William (1942)

"Look... who turns up?"

William smiled and nodded as he raised his cap in a saluting way and closed the door of the bar behind him. The silent ting of the bell over the door, rang in silence as his friends jeers made their fellow drinkers heads turn towards them in silent judgment.

"Well, well, well... hello boys!" William greeted in return and slapped Tom on his back, who was seated nearest to the door. Tom chuckled and moved to the next seat, letting William sit beside him.

"What kept you?" John asked as he pulled a long drought from his cigarette. He coughed loudly as he hid behind a puff of gray smoke. William coughed as he rubbed his eyes.

"Will you never stop inhaling that poison?" William hiccoughed as John waved the smoke away and reemerged once more.

"Nah man. This is too good to be left out." John croaked as their fellow friends grunted in disapproval. "Anyway, you didn't answer me yet. What kept you?" John repeated his question once more.

William removed his leather jacket and placed it over the back rest of his chair. Tom looked at him sideways and waited until William spoke up.

"Just old Smith keeping me up as usual." William replied, trying to maintain his voice as natural as possible. He saw Tom's eyes darken and his face cloud with the realization William had not worded. Breaking his eye contact and not looking at Tom's accusatory glare, William turned his head towards the bar.

"Oi lad, a bottle of brandy here." William bellowed over the raucous noise of the bar, and nodded as the bartender caught his eye.

"Make it two." John added, as William turned towards him.

"I think you've had enough already." he said, raising an eyebrow, but John did not look his way. William kept on staring at him, trying to catch his eye, but John did not turn his way.

"Why did old Smith keep you up, Will?" Tom asked, narrowing his eyes. Sighing, William turned towards him and pushed his hair out of his eyes.

"It was nothing Tom. Just leave it." he replied in an undertone, as he knew that their fellow friends were trying to eavesdrop on the conversation between the two of them.

"You know well enough about me to know that I will not just leave it." Tom grunted through his gritted teeth as William shook his head.

"You didn't go out of border today too right, Will?" Tom asked once more. Hissing in anger, William turned towards him.

"I said to just drop it, Tom. I don't want to talk about that." he glared at Tom. Tom raised an eyebrow as he noticed the light pinkish print of fingers on William's neck.

"Then what about -" even as Tom started to ask, he was stopped short by William's deathly glare once more.

"Two brandies' for table two."

Both Tom and William jerked into reverie as the waiter banged the bottle loudly on to their table. William nodded at the young boy as Tom spared a glance long enough at William to know what had taken place behind his unspoken words.

"Cheers to the war!" William banged his bottle of brandy with Tom's untouched glass and winked at him.

"Come on Tom. Let us just enjoy our latest victory." William added in an undertone as Tom shook his head in a giving up manner.

"Hey..." John drawled as he burped loudly. He raised his bottle up. "Cheers to William!" he jeered as William laughed and closed his eyes.

"Anyway, today you actually did a spectacular bit of flying mate." Tom muttered as he patted William on his back. William chuckled and closed his eyes as he emptied the bottle, trying to wash away the ringing in his ear.

It had been as though it was just yesterday that William had joined the Royal Air Force. He had been just a teen when he had seen the way how aircrafts had soared over his head, to win the war for their country. The amazement and the feeling that had made him giddy on his stomach, when he had seen the aircrafts which were shooting past each other up above the clouds, had made him sign up to the Royal Air Force just as he had turned eighteen. His eagerness to join the forces and the passion he had felt towards flying, had let him maintain a perfect record throughout his years in the service and had made him pass out as the top of his batch.

What William had been expected had turned out to be just a speck of a thousand more. Being the top of the class had automatically recruited William for dangerous missions than more than any of his fellow first officers. He had gone on missions with almost all of his senior officers and only one of them had found a reason to make William's life hard.

Lieutenant Smith had looked at William and the first glance itself had opened an unsolved box of hatred towards the young boy. It had not taken long for the others to learn that William had a predator in the form of a higher ranking officer, and ever since then, things have not turned out well for William.

"Honestly man, the way you flew today, right over our very own eyes, made me feel so proud of you." Tom added once more as William chuckled and rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. He winced as the bruise on his neck made him remember old Smith once more.

