Blood Under The Midnight Sun

By Steven Ure

Julie has looked after her twin brothers since their mother died during childbirth. Now, fifteen years later, as World War II breaks out, she finds she can no longer do that as her brothers have volunteered to fight for the British military and head off to Norway to fight the Nazis. When they are declared missing, Julie risks everything and flies over there in the dead of night to find them. 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Champagne Book Group
• Release date: Jul 6, 2015
• ISBN: 9781771551489

Book preview

Part One

The Boys go to War

5:00 p.m., September 2, 1939

Scotland

Julie kicked her horse hard in the ribs, urging him to go faster. She was late for supper. Any later and she risked being strapped by her father. The black thoroughbred cut through the dewy air, its mane whipped at her face.

She hadn’t intended on being late, but the neighbor boy dared her to climb the alder. He was always daring her to do things, as if he didn’t believe she was as brave as he was.

The alder was over a hundred feet tall—by far the tallest tree in Killearn village. It took her all afternoon to climb it, branch by branch and bough by bough and all the while Jimmy badgered her to fall.

By four o’clock, she had reached near the top where the branches could hardly support her weight. Of course, Jimmy egged her to climb up even higher, his jabbing voice carrying through the foliage. Julie had had enough, though, and she climbed down. By the time she had reached the ground, her hands were raw and bleeding, sap stuck to her exposed skin and broken twigs stuck out from her blonde matted hair.

I did that in half the time you did and I didn’t come out looking like another tree. He pointed at her hair and laughed.

Julie pulled out a foot long twig from her hair and slashed it across the boy’s face. Jimmy put his hand to his cheek. His eyes wide open in shock.

I know it didn’t hurt—not for a brave boy like you, she taunted him.

Jimmy stood up straight, composing himself, even though she could see tears forming in the corner of his eyes. Naw, didn’t hurt a bit. He wiped his face with his sleeve. Ain’t it suppertime for you? You might be getting the strap yourself, if you don’t hurry home. The boy grinned, like he had one over her.

The sun was already beginning to set under the highlands to the west. It was almost five. Julie dashed over to her tethered gelding, untied the rope around the tree, leaped onto the saddle, and galloped off to the farm.

Her father didn’t have patience for lateness. Everyone had to be sitting at the table on time, prepared for pleasant conversation. The latter hardly ever happened; it was just silence as Julie and the two boys played with their food. Most of the time it was the housekeeper, Emily, who asked the questions around the table, but she received curt yes’s and no’s in response. She did try, though.

Julie arrived at the stable and jumped off the horse while it was still trotting. She tied its reins around a post and ran to the house. She promised herself she would unsaddle and brush the horse after dinner. She was only fifteen minutes late by her estimate.

The farmhouse was made of flint. Moss stained the crevices between each flint. The house was so old it had sunk into the soft earth by two feet, with four descending steps to the front door built to accommodate this. It was like living in a bunker. The tiny windows were nearly level with the ground now. There was no view from any of the rooms. Only Julie and the housekeeper seemed to care about views, though, so nothing was done about it.

Julie opened the front door without a creak. She wanted to make it seem like she had been in the house the whole time and she had simply not heard the calls for dinner when she was in her bedroom. She took off her shoes and then sneaked across the hallway to her room. She was halfway to her bedroom when she heard her father speak.

This is just a hotheaded act of rebellion. You don’t actually want to serve His Majesty.

The fact he was speaking at all at the dinner table was a surprise to Julie, but he wasn’t only speaking—he was yelling. She had only witnessed her father yell on three other occasions. He had never yelled at anyone before, it was always at the car after he had hit a deer or at the radio after it broke down during an important announcement. Never at a person and certainly never his twin fifteen-year-old sons.

Julie kneeled down to the floor and steadied her breathing as she listened from the hallway.

You both are not even old enough to serve. You’ve broken the law by enlisting and will have tarnished our name if anyone finds out. You’ll both resign your commission and I won’t hear another word about it. He banged his hand against the kitchen table and Julie flinched. His temper always unnerved her, especially now.

