Arrival

The world can be a cruel and terrible place. More so when the Blitz strikes down at London and certain key cities, when mothers and fathers go off to the front lines to get shot and killed or captured by enemy soldiers, and when a billet off in the countryside can suddenly end with news of the death of your living parents, or perhaps entire families, in air raid shelters or bombed factories. Luckily there are still places for such children. Orphanages where children can be protected and looked after by kindly women. This is one such orphanage ... or so you hope when you approach the cast iron gate.
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Laraqua
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Arrival

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Winchcombe, Gloucestershire.
Wednesday, 8th May, 1941.
Jimmy Walker has recently left the short-term dormitory / clearing house near Stepney where the various Wardens had clucked over the poor parenting skills of their dead parents and how scandalous it was that so many mothers kept their children in danger rather than sending them into safety. They weren't harsh disciplinarians but they were tactless and cruel with their words. One of them even thought it funny that the schools being kept open - which was considered by them to be poor form because it encouraged kids to stay in the city - which had actually kept Jimmy alive during that raid. He'd just settled in and learned a bit more about the other lads before he was packed up and carted off to "where he should be".

Davey, on the other hand, hadn't been in the dormitory for very long at all before being whisked away. He had just arrived with his few belongings in a single trunk when the Matron had taken one look at him and sized him up accurately. "Take this one with you," she snapped. "He'll be trouble. Best drop him off in the country." Apparently he'd taken the space of another British kid who was then cheerfully held back by the Matron who apparently must've liked him.

The two boys have had to stand in the crowded compartment while their Warden sat down and knitted socks for the soldiers, nattering away to several Land Girls dressed in their smart green jumpers. Unfortunately, its not a corridor train so they're stuck in their compartment without a toilet until its time to get off. The Warden seems to think she's on a pleasant holiday and has arranged to stay at a local hotel before heading back on the following train despite, as she admits, there being trains that head back nearly right away. It has been a rather long train trip on a rather crowded train after all. If any of the boys are interested they quickly learn that the train is travelling on the Honeybourne Line which linked Cheltenham and Stratford-upon-Avon that was opened by the Great Western Railway in 1906.

Peregrine Fairweather gets to sit on his trunk while a rather severe looking woman glares around at the Land Girls and the Matron occasionally before going back to read her Enyd Blyton novel. He'd never met the other boys or their woman before. They'd come into the same compartment completely by accident.
---
Mike Taylor was sent out in the ute to receive the new shipment of orphans, as the Matron had referred to it, and he was allowed to bring Martian and Clive as a bit of a welcoming party and as a reward to Martianfor his good work in the orphanage. It's quite rare for the orphans to be able to leave the confines of that building and its lands so its quite a treat. Mike is expecting to pick up three orphans and a woman who wishes to speak to the Matron for some reason. There's enough space in the back of the ute for all the kids. The woman will have to take the passenger seat.

The three of them stand on one of two 400 ft (120 m) facing platforms, on the Down platform, in fact, with the station building behind them that is build of red brick on a plinth of blue brick that was situated on the Down platform. A verandah canopy extended from the front of the building to a covered footbridge linking the two platforms. On the Up platform on the opposite side was a passenger waiting shelter and gentleman's lavatory. The goods yard lay on the south-eastern side of the station and comprised cattle pens, a goods shed, weighbridge and 6-ton crane that neither of the children have had a chance to see before. Especially Martian who might as well have been born at the orphanage. A brick-built 31-lever signal box controlled access to the goods yard, while a 50-wagon Up refuge siding led to the rear of the Up platform which wasn't too far away from them. The station had acetylene lamps with the gas hut situated behind the weighhouse but the lights weren't on because it was daytime and even if it were nighttime the black out would keep them off. There was white paint along the edge of the platform.
---
What do you do? Also, yes, I've taken a bit of liberty with a few back stories but this is the easiest way to establish you all together.
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Re: Arrival

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Davey's feet ached from standing still in the cramped compartment and he was getting antsy. "This is stupid, why can't the just let me go home...or at least stay in London." Davey grumbled to himself. He didn't really like how happy that ugly little British kid got when Davey was forced to take his place, "I'll show him."

