Before the Storm by Sean McMullen

brought home to Emily how very young BC really was, yet there were scars here and there, and on the lower rib cage was the mark of an old burn the size of Emily’s palm. A battle-hardened child, thought Emily. What sort of army has battle-hardened children? At last the bandaging was done, and Fox sat back on his heels. BC lay limp.
    â€˜Danny boy, all over,’ said Barry, who was kneeling beside Daniel. ‘You can open yer eyes now.’

    It was only noon by the time the operation had been completed. As BC lay resting, Fox fed the remaining evidence of the operation into the fire, and Barry left to steal lunch for them. By the time some clock tower was ringing out two o’clock, BC decreed that it was time to go to wherever they were taking him.
    â€˜Your, ah, home?’ he asked Emily. ‘Can stay? Recover?’
    â€˜We would have to explain you to my parents,’ said Emily, admitting to what was quite a serious problem.
    â€˜That could be awkward,’ agreed Daniel.
    â€˜Oi, my old man wouldn’t notice if his bum had been stolen,’ announced Barry. ‘BC, mate of mine, ya can stay in the parcels room at the station. That way one of us could always be to hand, in case ya has a turn.’
    â€˜Turn?’ asked BC.
    â€˜That means to become ill very suddenly,’ said Emily.
    â€˜To train, as is, BC, to walk, difficult,’ Fox pointed out. ‘Must carry.’
    â€˜So what’s the problem?’ asked Barry.
    â€˜To carry, need reason.’
    â€˜No problem there, Foxy.’
    Soon BC had his trouser leg rolled up and a bandage around his ankle. This declared to everyone that he could not walk because of some minor accident, and so had to be carried.
    â€˜Now then, Fox, can you carry BC to the station?’ asked Emily.
    â€˜Undignified,’ protested Fox. ‘Battle Commander, is.’
    â€˜Fox, listen to me, this is a good plan,’ insisted Emily. ‘Can you carry BC to the railway station?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Well then, do so!’
    â€˜Oh lor, this is stranger than some of old Aitkinson’s French postcards,’ said Barry unhappily.
    Into Barry’s bag went the small collection of strange objects from beside BC’s improvised bed.
    â€˜Of that, take care,’ said Fox, indicating the plasma lance rifle. ‘Dangerous weapon.’
    â€˜Very dangerous weapon,’ added BC.
    â€˜Look, er, I don’t think I’m, like, qualified to carry this sorta stuff,’ Barry said.
    â€˜You will carry it as your duty to the British Empire, and that’s the end of it!’ ordered Emily. ‘Fox, pick up BC. Danny, you will open doors and buy tickets. If anyone tries to stop us, I shall deal with them.’
    With that Fox swept BC up, Daniel opened the door, and then they were on their way.
    â€˜How far could you carry BC if we have to walk further than the station?’ asked Emily as they descended the stairs.
    â€˜As needed, so far,’ replied Fox.
    They were barely out of the door when the gang that had robbed Daniel appeared from an alleyway nearby. The youths began to spread out.
    â€˜Wot’s ’ere, then?’ said one wearing an oversize cap. ‘It’s dirty little boy an’ all.’
    â€˜Got ’is own push,’ said a rather thick-set youth with a cigarette at one corner of his mouth.
    â€˜Then that’s another push in our parish,’ said the youth in the cap, who appeared to be their leader. ‘Gotta teach ’em wot ’appens to invaders.’
    Three of the five had knives out by now, and one had a cane. Emily drew breath for a scream, then caught herself. Within Barry’s bag was a weapon that could kill them all in moments … but that seemed like going too far. She could threaten them with it, but to them it would look like a toy, so they would not take it seriously until it was too late. On the other hand, she also had