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IT WAS LATE WHEN they finally arrived in Dover. Solider after solider climbed out of the yacht, the harbor is crowed with uniformed men. Evelyn decides to stay with Tommy.

-"Are you sure, you don't want to stay with us?" Peter asks once more.

-"Yes I'm sure. I'm sorry Peter, but don't worry. As soon as I get home I'll figure this all out!" Evelyn pulls him into a hug. The two hug each other tightly. They then pull apart when Mr. Dawson taps her shoulder.

"Good bye, and thank you." She whispers into her Uncle's ear.

Mr. Dawson doesn't say anything but let's go when it's Tommy and Alex's turn to get off. Tommy places his hand on the small of her back to gently guide and help her out of the yacht. The trio sticks together as they're handed warm cups of tea. The hot beverage soothing their dry throats immediately. The exhausted group is herded across the tracks and towards a train. They walk in silence, there's nothing to be said, it seems as if there's always nothing to be said. Each one in their own little world, to tried to care where they were going, or what they were doing. Before getting on to the locomotive, they're each handed a blanket and another cup of tea by an elderly man.

-"Well done lads...... well done, lads......"
The man who's eyes were so unfocused said.
Evelyn immediately realizing that he was blind.

-"All we did is survive." Alex says frankly.

-"That's enough. Well done lads, well done lads....."

Alex steps onto the train with Evelyn behind him, she looks back in time to see the man touching Tommy's face.

Tommy flops down on the seat across from Alex. Evelyn takes a seat next to him, wrapping her blanket around her small frame. Alex is slumped opposite, tears start rolling down his cheeks.

-"That old bloke wouldn't even look us in the eye." He cries.

-"That's because he couldn't." The girl says softly trying to not make him feel so bad.

She looks over at Tommy to see him asleep. She reaches out and brushes his hair off his forehead. She glances at him while he sleep, trying not to seem creepy. He just looked so peaceful, and that was something she had not seen of him before.

"Tommy, j'ai le béguin pour toi et je prie pour que tu ne saches pas le français."

She softly mumbles her confession. She then laughs quietly to herself. Four years of French and that was the only thing she could say with ease, and the funny part was, was that she didn't even learn it in class.

( • • • )

The sunshine that came through the window felt warm on Evelyn's face. The feeling of warm sunlight was something she, nor that other soldiers had felt in a long time. Her eyes fluttered open, and the brightness of the light made her blink. She lets out a sigh before turning to Tommy who's in the midst of waking up as well. The two smile closed mouth smiles at each other with slightly squinted eyes. Evelyn is the first to turn away and rub her eyes which are filled with sleep.

-"I haven't slept so comfortably in a long time." Tommy says a groggy morning voice.

-"Me too," the young lady agrees.

The train full of soldiers rolls to a halt. Alex opens the window and spots a boy near the tracks.

-"Hey! Where are we?!" He calls out to young boy of maybe eleven.

-"Siding. You'll pull in in a minute!" The boy answers back in a shout.

-"What station?" Alex makes his question more specific.

-"Working." The boy answers back surprised.

Alex spots a stack of newspapers and asks the boy to hand him one. The boy hesitates before being encouraged again. The child grabs the very first one off the stack and runs to hand it to Alex.

Alex snatches the paper, and then slumps down in his seat again. Evelyn says 'thank you' for him, and the boy tips his hat at her as if to say, "no problem miss." 

Alex takes a look at the headline. His face scrunches up in worry before he thrust the paper at Tommy. Evelyn grabs one side and Tommy the other.

-"Churchill Addresses Dunkirk Evacuation," Evelyn reads the headline slowly. She turns to Tommy and the two share an opened mouthed, serious look.

-"I can't bear it. You read it." Alex covers his mouth with his hand.

-"Can't bear it?" Tommy asks.

-"They'll be spitting at us in the streets. If they're not locked up, waiting for the invasion."
Says a very stressed Alex.

-"You don't know that Alex," Evelyn says reasonably. She understood why he was stressed, but she always liked to look on the bright side of things.

"They weren't there. They don't know what you've been through, like the man said, survival is enough."

Alex shakes his head and chooses not to take Evelyn's words into consideration.

Tommy glances and Alex and Evelyn before reading. He was nervous of messing up, for he couldn't read that well. The young lady sitting next to him was wise and clearly educated, what would she think if she saw that he wasn't fully educated?

Alex and Evelyn starred at Tommy with persistence. They wanted to know what Churchill had to say. Tommy clears his throat before reading aloud the following.

-"Wars are not won by evacuations."

Alex looks away and shakes his head at this. The train starts to pull into the station and the platform is crowded with civilians. Alex sinks down in his seat, not wanting to be seen. A man bangs on the window making all three jump slightly.

-"I can't look," Alex covers his face.

-"But...."

-"No Evelyn."

-"But there is victory inside this deliverance which should be noted....." Tommy reads on.

Alex turns his head slowly. The man grins, holding up two beer bottles. The platform is packed with waving and cheering civilians. Women rush to the windows with sandwiches and drinks.

"Our thankfulness at the escape point of our army....."

Alex opens the window grabbing food and drink. He slides a beer down the Tommy who shakes his head, still keeping in mind that he's too young to drink. He hands Evelyn a sandwich. She breaks off a piece of it and places it in her mouth. It's been so long since she's eaten anything.

"Must not blind to us to the fact that what happened in France is a colossal military disaster. And we must expect another blow to be struck almost immediately. We shall go to the end, shall fight in France. We shall fight on the seas and oceans. We shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our island...."

-"What?!" Alex interrupts him, with beer drizzling down his his chin.

Evelyn chuckles and tosses him the napkin that the sandwich was wrapped in.

-"Go on," She turns to the boy beside her.

-"We shall defend our island, whatever it may cost," Tommy continues, his voice becoming louder over the celebration that's happening outside.

"we shall fight on our beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and the streets. We shall fight in the hills, we shall never surrender. And even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island, were subjugated and starving. Then our empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British fleet, would carry and struggle."

Tommy looks up to see who's listening. He glances at Alex who's oblivious. He then glances over at Evelyn who was already starring. He feels his checks heat up when Evelyn flashes him a smile.

-"I'm listening!" She informs him.

-"Shall I continue?" He asks, not really knowing how to handle the situation.

-"Please do!" She slides closer to him to hear better.

Tommy adjust his sitting position, and tilts the paper out more so that Evelyn can see it. He then clears his throat before reading the last paragraph in a quieter tone only for him and the girl next to him to hear.

-"Until, in God's time, the new world, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old."

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WC: 1390

That's it! The Dunkirk story is over! :,) it's sad because I had soooo much fun writing it!

But don't worry because Tommy and Evelyn's story will continue on for a few more chapters!

Don't forget to vote and comment!

Thanks for reading!

<3 Catherine💫