Davey scanned the compartment, skipping over the blathering women. Seeing Peregrine he scoffs, "They even make babies go all over the place - they keep moving him and he won't have no where to call home."

Finally Davey catches Jimmy's eye, "Hey, I'm Davey," he says while sticking out a grubby hand, "nice to meetcha. I'm glad it's not all old ladies and babies coming around. It'll be fun to have someone my age around - that is..." Davey eyes Jimmy carefully, "...you ain't one of them sissy school boys are you?" From his accent, Jimmy can tell that Davey is an American and from the way he talks he can tell that Davey is quite rude, but seems genuine right now.
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Post by aine »

Peregrine has never been on a train nor been amongst so many people before. His clothes make him itch; they aren't his but some cheap hand-me-downs rolled up to fit. Only his blanket, made from pure alpaca wool, is left from the fine life that Peregrine was born to but at a casual glance it just looks like a grubby rag. He looks at the older boys standing, swaying with the train, he admires their attitudes of tired bravado, young boys made old by the war. The bright graphics of the Blyton novel are a flash of colour in the drab compartment and draw Peregrine's eyes; he recognises the swirly title of Enid's name because his bedtime stories were from similar books.
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Martian, Clive. I expect you to behave, remember you are here to welcome the new kids and tell'em how good is the place, how fun it is and that they must behave well, Now climb up the back ... and no shouting to the pedestrians out there.
Mike chuckled to himself as he entered the ute. although he did this ride a couple of times in the past with the late Mr. Bill and two times alone he was anxious. He himself rarely went out. Most of the times he just rode the bicycle to the hardware store but there was always something interesting in the train station. The crowd of people, the peddler's stalls, the noisy atmosphere of the elders and the adult.
Last edited by royya on Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
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Jimmy looked the younger lad up and down and shook his offered hand. "You're a Yank," he said, instantly giving away his own East End origins. "I'm Jimmy and I'm not a cissy. The sooner I get out of school the better. It's borin'".

"What are you doing here, Yank?"
he asked.
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Davey smiles when his fears are squashed, "Good ta hear. My pa was a pilot - he came over here to help show you Brits a thing or two about flying, but..." his voice trailed off for a moment. It just didn't seem real that his father was gone. Davey quickly regained his composure, "But it turns out the Krauts must have known he was here, cause they got him when he was on the ground instead of the air... They musta been worried that he'd make you all too good, haha!"

Davey jerked a thumb at the ladies, "They're keepin' me here instead of letting me go home cause they say the ocean's too dangerous, but " Davey leaned in close, "I think my family is hoping the Krauts'll get me too. What bout you? Parents ditch you or are they just in a ditch?"

Davey will keep making small talk until the train arrives.
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"My dad's a prisoner of war. He was captured by the Jerries in France. My mum.... my mum.... Jimmy looked away and blinked away tears. "The Jerries killed her. Bombed our house to smithereens." He looked down at the floor, feeling utterly miserable. "It just happened last week so I don't really want to talk about it."
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Post by Garrett »

I leave my book, A Detailed History of the Roman Empire, in the car, fearing that the grown up might yell at me if I read while I'm supposed to be welcoming the kids. I stay as close to Clive as I possibly can, I don't like crowds like this, there's too many humans here; I could get whisked away by one of them if I'm not careful. Plus I don't know these new kids, they might be mean, they might want to hit me. Of course if that did happen the grown up would scold them but I've recently found that Clive's violence deters these situations much better then scolding. I keep my eyes firmly on the ground in front of me and wait until I hear someone approach.
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Image

Clive Higgins stands on the platform near Martian and Mike. He's glad to get out of the orphanage, as he hardly ever gets to go anywhere. He's also keen to meet the new kids, hoping they'll liven things up and share his interests. He keeps watching the skies, looking for any sign of aircraft flying overhead.
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Post by Laraqua »