"Just because his son did not pass the test and you were the best, does not let him work his power over you, man." Tom uttered from the corner of his mouth as William looked at him sideways. He scanned the four of his friends carefully and noticed that all four of them were in their own worlds of drunkenness.

"He wanted to abort the mission today." William muttered in an undertone. Tom placed his glass slowly on the table and leaned in closer towards him. "Yeah, he wanted to." William added as he saw Tom's eyebrows raise up.

"I said no." he said as a soft smile of self pride lifted his lips up in the corners. "So that's why he -" William raised his hands towards his neck and acted out strangling himself. "After we touched down." he finished, looking at Tom.

"I think you should report this mate." Tom replied after taking a long sip from his glass. William shook his head and sipped his brandy slowly.

"You know we aren't allowed to." he replied, and looked determinedly at Tom, as he opened his mouth to debate once more.

"And that's why -" Tom started but William and Tom both jumped up as John burped loudly and banged the empty bottle on the table.

"Oh love..." John exclaimed loudly. William and Tom looked at each other and raised their eyebrows. "Where are you, my love?" he screamed loudly, as William turned to look around him to make sure that there were no any onlookers. He did not have to worry whether there will be any senior officers as the bar was meant to be for first officers and only for the junior officers.

"This poor heart..." John burped loudly and hiccoughed once more. "This poor heart wants you, my darlin'!" he exclaimed loudly as other drunkards jeered and banged their empty bottles on the table to share their approval. William and Tom looked at each other, biting back their laughter.

"Oh darlin'..." John's voice drawled as his head lolled dangerously on his shoulder, and his head banged down on the table, pushing the empty glass bottle to roll around and fall down, clinking loudly, where it shattered.

William smirked as Tom shook his head. He patted John on the head and turned towards Tom. "Who knew the poor boy had a history like that?" Tom muttered to William's ears. He chuckled.

"At least the lad had a touch of love on his heart." he uttered as Tom turned towards him. William tried to erase the bitterness out of his voice, but he knew that he had failed, as he saw the Tom's knowing look on his face.

"There is someone better there for you mate." Tom patted William's shoulder reassuringly as he sipped his drink once more.

"Yeah huh..." William replied sarcastically and emptied his bottle of brandy.

Tom started to hum a music for himself while William was absorbed in his own thoughts. All four of his other friends: John, Ben, Matt, and Joe were knocked out, and only Tom was sane enough to be a companion to William.

William was lost in his own thoughts. He was leaned back on his chair and was rotating the empty glass bottle on the table. John's drunk confession had flamed an old war that had raged inside William's heart. He had never been in love and the thought itself had been enough to bring back the troubled memories onto his mind.

However young, good looking and smart William was, and had succeeded in everything he had tried out in his life, he had failed miserably when it had come for love. Being born in a third class family with immense level of talent, had brought William to where he was. But when it had come for love, he had had a childhood spark blushed on his chest, before he had joined the Royal Air Force, but the girl had not even spared a glance towards William. She had been the only girl, William had ever felt a rush on his blood when he had looked at. But her silent empty stares at him, had made William realize and conclude that he was not made for love. So ever since he had recruited as a soldier, William had erased all thoughts of love and had only concentrated on making his life airworthy for war.

William shook his head as his eyes misted with long lost memories. He was brought back to reality as Tom poked him hard on the ribs.

"What?" William hissed turning towards Tom. Wordlessly Tom indicated the far end of the bar. His eyebrows knotted in worry, William leaned his head to the side as his eyes searched the reason of commotion.

The always loud and raucous bar was completely dead in silence as a sudden shout of exclaim rang through the bar. All the drunks were coming back to their senses as the loud shrill pricked their ears.

"Please uncle..."

William's eyebrows raised on his forehead. The shrill vociferation clinked the empty bottles.

"I have had enough of this uncle!"

William's head turned towards Tom. The same surprised expression on his face was mirrored on Tom's, as the realization sunk in both of their minds at once.

"Is it -"

"A girl? Yeah..." Tom answered William's half raised question.

