The sound of the twigs breaking and leaves crunching echoed all around him. There was nowhere for him to go. Where was he even going? He had no one. No one near here anyway. Mother and father and Emily were miles and miles away. How could he reach them? Oh why did he think this was a good idea?

At last the endless forest came to an end. He could see a shed, or at least the roof of a shed. Over the top of that wall. If only he could get over it.

Slowly he threw himself against the wall and pulled with all his might. He hoisted himself onto the top of the wall and looked around. It was at the back of an old house. He didn't recognise it.

Slowly he eased himself off of the wall and landed inside the small garden. He crept towards the shed and found not a keyhole, but a latch. He slid the latch aside and crept in. He found that the shed was filled with food and drinks beyond anything he'd ever seen.

He took a few bottles of beer and some bread rolls and cheese. He was just removing his jacket to use as a blanket when he heard a noise. He ran outside , locked the door and ran around the back of the shed. He listened but heard only one set of footsteps. Whoever was there was taking their time.

At last they moved off. He thought it was better he stayed around the back of the shed until nightfall. Until then he would try and sleep. The nightmares always came when he slept but he couldn't remember how long it had been since he had been able to close his eyes for more than a few minutes. So, he threw his jacket over himself to act as a blanket and closed his eyes.

The sound of guns and explosions echoed from all around. The smoke was dense and he could barely see the trigger on his gun. Voices rang out, but he couldn't make out the words. All he could make out in the smoke were his hands trembling. Suddenly he looked to his right as a loud groan reached his ear. "EDDIE!" He called out. But there was no reply.

Keeping low he crawled to his friend's side. He placed a hand under Eddie's nose but there was nothing. He looked at Eddie's chest. All was still. Another voice rang out. "THEY'RE OFF AGAIN!"

He knew what that meant but for a few moments he couldn't bear to leave his friend's side. "STUART MOVE," Their leader shouted. Still he didn't move. Not until he felt a hand pulling him from his friend. "DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME STUART I SAID MOVE."

"SORRY SIR" he shouted back.

He turned and saw them, running towards them. Around fifty of them in all. All with guns waiting, aimed at their heads. One pull of the trigger and the whole lot of them would be dead.

"STUART FIRE" their leader screamed.

He reached for his gun and aimed it at the soldier who was running for him. He didn't know where he was shooting at. He just turned his head away and pulled the trigger. A loud bang made him turn as the figure fell. "HANS" a voice from nearby shouted and began running towards the victim. Another one of the men shot him too and he fell beside Hans.

At last most of them were dead or had retreated. There was no more smoke. No sound. Nothing. Just the smell of blood in the air. "GOOD JOB MEN," their leader called "RETURN TO BASE."

They all stood and slowly climbed down into the trench. A hand fell on his shoulder again. "Nice one Alex" James said. But Alex didn't think it was a 'nice one'. He had killed a man. A man who may have had a wife, or a family to go back to. There was no way he would ever forgive himself for what he had done to that man. He would make sure he repented. He would make himself pay for what he had done when this war was over.

He awoke with a jump. He was breathing heavily. Alex knew he could never return to the frontline. He could not bear to have another man's blood on his hands. He already hated himself for what he had done to Hans. Heaven knows how many more he would kill when he returned to the battlefield. That was why he had run.

They left for the frontline that morning. By now the others would know he had left. He would have been reported to the police. His name would be in all the papers. By leaving his fellow men he had saved himself from killing another man. He had prevented perhaps another few innocent lives being ended. But in running from the battle. He had become selfish. Protecting his own honour and acting chivalrous against people who have killed hundreds of innocent British people. By running he had become....a deserter.

Everyone knew that any man who deserted was seen by his fellow men as a coward. He would be shamed in the papers as another coward who was not willing to fight for his country. He did not want this of course but he had no choice. He had to escape it all. He couldn't sleep after having the blood of one man on his hands. Heaven knows what would happen if he killed again.

When night fell he crept into the shed. He lit a small bit of paper on fire with his lighter for warmth. It was a bitter night. The air was cool. He was freezing in his thin uniform.

He blew out the fire for a few minutes and attempted to sleep but alas he could not. He found himself accidentally kicking the wall and making a loud bang. He listened for a moment to see if anyone would come and investigate. Then he lit his fire again. Once again he would have to do without sleep.

A few moments later he heard the sound of a door opening. Then footsteps approaching. He couldn't run. He couldn't escape. There was only one door to the shed. He was about to be discovered. He'd be recognised at once thanks to his red jacket. He would be going to prison he knew it. What would his family make of him then? His mother would most likely have some sympathy but his dad had fought on the frontline too. Before his injury. But still. His dad would only ever see his son as a coward.

The footsteps came closer and closer. He waited and held his breath. The sound stopped for a moment. He made a fake snoring sound hoping to scare off the intruder....It didn't work. The footsteps kept getting nearer and nearer until suddenly the door to the shed opened and the only sound that the intruder made was a deathly scream.

"Who are you?" He asked. The intruder stepped forward. She was a young girl of perhaps 15. He couldn't believe she was capable of making such a noise as he had just heard. She gazed at him in amazement.

"I should be the one asking you that question," she replied "why are you stealing from Lord Thornby's shed?"

"I have no idea who Lord Thornby is but I needed to get food from somewhere."

"That doesn't answer my question," the girl said "who are you?"

He stood up and held out a hand "Alexander Stuart," he replied. She placed her hand in his and he kissed it gently. Then he looked up at her "and you are?"

"Alice Brooks. Kitchen maid at Thornby Manor."

"And I suppose that Thornby Manor is owned by Lord Thornby?"

"Yes it is," Alice replied "but what are you doing here?"

Alexander wasn't sure whether he should lie or tell the truth. She hadn't recognised his name but he wasn't sure that if he told her he was a deserter she wouldn't go running off to the police. "I'm on leave from the army" he replied.

"Don't you have somewhere else to go?"

"Well I would go back to my mother's house but it's a long way away."

"Where does she live?"

"Coventry."

"That's miles away."

"I know. I haven't got the money to make my own way there."

"I can help you."

"Really?"

"Yes, but in return I want you to replace everything you've stolen."

"How, I don't have any money?"

"Oh yes I forgot that. Well then I want you to...give me your rather fetching jacket."

"I can't do that." This was a lie. He could of course give it to her. He wouldn;t need it anymore anyway. But he was afraid that someone might ask where she'd gotten a soldier's jacket from. She would only have to say his name and he'd be in prison in an hour.

"Well then you can allow me to come with you" Alice told him.

"You're working as a kitchen maid. You must only get one day off a month. We'll need longer than that to get to coventry."

"No we won't. I'll say my grandmother is ill and requires me. I can easily fake a letter from her."

"And where does your grandmother live?"

"Heaven these days. She died when I was five. But no one knows that."

"I'm sorry. What about your parents?"

"Died three years ago. Their house was bombed."

"I'm so sorry. You must miss them terribly."

"I do but I'll find somewhere else to go. When I come back I'll quit and go out there and find love. That's my dream."

"To find love?"

"To marry a rich man and escape this war with him."

"I hope you will. We'll need some supplies if we're going to Coventry though" Alexander explained.

"I know" Alice replied "leave everything to me. We'll leave in two days. I'll get everything we'll need. Then we'll get you back to your mother. I promise." And with that Alice disappeared into the night.