We’re not going to resign, Adam said firmly. The Prime Minister has made a call to arms and it’s our duty as citizens to answer him.

Save your rhetoric for your schoolmates. This is me you’re speaking to. I know you’re only enlisting to defy me. This is just another juvenile rebellion, only this time it could very well cost you your lives, as it nearly cost mine. He sighed and slumped to his chair.

It was pointless arguing with the twins. Once they had decided something, they were dead-set on their way. Each boy reinforced and encouraged the other, until they had an unbreakable will. It got rather tiresome. Julie couldn’t even convince them to brush their teeth if she had wanted to.

Is that it then? Father spoke after a considerable pause. You’re both off to war and may not ever come back? My only two sons following in their father’s footsteps, only this time they may not be as lucky. It hardly seems fair. He seemed to speak more to himself than his sons.

Yes, we’ll most likely be going to France after training. We’ll probably just doddle about anyway. My mate Colin thinks the Germans will stop after Poland after we start our build-up in France. The war will be over by Christmas.

I’m sure it will, Father whispered. I’m sure it will.

3:15 p.m., September 3, 1939

"Diese seltene Milbe lebt ausschließlich in Temperaturen von 20 bis 25 Grad."

Say it again, Father ordered.

"Diese seltene Milbe lebt ausschließlich in Temperaturen von 20 bis 25 Grad."

Again.

"Diese seltene Milbe lebt ausschließlich in Temperaturen von 20 bis 25 Grad."

"God damn it, girl. It’s ausschließlich! Move your tongue up in your mouth and keep it there when you say it."

I’m sorry, Father.

Don’t be sorry. Just say it right the next time, otherwise it’s a dead giveaway.

Julie didn’t know whom it was supposed to be a giveaway to and she was afraid to ask him. Her father had taught German to her and her brothers every other day for as long as she could remember. He taught Julie separately, as it was inappropriate to teach boys and girls in the same class. But Julie liked having some time with her father in the privacy of his bedroom. This was the only time they really spoke to one another as he was always either working or mulling away in his study.

"All right, say this: Als Kaninchen bezeichnet man mehrere Gattungen und Arten aus der Familie der Hasen Leporidae, sie gehören zu den Säugetieren."

Julie repeated it and waited for her father’s judgment. The longer the wait, the worse the judgment. She gulped and stared down at the floor.

That was perfect, girl. He smiled. You’re a right frau, you know that? He reached into his front pocket and pulled out his briar pipe, packed it, and then lit it. He inhaled and held the smoke in his lungs for near half a minute. Then he exhaled through his nostrils. Along with the smoke came a heavy sigh.

Children never listen and they never learn, he said. Not any of the important things anyway, not until they’re older. He bit down on the pipe. Why do you think I taught you children German? he asked Julie.

Julie had never considered why, she merely obeyed her father. I...I don’t know.

It wasn’t because it’s a beautiful language, that’s for certain. It sounds ghastly because it is. He snorted and smoke billowed out his nose. No, I taught you and your brothers German because I knew one day we’d be at war with them. Ever since we buggered them at Versailles, I knew that. He looked his daughter squarely in the eyes. Don’t ever give your enemy an excuse to hurt you because they will one day. I can guarantee that. If only our dear leaders had the same sense.

He tamped the tobacco and drew in again. I taught you all German so you would be able to stay out of the war. See how much good it did for me? He laughed. Your brothers could’ve stayed away from the front lines. They could’ve been sitting comfortably behind a desk in London translating intercepted German radio communications. Instead they choose to risk their lives on a fool’s errand. History has a cruel way of repeating itself.

Julie didn’t know what to say. Her father had never spoken to her like this—so candidly. Usually he only asked her if she had finished her chores or her studies, and she would always reply yes and that was the end of it. They went their separate ways, both leaving satisfied for undertaking at least some effort in interacting with each other that day.

Yes, I suppose it does, was all she could say. She wanted to leave. She wasn’t comfortable with her father being so exposed.

