't meant to go down there on pain of severe punishment. There's a garage over to one side that is more or less now just a thatch roof supported on wooden poles underneath which rusting farm machinery sits. There's a hen house, a few sheep and a large vegetable garden that provides much of their food.

[Mr. Handy]

"Well, here we are," says Clive. "Might not look like much, but it's home."

[Garrett]

Martian stands and moves out of the truck but keeps his large eyes firmly glued to his book. He only looks up for a moment as he hops off the bed before returning his gaze to its normal position and scrambling inside. Easily avoiding the others despite his seeming lack of attention.

[Philulhu]

Jimmy looked up at the building apprehensively. It didn't look much like home to him, but then his own home didn't look much like a home anymore, not since the Germans bombed it. He thought of his mum and swiftly turned away from the others as tears pricked his eyes.

He sniffed and quickly rubbed his face. When he could trust himself to speak, he turned to Davey and said, "What do you think? Don't look very homely to me..."

[royya]

Final stop boys!
Mike calls out and smiles to everyone. He stops near the entrance and circles the ute to open the door for Mrs. Hartley.
I will take you belonging Mrs. Hartley.
Mike says, goes to the front door where he place Mrs. Hartley bag and addresses the boys.
Everyone take their belonging. The mistresses will see you in a second.
Mike goes back to the ute to park it near the garage. Then he joins the others.

[Mr. Handy]

Clive climbs out of the vehicle. He stays near Mike and the new boys, though he has nothing to collect as all his stuff is already here.

[aine]

Being squashed between Mrs. Hartley and Mike, with the front dashboard high above him, Perry is unable to see much and he is very glad when they pull up in front of the orphanage. He waits patiently for Mrs. Hartley to gather her skirts and disembark, and then he slides across the seat and jumps out. It isn't what he thought he was expecting. He looks across the run-down grounds to the house, its small windows seem hostile and unwelcoming. He looks at the austere and dank brickwork; in size it is like his old home in the East country but there the similarity ends and his new home looms cold and menacing even in the Spring sunlight. He can't help it: with a racking sob, Perry bursts into tears.

[Laraqua]

Mrs. Hartley gives him a dispassionate look before crouching down and dabbing at his face roughly with a handkerchief. "Now, now, you mustn't cry. You mustn't let the other boys see you like this. You must be strong."

[aine]

Mrs. Hartley's administrations are almost worse than the prospect of the orphanage and Perry chokes back his sobs just to avoid them. Although he is tired and hungry he wipes his eyes and tries to stand tall like the other boys.

[CrackheadC.]

"Looks ta me like a run down copy of my farm in the US. Not that I figger a couple of old ladies could take proper care of a real farm. It'll do for now though." Davey says as he jumps out of the truck - unencumbered by bags. "Not excited for the mouth flapping about rules and such that is gonna come in a few minutes."

[Laraqua]

REDACTED.

[Mr. Handy]

OOC,I think this belongs in my thread in Silent Hill.

[Philulhu]

"Looks ta me like a run down copy of my farm in the US. Not that I figger a couple of old ladies could take proper care of a real farm. It'll do for now though." Davey says as he jumps out of the truck - unencumbered by bags. "Not excited for the mouth flapping about rules and such that is gonna come in a few minutes."

"Rules are there to be broken," said Jimmy, "That was my granddad's motto. He fought in the Great War... when he wasn't locked up." Jimmy blushed. "He wasn't a bad man exactly, he just didn't like playing by someone else's rules."

[Laraqua]

After a few minutes of waiting, the front door opens and a woman who looks to be in her early thirties comes out and starts down the few stone steps with a gentle smile as she runs an approving eye over all of those awaiting her here. For those who have dealt with her for a fair while, she has always looked to be in her early thirties and thus is probably a well-preserved woman in her forties. She heads directly towards Mrs. Hartley and extends her name, "Maggie O'Connell. Pleasure to meet you. Mrs. Hartley, I presume?"

Mrs. Hartley gives her a quick nod. "That is correct. It's good to meet you too, Miss O'Connell. Where might I find Miss Halloran?"

"She will be down presently," says Miss O'Connell. "I'm to see you to her office."

"Thank you," says Mrs. Hartley.

Miss O'Connell turns to Mike. "Could you please take the new children down to the Assembly Hall, thank you? Miss Higgins will be along to explain the rules."