Through The Window

She waited a long time after lights out, laying in bed. Listening to the creaking of floorboards and the low murmuring of the other girls mixed in with the usual homesick sobs. It was a soundscape she had known for most of her life and it didn’t bother her now.

When the creaking stopped and the space between the checks from the night watch where furthest apart she finally made her move.

Sitting up on the edge of her bed she pulled her boots from beneath it. Her mother was a lot of things but she was at least easy to trick and a sob story about not being able to go hillwalking with friends had been enough to get her to pay for a rather handsome pair of walking boots. Now Connie tied them tight before grabbing the scarf as well. As she straightened up she realised the girl in the bed beside her was awake. Not only awake but staring straight at her.

“You’re going to try and run, aren’t you.” The girl stated in a whisper.

“I’m going to try,” Connie replied as she tightened her scarf around her neck.

“You’ll regret it,” The girl added in a tone of warning as she watched Connie stand up.

“I’ve been caned plenty of times before,” Connie replied with a dismissive shrug. “And it’s always better to try.”

The girl didn’t reply, only shaking her head as she watched Connie step over to the window. It opened easily and the drop was short and onto the soft ground. The moore stretched out before her with the tree line and its promise of freedom on the other side.

Connie Bell took one last look at the barracks and slipped through the window.