He might be in luck. There's an airplane over by the horizon that seems to be flying along the horizon. There's no wailing sirens or anything like that so if it's not a crop duster than its likely to be one of ours anyway. He might be able to figure out what it is if his vision is clear.
Show,Spot Hidden to get a good look at it and Navigate to recognise what type of craft it is.
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Davey chokes on a sob of his own but keeps a brave face, "I understand," he slaps Jimmy on the back, "my Pa got hit just last week too. But hey, at least you got someone left, right? Your pa will get home eventually and everything will be okay." Davey's smile cracks a little, "'Stiff upper lip' right? That's what you Brits always say... silly thing though, doesn't make any sense." Davey looks at the floor. He knows he can keep his emotions at bay for now, but tonight, when he is alone he will sing a different song.
Laraqua,Let me know when we arrive/are getting off the train. I don't want to jump into interacting with the other new kids until I'm sure we are shuffled off of the train like cattle.
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The train can be seen coming down the tracks in its usual brisk manner, letting loose puffs of smoke as it goes. For those inside, they can make out another station with no sign anywhere in sight - another precaution against German parachutists. As they make their way they can see a group of Home Guard crawling about the grasses in their green uniforms, sneaking up behind a man in a tin hat leaning on a rifle who was sitting on a hay bale.
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Jimmy sniffed and wiped his nose on his sleeve of his jumper. "We'll be all right. Churchill says we'll beat the Jerries and if that's what he thinks, that's good enough for me."

He looked out of the window at the approaching station. "What do you think this place will be like?" he asked, feeling a bit more chipper now he had someone to talk to.
Last edited by Philulhu on Wed Sep 12, 2012 10:00 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Mr. Handy wrote:Image

Clive Higgins stands on the platform near Martian and Mike. He's glad to get out of the orphanage, as he hardly ever gets to go anywhere. He's also keen to meet the new kids, hoping they'll liven things up and share his interests. He keeps watching the skies, looking for any sign of aircraft flying overhead.
What's that Clive, what are you looking at. Oh... the aircraft.
Mike says as they wait.
Can you identify it ?

He then turns to Martian.
What about you champ? the wooden disc I gave you still intact? (Let's say I carved you a wooden disc for something)
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Peregrine feels the tempo of the train's wheels change and wonders what it means. He pushes through the throng to the window but isn't quite tall enough to see properly; all he can see are wispy clouds scudding across a blue, Spring sky.
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"Yes sir. Thank you sir." I say in my usual toneless, quiet voice. I don't know what I was supposed to do with that wooden trinket; I knew it was supposed to be some kind of toy but I don't really play with toys, so its just been sitting on my dresser since he gave it to me over a week ago.
Last edited by Garrett on Sun Oct 14, 2012 3:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
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"I dunno. If it's anything like the last place it will probably be boring. But I guess it will be safe since it's out in the countryside." Davey says. The Home Guard and strange man outside the window catch his attention, "Huh... what'd you spose that's about?"
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Image

Clive nods, excited as he squints at the plane and his keen eyes pick out the minutest details. "I can't quite place it," he says.
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It's military and its Allied and it seems to be moving about in a fairly fancy manner which suggests that the pilot is having some fun with it. Other than that, he can't be certain as it's too far away. The train pulls into the station with a squeel of brakes, the engine chugging as it goes, and that smell of train smoke fills the air, puffed down towards the platform slightly by the wind.

"Hmm, is this it?" murmurs the woman in black, rising from her seat and pulling her suitcase down from the overhead netting. "Is this Winchcombe?" She looks around at the Land Girls who carefully avoid eye contact as though afraid of her stern gaze.

"Oh, are you after Winchcombe too?" asked the Warden, getting to her feet and pulling down the window. "Yoohoo! Is this Winchcombe Station? Quickly respond please. We don't have much time." She turns to the boys. "Get up your suitcases, just in case."
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stay behind me and don't leave my side
Mike orders Clive and Martian as they wait on the platform

When he spots the woman calling out he yells back
YES, THIS IS WINCHCOMBE STATION!
Mike straightened his cloth with the back of his hands and place his blue hat on his head, waiting for the woman and the new kids to step down to the platform.
Hello Mam, Mike Taylor is the name. I'm here to pick you and the new orphans. please, let me take your bags.
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