Elenya

Dear Julie Price, thank you for your letter.

I'm afraid it took a long time to reach me.

The post in my part of Italy is bad.

I'm so glad your Uncle Sidney thought of me,

although he knows I didn't have much to do

with village life during the war.

Still, I suppose that title covers a lot of ground.

Of course I'll try to help, but I must tell you

that I haven't thought of Wales for many years,

and there's little chance that I'll ever go back.

I expect that most of you will have

heard already today the news that

the British Army has been in action in...

See, Ellie, I told you we'd do it.

Yes.

But in contact with German troops

for the first time.

The release of this news, which has been a closely guarded

secret for several days, automatically discloses the fact

that a force of British troops has taken its place in a

sector of the Maginot line, side-by-side with the French,

and face-to-face with the Germans.

It has been my good fortune to see

something of the troops involved.

So far, they have represented country regiments,

with detachments and technical experts

from other Army formations on special duty.

Here, Dad.

Here, it's yours now!

Go on!

You're strong enough, that's it!

Nice and tight.

Go on!

Oh, Christ!

We lived in the cottage near the end of the

bridle path to the Williams' farm.

It seemed so big at the time.

We'll say nothing to Auntie Maggie.

There was me, my father,

and Auntie Maggie in those days.

You should've seen the dawn, Maggie.

Your breakfast's cold on the table.

My mother had gone by then.

And all around us, there were the woods.

This is my home!

And this is my home and this is Ellie's home!

She's Ellie's mother!

Don't you talk about her again.

You always think of her.

Why do you never think of your sister?

Why do you never remember me?

And it is this fact which has...

Of the younger generation...

That it has found our young folk more ready to serve

their country in arms, in its service of a cause

than ever they were or could have been roused to be,

for any imperial interest.

I'm glad your Uncle Sidney

encouraged you to write.

He sold the house when Maggie died a few years ago.

I don't know if anyone's living there now.

You know more about her as an old lady than I do.

We lived a simple life then.

We heard about people in the village

like Albert Thomas joining up.

Maggie blamed Dad for being out of work,

but people forget good carpentry when war comes along.

Everything was easier when my father was at home.

I remember the day he left.

The first lie he ever told me.

It's just a few weeks, Ellie.

Until I find the work.

Then I'll be back.

Maggie loves you, Ellie.

Deep down.

Try and love her back a little, eh?

Promise you'll try?

I promise.

I'll be back before you know it.

I'll write once I'm set.

After that, the house was different.

Dark and still.

Maggie and I weren't great talkers.

He forgot his cap.

Glyn won't come back now.

I don't know if any of this is helpful.

My memory isn't good.

I remember kites.

Sitting at night in my window.

Cutting up newspaper articles next to the fire.

Most of all, the woods and the paths I made.

Narrow and winding, so nobody could follow.

You lay a good fire.

Just like Glyn.

Could I have a candle, just for tonight?

I'm not your father, Elenya.

It's time you got used to the dark.

I went to school with your Uncle Sidney.

There were two classes then.

I wasn't much of a pupil, always late for everything,

and they teased me because of my name,

and because I didn't have a proper family.

Hurry along now, children!

Those bombs could be real this time.

Off you go.

Come along, Elenya.

Good girl.

Elenya is an unusual name.

Italian.

Greek, maybe.

Well, she's certainly a strange little thing.

But then, living without your real mother

can't be easy, can it?

Have you heard from your father yet?

Well, you'll have news soon, I'm sure.

Will the war get to us?

- Don't be silly, they don't have wars here.

Whatever are you doing?

I'm late already.

I've left carrots in the sink, peel them properly this time.

I hate you.

I hate you, I hate you.

Ellie!

Ellie!

I shouted. - Didn't hear.

- Liar. - So?

- My dad lets me label the medicines now, even the poisons.

Want to come and see?

I think Sidney had an eye for me.

Well, I shouldn't exaggerate, we were very young then.

I took advantage from the start, I'm afraid.

Look.

Up there.

It's strychnine and cyanide.

Dad keeps them all on top so no one can touch.

Look.

Copper sulfates.

Little blue crystals.

You can grow them like plants, if you want.

Prettier than jewelry.

Maybe he'll join up.

- Who? - Your dad.

They'd stop teasing you then.

Stands to reason, if he killed lots of Germans,

he'd be a hero.

I told you never to touch the chemicals!

Who are you? - She's Ellie, she's...

Be quiet!

Oh, you're the Italian, aren't you?

Out.

Out of this house, before I call the police!

Sidney is a very loyal, kind man.

In the end, he did turn against me because he had to.

He didn't know everything.

What happened was perfectly natural in war.

And, of course, I was a foreigner.

War was great fun at first.

We all loved the urgency of it all.

It was dangerous, exciting.

But we got bored with practicing.

We longed for a real plane to come along.

I wish I could draw like that.

Like what?

So where's your dad gone then, Ellie?

To find another foreign lady?

Elenya, Phil!

I'll see you after school.

Why don't you run away?

- I promised my dad I'd love Auntie Maggie.

You're funny.

Why'd you do that?

'Cause you're a girl and I'm a boy.

- That's two less Germans for us to kill, thank God.

You don't know what war is.

Elenya?

Elenya!

Sweet Jesus, make me love her.

Where have you been?

Nowhere.

Is that where all that mud's come from, nowhere?

I went back to the field,

to see what they'd found in the wreckage.

Well?

They were all burnt alive.

- They should've been all wrung out yesterday.

- No, I don't remember his other name, I'm afraid.

I don't think I was ever told.

Everyone must wonder why I did it.

Maybe it was just instinct.

But between you and me, there was more to it than that.

Even at the start.

Please don't be dead.

Shh.

What's your name?

Elenya.

Me, Elenya.

You.

Your name?

Franz.

Franz.