Read Online Torn Away by James Heneghan - Free Book Online

ice cream with a spoon, and my ma is talking to her and waving a piece of strawberry cheesecake on the end of a fork.”
    By this time they had reached the dock where the boats were tied up. Declan felt the sun warm on his face. They sat together on the bottom of an upside-down herring skiff.
    â€œThe bomb went off at about ten o’clock in the morning,” continued Declan.
    Six people, including Mairead and their ma, Mary Doyle, were killed instantly; two more died on the way to the hospital; and twenty-two people were injured, eight of them seriously.
    â€œWho did it?” said Ana.
    â€œThe dirty Prods!”
    â€œThe Protestants?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    It was the police who came to the school with the news. He was called out of his last period history class to go to the headmaster’s study. As he walked along the corridor and down the stairs, he wondered what he had done to arouse the interest of the Head.This of course was before he joined the Holy Terrors, when his worst sin up to then had been thinking impure thoughts about Bridget Fahey, the most beautiful girl in the school, though he didn’t tell this part to Ana.
    â€œYou joined a gang?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause the Holy Terrors are sworn to fighting the British. And fighting the Protestant militants. And fighting the police too. We have three enemies: the Brits, the Prods and the police. We’re freedom fighters.”
    When he saw the policeman standing beside the headmaster’s desk and the headmaster himself sitting with his head bowed, the first thing Declan thought was that he was about to be accused of something he hadn’t done.
    The policeman told him quietly about the bomb, and the headmaster said he was sorry and to let him know if there was anything he could do to help. Was there anyone else at home? No, his da was dead; there was only the three of them: Mary Doyle, Mairead and himself. He would be all right, he told the headmaster; there was Mrs. O’Malley nextdoor if he needed anything. They wanted to send someone with him, at least to Mrs. O’Malley’s. He said no.
    He had gone home to an empty house.
    When he had finished talking, Ana sat a little closer to him on the bench. “When did your father die?”
    â€œAbout ten years ago. I was only three. They killed him too. With a gun.”
    Ana flinched. “Declan, you’d be crazy to go back there. All that killing. You really would. You gotta stay here; you can’t go back!”
    He shook his head. “You don’t understand. The Irish people have been fighting for their freedom for hundreds of years. Just like the blacks in America. I’m needed. I’ve no choice. Besides, I want to get them—I’ve got to get them—for my sister and my ma. I’ve got to go back.”
    â€œOh, I understand all right,” said Ana, her voice heavy with irony, “I understand that you want to go back to all that killing. Look, I feel sorry about your family, Declan, but you’ve still got your own life to live. Killing people isn’t the answer!”
    â€œIt’s my life,” he said angrily.
    â€œIf you call hating and killing a life!”
    â€œI should have known you wouldn’t understand!”
    Ana bristled. “Maybe I’m younger than you, Declan, but in lots of ways I’m much older. I understand a lot more than you think I do!”
    â€œYou understand nothing!” He jumped up and started back along the beach toward the house.
    Thomas ran. “Wait up, Declan!” he called to Declan’s stiff back.
    â€œStay with your know-it-all sister!” yelled Declan.
    When Declan got back, he found his uncle in the old clapboard garage, bent over his workbench, tinkering with a television set.
    Declan looked around. The garage was full of old toasters, TV sets, electrical appliances of all kinds. Many had been