The other boys were huddled together, some of them sobbing, others just slowly calming down, ridding themselves of the tension and the fear of death that had been with them for the last few hours. It didn’t help that Greeneye was tied to a tree near by, under the watchful gaze of Alexander and Hadleman. After he woke up, the prisoner had started shouting threats and curses, but after a while, these had changed into pleas and requests for food. Once it was certain that he wasn’t going to get any, he slumped into an angry silence.

The sky overhead was getting lighter. It had been a warm night, but they were all ready to welcome the dawn.

‘So,’ Alexander broke the silence. He’d been looking at Richard and wondering if he should tell him. He mustn’t do that. The only thing he could do was to enjoy every moment they had left. ‘Does anybody know any good stories?’

‘Oh, shut up,’ muttered Hutchinson.

‘You shut up,’ Tim told him.

‘You can’t tell me that, bug.’

‘Yes I can, and don’t call me bug.’

‘Who thinks’⁠ — Hadleman raised his voice⁠ — ‘that Tim should shut up? Raise your hand.’

No hands appeared.

‘And who thinks that Hutchinson should shut up?’ A lot of hands appeared.

‘There. Tell us a story, Tim.’

‘It doesn’t work like that,’ Hutchinson sighed wearily. ‘I’m his Captain, so I can tell him to shut up.’ There was a murmur of discontent around the circle. Hutchinson looked up, suddenly bemused. ‘What?’

‘I think…’ Hadleman picked up the red sphere that Smith had left with him and stood up. Alexander watched him worriedly. He’d advised Richard not to hold on to the Pod, to leave it by the fire. Now he was throwing it lightly from hand to hand. ‘I think that democracy will soon be everything. You lads just got your first vote. If the balloon goes up this year, or the next, maybe the generals will finally realise that, in the end, a soldier fights for his conscience. He isn’t an animal to be herded to the slaughter.’

‘Wouldn’t you fight, then?’ Hutchinson glared at him. ‘Would you be a coward?’

Alexander watched a distant expression wash over Hadleman’s face. Finally, he put the Pod back down on the ground and met Hutchinson’s gaze. ‘I would fight if I thought the cause was just, as far as any of us can tell that sort of thing. And, believe me, there will be plenty of cowards on the battlefield, and plenty of heroes who make the decision not to go there.’ Rather embarrassed by his eloquence, he shrugged and sat down.

Alexander stared at him sadly. ‘I love you,’ he mouthed, though Hadleman couldn’t see.

Hutchinson probably wouldn’t have let the matter rest there, but into the clearing walked Smith and Benny.