From the prompt: "Burned into my memory..."
"The Glorious Cause"
Keith sat beside Devin on the wooden crate, listening while Liam and Shannon explained the plan. Aye, there would be much destruction on the day of the march.
�We want to be heard,� Liam said, emphasizing it with a fist against his palm. �The whole world will be watching the march tomorrow, and they�ll hear our voices then.�
Keith was nodding along with the rest, but in his mind he could still feel Holly in his arms as she lay dying, see her golden eyes close for the last time. The Glorious Cause was no longer glorious; it had to be stopped.
�The Prods will leave once we�re done with them,� Shannon added. �This land is ours, and we will take it back!� He turned to Keith. �O�Connor, you�re in charge of the explosives, okay? Duffy will set them up. You take care of them.�
Keith nodded, flashing his stereotypical wacky grin. If anyone noticed the stubbornness in his eyes, they misread it.
Keith knelt on his bed, packing his duffel bag. He scooped up his picture of his family and stared at it for a long moment, biting his lip. He smoothed one thumb over the glass; Holly�s picture was hidden behind it.
He sighed and tucked the picture into his bag. He was leaving home. One more job with the Cause, and then he�d be gone. Keith pulled on his school blazer, jaw set determinedly. The march would start at around 10 AM, right after double history.
Keith bounded into the kitchen and reached for his toast. His father was already out. While he ate, he scribbled a hasty note to his father.
~ Da,
I�m going out. Probably won�t be back. I�m attaching a small card with Fiona and Joseph�s address on it. Go there � they�re waiting for you.
~ Love, your son,
Keith Matthew.
He paper-clipped the card to the note and headed out the front door, duffel bag over his shoulder. Today was the day.
Shannon was running down the hall after the first double block, rounding up the lads.
�Let�s go, everyone, the march, let�s go!�
Keith abandoned his math books on the desk and slipped out of the form room with the others, Devin and Liam and Duffy at his heels.
The boys assembled behind the PE hall, Shannon in the center of the group.
�Keith, Duffy has the C4. Go with him. Make them Prods burn.�
Duffy grinned, grabbed Keith by the wrist and dashed away into the streets.
The Prods were lined up on either side of the street, watching and yelling angrily while the Taigs marched. St. Andrew�s Day? Keith cared little for saints.
Duffy opened his rucksack, setting the charges up along the street. He wore a manic, maniacal grin. Keith worked quickly and efficiently beside him, but with a different purpose.
Duffy looked up with the marching started, hordes of Taigs carrying banners.
�Do it,� he said, and the first explosion shook the ground. Keith caught himself against a lamp post and shut his eyes, focusing. Explosions rocked the street, one after another, echoed by terrified screams. The fire crackled and burned, Duffy cackling along with it. Keith lashed out with his mind.
Keith opened his eyes, watching as, one by one, the blazes simply went out.
Duffy stared in disbelief. �Keith, what�s going on?�
But Keith was darting into the crowd of Prods and for the other side when a huge ball of flam exploded skywards. There were more screams as Keith was pushed around, but he reached out with his mind and the flames abruptly vanished.
�Keith! Help!� Shannon was yelling. Cops poured into the street, weeding Taig boys out of the crowd. Keith shucked off his blazer and broke into a run. It was time to go.
He�d stashed his bag in Mrs. McCullough�s rosebushes and was pawing for it when he looked across the street and saw his father in their doorway, reading the card.
�Farewell, da,� Keith murmured, etching the moment with fire into his memory. Then he set off to find Death.
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© Agent Duo 2004