I nodded and said no I wouldn’t be, though I didn’t really know what she was talking about. Then she said that I had to make sure I was prepared next time. I’d need to go to the shop in the village and buy some sanitary towels and I said I didn’t know what they were, and anyway, Sarge didn’t like me going to the village and even if I did I had no money to get any of those things.

She smiled then and handed me four pound coins for the eggs, double what they cost. ‘Take that,’ she said. ‘And put the change away for next month. You can use it to buy what you need from the shop.’

I knew I’d be disobeying Sarge if I went to the village but then I thought about the bloody sheets and my knickers stuffed with newspaper and I knew I had no choice. So I put half the coins in the money tin and half in my pocket then handed her the eggs.

‘Thanks,’ she said, putting the eggs into her bag.

It was a nice bag, a pretty drawstring one with flowers embroidered round the edges. I was about to compliment her on it when something amazing happened.

‘Look, if you ever need to talk to someone,’ she said, her voice all warm and gentle, ‘come and say hello. Dad’s out at the church most of the time and … there aren’t many people my age around here. It would be nice to … hang out or something. You must get quite lonely living here.’

She wanted to be friends. This perfect girl actually wanted to be friends with me. I didn’t know what to say. Then I heard Sarge call my name. I turned round and he was standing there in the doorway, his face all twisted.

‘Can I help you?’ he said, looking at Isobel.

‘No, it’s all right,’ she said, her voice bright and happy. ‘I was just paying for the eggs. My father says they’re the best he’s eaten. So well done, both of you. And the chickens, of course.’

She laughed then and I willed Sarge to smile too, to just be nice for once. But he carried on glaring at her, his eyes dark and brooding.

Isobel’s smile disappeared then and she said goodbye. Sarge came over to the stall and we both watched her walk away, her pale hair glinting in the sun. As I stood there I felt free and happy, like the world had suddenly opened up. It was a strange feeling because it didn’t have anything to do with being a soldier or following Sarge’s instructions. In fact, ever since the bleeding I’ve felt different, like I’ve changed in some way that I can’t quite identify. Maybe Sarge saw this change too because once Isobel had gone he looked at me and I saw something in his face that I’d never seen before.

Fear.