A fateful rivalry is born . . .

1937, South London. The Wilsons's worry about the threat of war blinds them to war developing in their own home. Their lonely son Billy is excited when his cousin, aunt and uncle move to live nearby. His excitement soon turns to dismay, for Uncle Frank is a bully who resents Billy’s sturdiness, while the frail and artistic Kenneth is hideously devious. The adults only see is his porcelain looks, not his darker soul. Now the same emotions that enabled Hitler’s rise - envy over strength, desire for new territory - ferment in the Wilson home.

Billy tries to protect himself with an imaginary power. This comes from a precious Cossack sabre, he has secretly seen in the home of his father’s friend. As war becomes a reality, Billy is evacuated and Kenneth sets out to invade Billy’s emotional space. The sabre is an icon that sustains Billy through the hardships, but is it destined to damage as well as protect?

Billy's innocent observation of the troublesome adult world lies within a tale of childhood resilience.