Aidan{19}

by Obi in London

The next morning

It just so happened that Colin Day was the paperboy. He rode his shiny red bike every Saturday morning for an hour, delivering every newspaper and individually subscribed newspapers and leaflets to every accommodation in the village and it’s ‘orbiting’ farms. Colin stomped down the stairs, making a terrible racket as Kerry was cooking in the kitchen.
“I have to deliver all these posters and my usual load?” complained Colin, reading the poster as he went, “what am I going to do?”
Kerry was in no mood, so she replied a simply as possible, “ask ye brother then!”
Colin sighed and rolled his eyes, then he hurried off to look for Aidan. It turned out Aidan was down in the garden shed practising martial arts, as soon as Colin came in he stopped abruptly.
Colin smiled, “you’re definitely up to something….” Said Colin a bit matter-of-factly .
“Shut up,” groaned Aidan, “what do you want anyway?”
“Mum says ye have to help me deliver the extra posters and papers…..” said Colin.
Aidan grabbed one of the posters and read it.
“Oh my gosh, dad’s in the Lynn Shield!” cried Aidan.
Colin grabbed Aidan’s arm before he could run, “what’s the Lynn Shield?” said Colin, Aidan was about to shrug him off but he looked grave and worried.
“They signed up a long time ago, so that if anyone attacked are village we’d have a ready supply of already drafted men and women to protect us,” said Aidan.

He rushed inside to show his mum and held the poster up, she stopped mixing and dropped the porridge spoon. The porridge covered wooden clattered and splattered on the kitchen floor, Kerry was in shock.
“I’m so sorry,” stuttered Kerry, resting her palm on her forehead, “ It’s just the shock. You see Lynn Shield happens instantly: As soon as you receive notification you have to report for duty.” Aidan looked sadly at his mother, she looked fit to cry. Fat, hot tears were already welling in her usually valiant green eyes.
“I’ll go take this to dad,” muttered Colin, he turned sheepishly and retreated up the stairs. Aidan hugged his mum comfortingly and a few seconds later, Alan was downstairs two hugging Kerry close like he’d never let go. But of course he did have to eventually let go, and silently with a grim expression tread out the door and down to Village Hall.