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Picture - The School Bus by Nigel A. JAMES
Lucy Abel.
The Bus and
a Test
Lucy Abel - A Bus and a Test
Lucy Abel - A Bus and a Test
It was the
middle of winter a long time ago. The world was covered in snow and
the world was at war. Lucy Abel who was 11 and her little sister of 8 had been
evacuated to the north of Austria from their home in Vienna. The 2 girls were now in the vast forested region called the Waldviertel. A very cold place to be. It was colder than anywhere else. And life in the forest wasn't
that bad But, there was only one thing. The school bus.
The school
bus left early each day. Every morning at a quarter past six. Far too early. But,
there was one other bus. A later one at a quarter past
seven. And so, one evening, Lucy Abel decided to have an extra hour
in bed and go to school on the quarter past seven. A very good idea.
It was, after all, the middle of winter and the mathematics exam was
to begin at eleven the next day. And, maths was the hardest of all.
No problem.
Lucy was prepared and ready and waiting. And, then came the bus.
And, then came the shock. Lucy, the driver explained, was only
allowed to take the official school bus. The one that had already
left. Lucy went as white as the snow. She thought of her maths exam.
Lucy started walking. School was14 kilometres away. Lucy only had 3 very short hours, Lucy
walked fast to keep warm. And, with just 10 minutes to spare, Lucy
arrived in time for the test.
Lucy
relaxed. But, not for long. The air-raid siren went off. Enemy
bombers were coming. There was no time to spare. Speed was
essential. The children gathered their belongings and ran into the
forest. And, there they waited and waited.
Then
came the all-clear. Nearly three hours had passed. The children and
teachers went back to the school. But, now, sadly or happily, no time
for the test. The exam was postponed. The children were all given a
slice of warm bread and a bowl of hot soup. Then, home on the bus
they all went.
Rules are
rules, and in Austria rules really are rules. From that day on, Lucy
always got up for the official school bus, and never again did she
have to walk through the forest to school. And, ironically, the enemy
bombers never came back again. But, this isn't the end of this
story. The maths exam was held the next day. And, Lucy Abel passed
with an "A" - the best note of all.
It was
winter a long time ago when Lucy Abel walked through the forest to
school. A war time adventure she's never forgotten.
The School Bus - by Nigel A. JAMES