He must have noticed her anxiety and nodded his head. Go on, girl. Leave your father alone to grieve.

Julie sat up and walked to the door.

Hold on, girl. Julie stopped dead and turned around to address her father. "Don’t forget it’s ausschließlich. Keep your tongue up or else you won’t be fooling any Germans."

She nodded and left the room. As soon as she was past the doorway and around the corner, she began breathing harder. Her father was somehow different. More caring and sympathetic. He may have always been that way.

9:00 a.m., September 4, 1939

Julie could hear the twins chanting away as she approached their room. They were singing ‘It’s a long way to Tipperary’ and replacing Irishman in the second line with Scotsman. Adam sang alto and Adrian bass and it came out in a ruckus that made Julie want to turn away down the hall. She had to face them, though.

The door to their bedroom was open and inside were two twin beds and two dressers on opposite sides. All of the drawers in the dressers were pulled open and every piece of clothing: every holey sock, stained shirt, and ripped trouser were taken out and stuffed into their two burgundy leather suitcases.

Adrian marched in place on top of the bed with his right hand saluting no one in particular. They were still dressed in their nightclothes. Thin linen shirts that reached past their knees. These were the men who were going to fight for Great Britain.

Maybe you should adorn your faces with some blue war-paint and really complete the picture, Julie said, interrupting their fun, as she leaned against the doorframe.

That ain’t a bad idea. Adrian jumped off the bed. It would clash with our red hair, and then we’d almost have all the colors of the Union Jack. Real patriotic.

"Yes, since that is why you’re doing all this—to be patriots?" She rolled her eyes.

The twins caught on to their sister’s jab and looked at each other knowingly. And what would you know about being a patriot? Adam walked over and leaned into her face. He was still half a head shorter than his big sister, so it didn’t quite have the desired effect. You’re just a girl, he taunted and pinched each of her breasts hard. Before she had a chance to slap him in retaliation, he had skittered away.

She wasn’t going to chase him and make him pay for what he had done. She was too old for that now. She was nearly of age. She instead crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head, shaming them.

The twins wouldn’t have any of it and laughed in return. What are you doing in our room anyway? Adrian asked, as he put a box of chocolates inside his suitcase.

You shouldn’t have enlisted, she said. You should both resign your commissions like Father said.

There’s no chance of that happening, Adam quickly replied. We’re in it for the long run. There’s no backing out now.

Father said you could work as translators, translating German into English for the Armed Forces. You would be doing just as much good, and you wouldn’t be risking your lives either. Father told me that was the reason he taught you German in the first place. He knew a war was brewing and he wanted to keep you as far from it as he possibly could. He cares about you two. That’s all.

The twins looked at each other. They had this way about them. They knew intuitively what the other was thinking. Finally, Adrian spoke. We pledged ourselves and we’re not going to renege. Plus, it’s not very heroic sitting in an office translating transcripts. We want something more than that. He stuffed some unfolded shirts into his suitcase.

So you’re willing to die and devastate Father, not to mention me, just for heroism?

Adam cooed. Aww. Getting sentimental over your younger brothers, are you? He grinned.

Julie didn’t give them the satisfaction of blushing. It was true enough, though. Of course, it was true. They were her brothers. How could she not care for their well-being?

Mother died bringing you both into this world, Julie spoke, so the least you could do is live long, full lives for her sake.

The twins didn’t have to look at each other this time. Get out. Adrian pointed to the door.

Julie left them. She had to play that card, though. Just to see if it would work and give them some sense and perspective. It was a shame it hadn’t.

4:00 p.m., September 4, 1939

Killearn Train Station was packed with young men eager to go to war. Julie had counted at least fifty of them between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five. There wouldn’t be an honest bachelor left in the village of a thousand people after the train had steamed away.

The twins were at the far end of the platform chatting away with their schoolmates, most of whom had enlisted as well. If Julie hadn’t known any better, she would have guessed the real reason the twins had joined up was because all of their friends had as well. They were following a trend, and what a dangerous trend it was.

