Read Online Soldier Girl by Annie Murray - Free Book Online

bob who had her back to them. Other girls were chattering along the rows of beds, everyone wondering what next and where on earth was the bedding and when were they going to get a cup of tea?
    However, the blonde girl next to Cath was sitting bolt upright on the edge of her bed not joining in the hubbub. She looked very distracted and upset.
    ‘She doesn’t look too happy,’ Cath said in her easy way. I’d better go and say hello.’
    Walking round the bed, she went to the tall girl and held out her hand. ‘Hello there – we’re neighbours. My name’s Cath.’
    The girl looked up with stricken eyes, as if she’d been brought back from some faraway dream. Eventually it dawned on her to take Cath’s hand.
    ‘Oh – I’m Honor. Honor Carruthers.’ Molly and Lena exchanged smirks at the sound of her posh, peculiar voice. ‘How d’you do?’
    ‘I’m doing all right,’ Cath said in her easy way.
    ‘Really?’ Honor said, seeming appalled by everything around her. ‘I – I didn’t know . . . I had no idea it would be so perfectly awful . . .’
    ‘Ah well,’ Lena called across to her. ‘Bit late now, ain’t it? We’re here and we’re all gunna ’ave to get used to it.’ She looked across at Molly and rolled her eyes.
    ‘But I . . .’ the girl started to say, but it was drowned out by Corporal Morrison’s voice booming at the door, ‘Right – outside in threes, quick sharp!’
    As they milled out of the hut Molly found herself close to Ruth. Seeing who was beside her, Ruth glanced at her, then turned away, a thick blush rising in her cheeks, and moved right away from Molly as fast as she could. Stung, Molly stared after her.
    Right, she thought, I can see how it’s going to be with you, you stuck-up little bitch!
    The occupants of Hut J were obviously a very mixed crew and Molly was grateful that her nearest neighbours were Lena and Cath. Imagine if she had to deal with one of those posh cows who had beds further along, with their bossy, cut-glass voices!
    Outside, the snow had turned to a sleety rain, but this didn’t seem to make any difference to proceedings. The twelve of them stood like lambs ready for the slaughter, hands raw in the cold, freezing droplets trickling down the backs of their necks, waiting to be told what to do.
    ‘Squad! Move to the right in threes! Quick march – left, right, left, right . . . Right wheel. . .’
    ‘Holy Mother!’ Cath was already giggling at trying to set off on the right leg, or was it the left? The turn caused quite a few of them to bump into one another and there was much giggling and confusion. She and Molly seemed to set each other off and before they’d gone far, they were almost helpless with laughter.
    ‘Quiet!’ Corporal Morrison turned on them, glowering. She left the front and walked round to give Molly and Cath a particularly fierce scowl. ‘We can take as long as you like over this. D’you want to stand out here all afternoon?’
    Some of the others were shushing them, annoyed. Molly and Cath just managed to stifle their giggles. It was quite some time before there were two orderly lines of six at the back of the hut.
    ‘That hut to your left is where you will find the latrines. You first six – quick march – you have one minute each!’
    Molly found herself marching full speed, with Lena, Cath, Honor, Ruth and another quiet girl, to the latrines. Honor, who was detailed to go into the primitive toilet next to hers, made a gagging sound of horror. Molly thought it didn’t look too bad compared with some in the yards where she’d lived, and she was used to people banging impatiently on the door demanding that she come out. Even so, one minute was a bit steep. She did her business as fast as she could and pulled the door open.
    ‘Ah – at least someone can obey orders!’ Corporal Morrison barked. Molly blushed, surprisingly gratified at having done something right for once in her life. Other doors were yanked open by the nervous,