Free Torn Away by James Heneghan Page B

“Anyone would think you were a rutting stag,” he said.
    Declan brushed the hair out of his eyes.
    Matthew pressed. “Does that hurt?”
    â€œNo.”
    Matthew looked at him, his sad face longer and sadder than usual, if that were possible. “The Bible says if someone strikes us we should turn the other cheek,” he said quietly. Kate, talking now with Thomas, was not listening. Matthew pressed again.
    â€œHere?”
    â€œOuch! No. The Bible also says an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” whispered Declan. “If you let people walk all over you, then you’re a coward and a slave. It’s easy to see why you ran away from the Irish struggle for freedom.”
    Matthew finished his examination. “Your head seems to be in one piece.”
    Thomas wanted Matthew to examine his head also. He sat on Matthew’s lap. When Matthew declared him to be in one piece, he slid down and threw his arm affectionately around Declan’s shoulders, and smiled withhappiness, and pulled him by the sleeve, wanting Declan to go with him.
    â€œHe wants to show you his things,” said Kate.
    Declan followed Thomas upstairs to his room. It was the one with the Superman wallpaper. Thomas pulled an old suitcase from under his bed. He opened the case and started to take things out and hand them to Declan for inspection and approval. There was a green Sesame Street doll which took up most of the room in the box, several Superman and Batman comics, a handful of colored marbles and a plastic soldier in khaki uniform and helmet, thrusting forward with his rifle and bayonet. The helmet had a strap and could be taken off.
    â€œAn English soldier,” said Declan, “doing his dirty work.”
    Thomas caught the tone of disapproval in Declan’s voice and looked disappointed.
    â€œBut it’s good to have,” said Declan, smiling. “You can always piss in his helmet.”
    â€œHuh-uh?”
    â€œIn his hat.” Declan made a gesture.
    Thomas laughed. “Pissss!” Trying out the new word. Then he took out of his suitcase a long white goose feather. He stroked Declan’s cheek gently with the feather. Declan took the feather and tickled Thomas under the chin. Thomas giggled.
    When Thomas had shown Declan all his things, he closed the suitcase and pushed it back under his bed. Then Declan showed Thomas the gold ring on his finger and told him it had been his ma’s. “It’s the only thing I have that I can show you, Thomas,” he told him.
    â€œI was proud of you today, Declan.” Tilted smile.
    â€œYou were?”
    â€œCarrying that big plastic sack around and picking up everyone’s garbage, and not saying anything, and whenever anyone laughed or made fun, you took no notice. You looked . . . “ Ana thought for a second. “ . . . kind of dignified, I thought. You really did.”
    They were walking home. The school bus had dropped them off at the general store.
    The sun shone, but the air had a little of the feel of fall. Declan carried only one book,
The Chrysalids
, which he had picked up in his English classroom because it lookedinteresting. By contrast, Ana’s satchel was heavy with books.
    â€œThese books are heavy,” said Ana.
    â€œIs that a hint?” Declan took her satchel and slung it over his shoulder. “Here, you can bloody-well carry mine.” He handed her his book.
    Ana laughed.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?”
    â€œI was thinking about Thomas. Kate is annoyed at you for teaching him bad words.”
    â€œThere was only one, and it wasn’t so bad.”
    â€œYou’ll have to tell it in confession along with all your other sins,” Ana said lightly.
    â€œI don’t go to confession. I’ve finished with all that.”
    Ana said, “I go at least once a month; I like it.”
    â€œI don’t believe most of the blather the priests tell us anyway,” said