A Wolf In The Flames

A Wolf In The Flames is a historical fiction novel written by Kirsty Campbell. It is written in first-person narrative from the point of view of Stefan Gundelach, the main character.

Prologue
It's Christmas Eve 2015 and 83-year-old Stefan Gundelach is settling down for the festive period at his home, Shackleton Lodge with his daughter, Darcy, her husband, Michael and their children, Robbie and Arya. After seeing how happy his family are, Stefan gets sentimental and goes to the cupboard under the stairs where he keeps a locked box engraved with his initials. After struggling for years to turn the key of the box, Stefan opens the box and finds some old photos and an old journal from when he was a child and a teenager. This is where Stefan's story begins.

9th November 1938-2nd September 1939
After the horrors of Kristallnacht, orphaned Stefan is sent via Kindertransport to live at a boarding school in England where he faces a completely new challenge in his life. He struggles to fit in and is constantly bullied by the other boys at the boarding school, and even the headmaster, Ebenezer Finch, who horrifically abuses him. On Stefan's 7th birthday, he receives a letter from Frank, the owner of the orphanage he lived in back home in Berlin, wishing him well. Stefan locks the letter away in his secret box with his initials carved on it containing war medals belonging to Frank's unknown friend. Eventually, Stefan finds the courage to run away from the lodge and ends up sleeping in a barn for the night. The next morning he is discovered by a blacksmith, George Shackleton and his close friend, land girl Tommie Galloway who was sent to work at the Shackleton Farm. The pair take Stefan back to the farm and look after him for the night before questioning him about who he is and where he came from. He struggles to communicate since he knows no English, but Tommie knows a little German so can understand a few things he says. George's family soon discover that a mysterious young boy is living under their roof, and his parents, Leon and Maria are not impressed. Tommie says that Stefan is her little brother, but George isn't sure that his parents are convinced. George soon realises how attached Tommie is becoming to Stefan, so he questions her about it, asking why she is so overprotective of him. George soon finds out that Tommie's mother and brother died in a fire 12 years previously and she feels guilty for not being able to protect them, especially her twin brother, Oliver who she was extremely close to. [something about Harry, and Dimitri with Stefan and Tommie]

3rd September 1939-6th September 1940
War is then declared, leaving the entire home shaken. George is then given his conscription to fight in the war, leaving his family and Tommie devastated. Whilst George is away, he writes letters to Tommie, telling her of his experiences, though minimal. Tommie finds it difficult feeling so alone all the time, and soon finds out that Dimitri has seperated from his wife. They both share their mutual grief which ends in a kiss. In mid-1940, George returns home after receiving a shoulder and leg wound from the war. The Shackleton family are completely broken, but none more than Tommie who has realised whilst George was away that she is in love with him. She tends to George's wounds but he is completely reluctant to speak to anyone. During the night, George has numerous nightmares leaving him visibly shaken, but Stefan always goes to comfort him, without even saying a word. Stefan knows of the haunting nightmares too well. George's wounds heal and he eventually opens up the Tommie about the war, and at this point, they both realise their feelings for each other. After watching how courageous George was in telling Tommie about what happened to him, Stefan opens up to them both about what happened to him, through drawings, leaving George and Tommie completely heartbroken for him.

7th September 1940-10th May 1941
Soon after, the Blitz begins in London, leaving devastation at every turn.

After the War
Soon after the war, Stefan is adopted by Tommie and George and lives a happy life with them in North Berwick, Scotland. When Stefan turns 21, he receives a letter from his adoptive parents written by Frank and he finds out what happened to his real parents. He finds out that the medals he received from Frank actually belonged to his father, Ralph who fought beside him in the German Air Force in WW1. Stefan decides to return to Germany for a visit and he visits his parents graves which he has never been to before. He then visits Frank, the orphanage owners' house, but finds the house occupied by his grand-daughter, Hetti. Stefan then finds out that Frank died after Nazi forces sieged the orphanage and took the remaining residents to concentration camps in the mid-1940s. Stefan then falls in love with Hetti and they subsequently marry and have children together.

Epilogue
The epilogue continues from the prologue and consists of a letter Stefan writes to Tommie and George who saved him from a terrible childhood. Once the letter is written, Stefan throws it into his fire as it burns; he has finally let go of all of the traumas of his past and is living the happy life he deserves.

WWII Characters:

 * Stefan Gundelach - Main character. 6 year old German orphan boy.
 * Frank Falkenrath - 57-year-old man who runs Berlin-Pankow Orphanage in Berlin.
 * Ebenezer Finch - 38-year-old man who owns and is headmaster of Grimley Institute For Boys.
 * George Shackleton - 19-year-old farm worker.
 * Tommie Galloway - 17-year-old land girl working and living at Shackleton Farm.
 * Harry Galloway - 40-year-old father of Tommie.
 * Dimitri Mallory - 37-year-old closest friend of Harry and second-father figure to Tommie.

Present Day Characters:

 * Stefan Gundelach - Main character. 83-years-old.
 * Darcy Reed -
 * Michael Reed -
 * Robbie Reed -
 * Arya Reed -

Etymology

 * The author came up with the title several months before writing the novel.
 * Title meaning; The Wolf represents the main character, Stefan and The Flames represents the horrors that he faces in his life.