William's eyebrows scrunched up in worry. From the loud voice of the girl's that was still audible, as she was heard to still continue the failing war with the man whom she had addressed as her uncle, it was obvious that she was young. Even though he did not understand why, he realized that he was feeling concerned towards the girl. William knew that he had emptied a complete bottle of brandy on his own, but he was still conscious enough to know around him. But he was completely sure that any of the other drunks were not in their right state of mind, and as the bar was filled with drunks who were not even able to differentiate between the left and the right, he knew that this was not the place for a girl. And by the voice of the girl, he knew that she was young, and for a young girl, the bar filled with drunks was a lion's den for an innocent rabbit.

"Come home uncle. Mother's so worrie' abou' you." the girl was saying more slowly now, but as the bar was in complete silence, her voice was still audible.

"Go away lassie." the drawling voice of a drunk stumbled through the bar.

William tried to peek his head over Tom's shoulder and take a look at the scene. But Tom was bobbing his head up and down, which made William's effort waste in vain.

"Enough uncle, enough. You've ha' enough to drink alrea'y." the girl shrieked loudly once more, and William heard a sound as though the girl pulled an empty bottle from her uncle's hand.

"You! Give it here, righ' now, lassie." her uncle bellowed in a broken angry voice.

John groaned and shook awake. He rubbed his eyes tight and squeezed them with the palm of his hand.

"Wassappening?" he mumbled as his drunk eyes tried to focus on his friends faces. He raised his hands and moved them here and there trying to focus. "Oo's toushing?" he mumbled once more.

"Shut up John." William hissed through his gritted teeth, trying to focus on the girl.

"Get up man, stan' up. You are a real bur'en to our family."

The girl was heard as though she was heaving the man to his feet.

"Stan' up idio'." she hissed once more.

CLANG!

William's eyes grew big, and he stood up suddenly. He was sure the man had thrown an empty bottle somewhere. He very badly tried to not to think that the drunk had thrown the bottle at the girl.

CRASH!

William groaned angrily and rolled his eyes as John stumbled back to his feet and crashed his chair down to the floor. William glared angrily at John. He raised his arm and placed it on John's head. John looked dazedly at William, and smiled as though he was looking at a girl. William smirked sarcastically and pushed John's head aside. He did not even spare a glance at his friend as he fell over Joe and both of them crashed to the floor.

William felt Tom stand up beside him, but his eyes were still searching through the crowd, towards the commotion. The standing drunks were blocking William's view, and he leaned his head to the side. In between two drunks banging shoulders, William saw a shadow of a tall heavily built man stumble on to his foot. His hand was raised above his head, with another half filled bottle swinging aimlessly. William pushed himself from the side of the table and took a step forward.

CLANG! The man had thrown the bottle once more.

William's heart pinged like an elastic released after building up its tension. He heard his heart beating loud on his chest. He felt as though his heart was on his ears and was actually trying to break free from his rib cage. A young girl, who was about eighteen years old, was bent in two. She was cowering from her drunk uncle, and her posture was looking fearful. William's heart was beating too fast for him to control. The girl raised her head slowly, and peeked through her fingers, which she had used to cover her eyes in fear.

"Dear Lord..." words escaped William's mouth as he saw the old drunk roll down another empty bottle of gin from the top of the table. He tried to take a step forward, as though he was trying to protect the girl, but he was stopped short as he felt a hand on his shoulder.

"No mate."

William turned back. Tom was shaking his head. He was also looking concerned towards the girl, but he was not going to help her or even let William help the poor girl.

William shut his eyes in anger and in pain, as he heard the third bottle clang to the wall behind. He opened his eyes in anger and glared at Tom. His breathing was getting fast, and he balled up his fist in anger.

"You know the rules, mate. If old Smith knew that we were meddling in civilian business, we are as good as dead." Tom muttered in a lower voice as his eyes scanned the crowded bar around them. Drunks were going back to their drunken state, now that the girl had stopped her screaming.

William bit his lips in anger. He did not understand why, but he felt a hatred towards the man, and he felt useless of himself. What use did he have of himself? However greatly had he performed missions and stunts up above the air, safely inside the skin of the aircraft, was comparatively useless if he was not able to help a poor innocent girl who was helpless in front of his own eyes. But he knew that that was how it was in the forces. He had freedom enough to roam freely on his own up to his heart's extent. But, if he wished to cross the border set by the higher ranking officials, he was as good as dead, just like what Tom had said.

