Tomorrow, When the War Began: Chapter 9 Summary & Analysis

Fiona wakes Ellie at 11:00 a.m. just like they planned, but Ellie has a hard time waking up. As she climbs up to the treehouse to take her watch, she feels groggy and slow. Ellie wakes slowly sitting in the treehouse, and thinks that it has been less than 24 hours since they came in from Hell and found their lives rearranged. Life can change in an instant, Ellie thinks, remembering all the hours she and Corrie spent playing dolls and other childhood games in the treehouse. One day they just stopped playing, and Ellie tried to pick it up again months later, but it wasn’t the same. Ellie can’t believe how quickly she has lost everything, and, as she mourns, she is scared for the future.

Ellie hears a sound from below, and Corrie climbs the ladder. Corrie can’t sleep, so she figured she would come and sit with Ellie. Corrie wonders out loud about their parents and hopes they are safe at the Showground, but she can’t stop thinking about World War II and Kampuchea. Then she thinks about the soldiers shooting at them and the sounds of their screams when the lawnmower exploded, and her brain overloads. War is something that happens on TV, Corrie says, and even if they manage to live, she says that she will never feel safe again.

Corrie asks Ellie if she thinks the soldiers will come, but Ellie agrees with Homer. There is no way they can search the whole district right away, and they probably have some time. Ellie says they likely came in through Cobbler’s Bay, which gives them access to all of Australia. Their town is too small to be any real target, so they are probably just here for access to Cobbler’s Bay. “You children come down from that tree right now!” Homer yells playfully from below and climbs the ladder.

Corrie, Ellie, and Homer sit in the treehouse talking and suddenly hear the sound of planes in the distance. An Australian plane comes into view, and Homer begins to celebrate; however, Corrie points to three foreign planes in hot pursuit. Not great odds, Homer says with disappointment and hopes the pilot survives. Later, inside Corrie’s house, they eat a late lunch and talk about Robyn and Lee. Homer hasn’t spoken in a while, and the rest of them stare at him, waiting for him to lead them. He begins to talk naturally, not seeming to notice they are all waiting for him.

Homer says it might not be such a good idea to stick together. They like being together and feel better that way, but they have to get tough. He suggests that two of them go into town and look for Robyn and Lee. If they don’t find them by midnight, they should go scope out Lee’s house—maybe they are injured and hiding there. Kevin stops Homer. He didn’t think Homer believed in friendship anymore, but here he is suggesting they split up and risk their lives to find Robyn and Lee. It isn’t just friendship, Homer says. A group of seven is stronger than a group of five.

Kevin asks what the remaining three do while the other two are looking for Lee and Robyn, and Homer says they should load anything they can find into Corrie’s Toyota and then move on to Kevin’s and Ellie’s and do the same. He instructs them to get the Land Rover and fill it with supplies—food, gas, clothing, rifles, and tools of every kind—and be ready to go. Kevin asks where they are going. “To Hell,” Homer says.

They spend the next hour making a list of everything they should take, including Ellie’s teddy bear, Alvin. Much of what they packed for their camping trip is still in the Land Rover, but they will need more food and clothing, soap, toothpaste, pens, paper, books, a radio, batteries, tampons, playing cards—everything. When someone suggests family photos, and Corrie says she wants to take her mom’s diaries, Homer stops them. This is war, he reminds them, and they can’t afford to take stuff like that. Homer’s comment sparks an argument, and Fiona stops the bickering by suggesting they bury everything of value in the garden. That way, they can get it later.

Kevin comes into the room with two rifles and a shotgun. They will have .22 Hornet, a .410, and Ellie’s dad’s .303, too, but very little ammunition. Suddenly, another plane can be heard in the distance. It is a helicopter, Corrie says, and Homer yells for them to stay away from the windows. They should have someone on watch, he says and orders them all to different corners of the house, giving them a 360 degree view of the surrounding area.

As Ellie hides behind the curtains, she notices Kevin’s corgi wandering around outside. Ellie is terrified. Whoever is in the helicopter is sure to notice a healthy dog walking around. She considers calling the dog but stops. The helicopter moves closer, and Ellie holds herself flat against the wall, sliding out of the room and back to Homer. She can’t see any soldiers, Ellie says, but the dog is outside. The dog will probably make them suspicious, Homer guesses. He says they have been stupid, and they can’t afford to make such mistakes again. Ellie goes back to the window and tries to count the soldiers in the helicopter.

The helicopter hovers outside, making no attempt to land, but Homer suggests they make a plan just in case. If the helicopter lands, they can run in the opposite direction and make their way into the bush, or they can surrender. Ellie says she really doesn’t want to die and suggests they surrender. Everyone agrees and goes back to watching. Kevin says the soldiers are looking right at him, but he doesn’t think they can see him. Suddenly, the helicopter gains altitude and flies away. Homer springs into action and orders them about. They can’t make any more mistakes, he says.

Homer begins talking and tells them to interrupt only if they disagree with something. They don’t have time for conversation, he says. They must abandon the dogs, Homer begins. They can’t keep the dogs, and they will only slow the group down. They will leave as much food and water as they can, but that is all they can do. And the milking cow outside, Homer tells Corrie, has an infection that is gangrenous. She is sure to die, and they can’t let her suffer. They will have to shoot her. Lastly, they can’t take the Toyota. It is out in the open, and the soldiers probably saw it and will notice if it is gone.

Homer suggests they ride the bikes to Kevin’s and get Kevin’s dad’s Ford, and then move on to the Land Rover. They will go to Hell tonight, but first, Homer thinks that he and Ellie should go into town and look for Lee and Robyn. Homer tells Kevin, Corrie, and Fiona to leave a car hidden at Ellie’s and leave another at the top of Tailor’s Stitch. They can walk into Hell from there. For now, Homer is scared that the helicopter is coming back, and he suggests they run. They can come back after dark for supplies. He picks up the rifle and looks at Corrie, but she doesn’t take it. Homer goes out to the barn alone, followed by the sound of a single rifle shot.

Ellie and the others go out to the garden shed, and Homer follows, just as a fighter jet rips through the sky. It is flying deliberately, like it is on a mission, and Ellie notices two missiles fixed to the bottom. Suddenly, two rockets shoot from the plane, and Corrie’s house explodes in a ball of fire. The second rocket hits the mountain behind the garden shed, barely missing them. Corrie falls to the floor, sobbing and flopping around like a fish. Ellie grabs a bucket of water and dumps it on Corrie, and she stops moving but sits quietly sobbing. They all wait. Corrie doesn’t move, and they each silently agree to wait until she does.