'Yes?' said (you) Tom bluntly, on opening the front door. 'What d' you want?' A harassed middle-aged woman in a green coat and felt hat stood at his step. He glanced at the armband on her sleeve. She gave him an awkward smile. 'I'm the Billeting Officer for this area,' she began. 'Oh yes, and what's that got to do wi' me?' She flushed slightly. 'Well, Mr,Mr...' 'Oakley, Thomas Oakley' 'Ah, thank you, Mr Oakley.' She paused and took a deep breath. 'Mr Oakley, with the declaration of war imminent...' (You) Tom waved his hand. 'I know that. Git to the point. What d' you want?' He noticed a small boy at her side. 'It him I've come about,' she said. 'I'm on the way to the village hall with the others' 'What others?' She stepped to one side. Behind the large iron gate that stood at the end of the graveyard was a small group of children. Timeskip to where (you) Tom meets William 'This is Willie' Willie, who had been staring at the ground, looked up. Round his neck, hanging from a piece of string, was a cardboarded label. It read 'William Beech'. Tom (you) was well into his sixies,a healthy,robust,stockily-built man with a head of thick white hair. Although he was of average height, in Willie's eyes, he was a towering giant with skin like coarse, wrinkled brown paper, and a voice like thunder. He glanced at Willie. 'You'd best come in,' he said abruptly.