Part Six
FLASHBACK
Desperately Harper tried one last plea to his cousin.
"If you really want what happened to my parents to be worth it Brendan then stop the revolt."
Brendan stared back at him, compassion shining in his eyes.
"I would Seamus, for you I would. But I can't."
At his last three words Harper felt the frustration shooting through him, almost like the little child who had been told no. Before he could argue Brendan continued
"A revolutions not like a switch, you can't turn it on or off. It's like a fire, and once it's lit you can't put it out no matter how much you might want to. And even if we could if we could, if I did, it might never light again."
Brendan was talking calmly, trying to still Harper who asked quickly, trying to save his family.
"Alright, but what about you then. Let me just get you outta here."
"That's the thing cousin," Brendan gave him a sad smile,
understanding that Harper was trying desperately to help him. "I'm part of the fire." He continued softly, knowing by the look on Harper's face that he finally understood "I need to be"
Harper sighed, knowing there was nothing else he could say to change his cousin's mind. The explosions outside were ignored as the cousins stared at each other and then dropped their gaze. Harper stared at the floor not wanting to form in words the goodbye that they both knew was going to happen. Looking up again Harper studied his cousins face, pushing it to memory, knowing this could be the last time he saw him.
Sighing again Harper pushed his gun under one arm and held out his hand, which Brendan gladly took. Not knowing what else to say Harper lightly told him.
"You kick some butt out there"
Brendan laughed lightly and turned to the ladder behind him heading back up to the streets, forcing himself not to look back. Harper watched his cousin ascend the ladder, trying to hold down his emotions as the last member of his family disappeared and he was once more alone, surrounded by darkness.
END OF FLASHBACK
Harper looked back up to Cathy, her eyes almost identical to her brothers.
"I saw him, but I don't know" He whispered "I just don't know Cati." Harper used the nickname he had given her.
The tears shone in her eyes and she slowly nodded, grieving for her family. Harper squeezed her hand and she lent against him with his arm over her shoulders. The engineer held her tightly, feeling the cold seeping already through his clothes as he lent against the wall.
In the silence that settled Harper could hear again the harsh coughing again and the struggled breathing of people who were treated worse then animals. He could hear Cathy's breathing become deeper and even as she fell asleep, feeling safe in her cousin's arms.
FLASHBACK
Desperately Harper tried one last plea to his cousin.
"If you really want what happened to my parents to be worth it Brendan then stop the revolt."
Brendan stared back at him, compassion shining in his eyes.
"I would Seamus, for you I would. But I can't."
At his last three words Harper felt the frustration shooting through him, almost like the little child who had been told no. Before he could argue Brendan continued
"A revolutions not like a switch, you can't turn it on or off. It's like a fire, and once it's lit you can't put it out no matter how much you might want to. And even if we could if we could, if I did, it might never light again."
Brendan was talking calmly, trying to still Harper who asked quickly, trying to save his family.
"Alright, but what about you then. Let me just get you outta here."
"That's the thing cousin," Brendan gave him a sad smile,
understanding that Harper was trying desperately to help him. "I'm part of the fire." He continued softly, knowing by the look on Harper's face that he finally understood "I need to be"
Harper sighed, knowing there was nothing else he could say to change his cousin's mind. The explosions outside were ignored as the cousins stared at each other and then dropped their gaze. Harper stared at the floor not wanting to form in words the goodbye that they both knew was going to happen. Looking up again Harper studied his cousins face, pushing it to memory, knowing this could be the last time he saw him.
Sighing again Harper pushed his gun under one arm and held out his hand, which Brendan gladly took. Not knowing what else to say Harper lightly told him.
"You kick some butt out there"
Brendan laughed lightly and turned to the ladder behind him heading back up to the streets, forcing himself not to look back. Harper watched his cousin ascend the ladder, trying to hold down his emotions as the last member of his family disappeared and he was once more alone, surrounded by darkness.
END OF FLASHBACK
Harper looked back up to Cathy, her eyes almost identical to her brothers.
"I saw him, but I don't know" He whispered "I just don't know Cati." Harper used the nickname he had given her.
The tears shone in her eyes and she slowly nodded, grieving for her family. Harper squeezed her hand and she lent against him with his arm over her shoulders. The engineer held her tightly, feeling the cold seeping already through his clothes as he lent against the wall.
In the silence that settled Harper could hear again the harsh coughing again and the struggled breathing of people who were treated worse then animals. He could hear Cathy's breathing become deeper and even as she fell asleep, feeling safe in her cousin's arms.