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Chapters (46)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. Maps
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. Chronology
  44. Historical Notes
  45. Acknowledgements
  46. THE BEGINNING

There was a man at the Wall selling photographs of it to be used as postcards, just like the time you and I went there together. He was shuffling through the school groups and young couples to offer strings of the grainy images for a few pence. I was almost tempted to buy one when it was my turn to be approached, but in the end I said no and gave it back. He nodded politely and went off to try elsewhere. He struck lucky with a platoon of Pioneers, though, who handed him their money and took the cards to save or post home to their parents. One boasted loudly that he would be sending it to his girlfriend, until the others’ jeers made him blush and bite his tongue.

I realized, as I waited, that it would be Hazel’s birthday soon. I tried to guess what she would receive from the family looking after her – clothes maybe, or records. I’ll send her more books, some that I loved at her age. So long as I choose them carefully, they should get through.

Eventually my watch told me it was six o’clock, the time she had specified in her letter, and I gazed at the mesh-covered breach in the concrete, knowing that she was on the other side, looking back. She had said that she would wave even though I wouldn’t be able to see her. It was hardly further than the other side of the road but that gap seemed so far away, set behind the guard post and steel barriers chained together and bolted to the ground.

‘Are you all right, miss?’ It was the man trying to sell postcards.

‘Yes. Just thinking about someone,’ I replied.

He looked back at the Wall. ‘Someone dear to you.’

‘Yes.’

He stroked his jaw. ‘I’m sure they’re thinking about you too.’

‘I think so.’

The sun had sunk lower towards the horizon, and I looked to where Hazel was standing. She was waving to me, I knew, sure that I was here on the other side. After all that had happened, she trusted me to be here. I watched for a while, seeing her in my mind’s eye, waving to me in the light, as the postcard seller walked away.

Chronology

1939

  • 23 August. Germany and the Soviet Union agree the Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact, which keeps the Soviets out of the War.
  • 3 September. Britain and France declare war on Germany.

1944

  • 6 June. D-Day fails; most troops are killed or captured.
  • 29 August. Germany executes Operation Kestrel, the invasion of Britain.
  • 30 August. The Royal Family escape to safety in Northern Ireland.
  • 16 October. Britain capitulates. Winston Churchill is persuaded to join the Royal Family, now fleeing to Canada, so that he can direct the resistance to the Nazi occupation.

1945