Trying to slow down his fast breathing and to regain his breath back to normal, William released his breath from out of his mouth and turned back to the front once more. He felt Tom pat his shoulder and release his shoulder.

William searched through the crowd once more. For the millisecond that he had closed his eyes, the girl was nowhere to be seen. Hurriedly, worried that the drunk had finally beaten the girl into unconsciousness, William leaned up on his toes and stared around the packed bar.

"Ouch!"

The sudden exclaim of pain, helped William to focus on where the girl was. His eyebrows raised up in wonder. For a girl who was much skinnier than her many layers of clothes around her spoke about, she was actually strong. The drunk was as good as knocked up, and the girl had the drunk's arm draped across her shoulders. She was dragging, hoisting, and pulling the old man through his feet towards the exit of the bar. Her sudden exclaim of pain had sounded as though the old man had trodden on her frock and the girl had lost her footing.

A small smile pulled the corners of William's lips up. He did not have to worry about anything now. The girl looked as though she was so used to what she was doing and even the many drunk friends of the old man was cheering the girl on, as though she was in a contest. William had nothing to worry about now. A small voice on the back of his head was telling him that the girl was safe, and she will go back to wherever she came from, safely and in one piece. Tom had been right. He had not wanted to interfere at all. The girl had managed well on her own.

But as suddenly as the happy thought had crossed William's mind, he also felt a dark cloud obscure his mind once more. He knew that he will be able to identify the young girl with her voice anywhere he wanted. But, but, he had not yet seen her face. If only, if only, she turned back once more, and just spared a moment of glance at William, he will be able to find her anywhere he wanted.

The girl was very close to the exit now. The old drunk was back on his feet, and though he was not very steady, he had enough strength on his legs and mind to keep one foot in front of the other. By the way the process was speeding up, William knew that it was now or never.

"Turn back, turn back," he prayed for himself. "Please dear Lord. Just once. Please..." he prayed slowly under his breath. "Just turn back and look at me... just once..." he looked up at the ceiling, wishing that he was talking to the Lord directly and drew the crucifix on his chest. "Just once..."

William had never believed in miracles. He had always been a man of a straight mind and had attended the Sunday church, much to stop his mother's annoying nagging and to stop her coming behind him. But that funny Tuesday, where William had found himself in a bar full of knocked up drunks, he found himself believing the Lord once more. None of his wishes had ever come true. But that evening, for the first time ever in his life, his prayer did come true.

William knew that he was going to die. His heart was beating too loud, and he was sure that even Tom was able to hear his loud heartbeat. William felt himself sweating profusely, as he pulled a hand over his brow, for the girl had finally, finally, turned back. Just like he had wished and prayed.

The girl, who was dragging her drunken state of an uncle behind herself, had turned to close the door to the exit behind them. She had just turned back and was shutting the door behind herself when William had caught her. Her rosy face was a bit chubby, and her buds of pink lips were bit in anger. She was too young to be in a bar and William knew that she will be the death of him one day.

He was as good as dead...

Just before the girl had closed the door shut behind her, she raised her eyelids and just as though it would be seen in a Shakespearean drama, her eyes found his.

He knew he will die before he gave up on the girl... for she had the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen...

As a thin smile of surprise and a creep of a blush went up the girl's lips, as her eyes found the young man's, she hurried back.

William leaned his head to the side, trying to maintain the eye contact forever, William closed his eyes at last, as the door shut back finally, and he felt a happiness take over his heart. He felt his face growing hot over his shirt collar and he knew that he had finally, finally, found the love of his life at last.

Heaving a great sigh of happiness, William pulled Tom by his collar and both of them heaved back on to their chairs. Tom was trying to understand the reason behind William's sudden change of mood, but he was so happy to put his feelings into his words.

"One day, she'll be my girl, mate." William muttered to Tom, as his eyebrows went up in surprise, and William patted him between his shoulder blades. Lost in his own world of happy thoughts, William pulled Tom's glass of drink towards him, and emptied it.

Tom stared at him in surprise, for he knew that the boy had found love at last.