Adam took out his hunting knife from his luggage. He used it to skin the hares that had been trapped trying to get into the vegetable garden. He swore he would make a skin-hat out of all those hares, but so far nothing had come of it. He jabbed at the air with the knife and made gushing sound effects after each thrust connected on the invisible target. The other kids cheered him on, and they soon brandished their own daggers and knives.

Julie thought a German would be a lot harder to kill than that. A German wouldn’t just stand there taking it.

Her father had eventually yielded and agreed to see the twins off. He stood watching the twins as Julie did, but his face revealed even more disbelief as he took in the scene of all the boys stabbing at the wind.

You can tell the government they’re underage, Julie told her father. That way they wouldn’t have to go to war.

I can rationalize with the twins and they can deny my reason, but I can’t force them to do anything. If I did, they would resent me for it. They would read about their friends dying over there while they stayed at home. It wouldn’t be fair to them and they would hate me for it—and with good reason. It has to be their decision alone. I don’t agree with it, but I can accept it.

Julie clenched her teeth and looked back at the twins still knifing the warm afternoon air. They were just silly boys. She hoped the army would make men out of them soon. A loud toot interrupted her thoughts. The train from Aberfoyle was here. She had the cold realization she might never see her brothers again. Her father laid a kind hand on her shoulder to steady her. We should say our farewell, Julie. And wish them luck, too.

They both walked over to the twins. The other boys had cleared off to say their goodbyes as well, so it was just the four of them.

Father held out his leathery hand to the twins and Adam was the first to shake it, followed by Adrian. Remember what I told you, he said to them. It’s good advice that has served many of my countrymen and I have no doubt it will serve you well too.

Julie wasn’t sure what this advice was. She was curious about it, but now wasn’t the time to ask about it.

We will, Father, Adam said.

Now say goodbye to your sister, he told them.

The twins hadn’t spoken to Julie since the bedroom incident, but they reluctantly said their goodbyes anyway. They usually hugged as well when they did their goodbyes. Julie didn’t know if they had left that out because they still resented her or they were trying to act hard around their friends. She hoped it was the latter.

Julie wasn’t going to let their resentment get the best of her and she leapt forward and hugged Adrian. She squeezed his arms to the side and nearly lifted him off the ground before letting go. Adam resisted at first, pushing her back a little, but he eventually relented, and then she hugged him even harder.

Goodbye, Adam. Goodbye, Adrian, she said, her lips trembling.

The twins mumbled their goodbyes back to her.

The train screeched to a halt, and the engine slowed to idle. Porters took the recruits’ luggage away and placed it in the storage car at the back of the train. A young boy, maybe twelve years old, covered in soot from the locomotive approached the twins and signaled for them to give him their luggage. They hired younger boys these days, since most of the able-bodied were going to war. The twins gave their two suitcases over and the boy placed them on a trolley and pushed it to the luggage car.

There was no going back now. The train was heading to Glasgow and would stay there for a day before heading off to London. Then the twins would take another train ride to Chatham where they would receive their basic army training.

We’ll write to you when we can, Adam said, and then stepped up into the passenger car.

The car was already filled with recruits. Julie could see their uneasy faces and stiff postures through the windows as they tried to put up a brave front.

Adrian nodded curtly to his father and went in after Adam. They wouldn’t be able to sit with each other. They would have to face the long train ride alone. Julie could only imagine what they would be feeling. She was so scared for them.

The whistle for departing sounded and the car doors closed. The pistons on the locomotive went back and forth, and the wheels ground forward until the twins were no longer there. Julie and her father stood there watching nothing. The twins were already beyond the horizon and gone.

Let’s go, Julie, her father finally said, and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. It’s suppertime.

They both walked down the platform to the car park and went home.

Slaughter

April 8th, 1940

The farmhouse was so empty without the twins filling it up with laughter and cheer. It was even emptier than when Julie’s mother had passed and the family couldn’t muster a single word between them for weeks on end. The only time Julie and her father spoke was