Katie's War Read Online Free Page B

from Dublin sounded serious.
    â€˜So you had an exciting time in Dublin?’ Katie asked.
    â€˜We had no idea there was a war on.’
    â€˜I’m sure there isn’t really, it’s just we all get so excited about politics. Seamus, that’s my big brother, and Mother, they are the Republicans in the family. Father is for the Treaty – says we’ll never get a better deal out of the English. Nobody wants to fight over it though.’
    â€˜Well, they were fighting in Dublin. Never heard such bangs – it was like when we’re blasting in the quarry.’
    â€˜Oh I’m sure it’s nothing. If it is, half the families in Ireland will be split down the middle.’ She laughed uneasily, thinking of Mother.
    â€˜Hey, Dad,’ Dafydd called out. ‘Tell them about the station master.’
    Mr Parry laughed, shook his head, and said, ‘Go on, you tell them.’
    Dafydd turned to Katie, who had been watching, with interest, the sun shining pink through his ears. ‘We heard the shooting first when the train from Kingstown crossed the bridge over the river … what was the river, Dad?’
    â€˜The Liffey,’ said Mr Parry.
    â€˜That’s it. The railway bridge is high up in the air. We thought the driver stopped because he wanted to see what was happening. Well, I tell you, at the first bang Dad sat up like a hare. You could see his ears twitching.’ Dafydd grinned. ‘“Field gun,” Dad says, then there were snapping sounds.“Rifles, several rifles … listen … and … there! a machine-gun,” ratta-tat-tat. I was standing at the window, all excited, when a puff of smoke appeared up the river and we heard this big bang. Dad got all heroic then, pulled me back, and sat on me.’
    â€˜Don’t exaggerate,’ laughed Mr Parry, ‘you can keep the drama for when you write your journal for Megan – and remember, it has to be in English!’ Then he turned to Father again. ‘Megan’s his twin sister,’ he explained. ‘It did seem though, Eamonn,’ he went on, ‘that I had jumped out of the fat into the fire. I never thought I’d hear a field-gun fired in anger again.’
    â€˜Well, you pinned me back in my seat,’ continued Dafydd, undaunted. ‘There was a pudgy little man in the carriage too, pressed into the corner, eyes popping, holding his briefcase in front of him for protection. When the train started again we went in a big loop. Past a lot of houses – poor looking – then through a tunnel. I thought that would be the end of it, the shooting I mean, but no, we were shunted backwards into Kingsbridge station which seemed to be right in the thick of it.
    â€˜The bangs seemed really close and I wanted to go and have a look, but Dad said that he hadn’t survived the war to be shot on his holidays in Dublin. Everyone else was having a peek though, like it was a firework display, not a war. Then along came the station master, very pompous and important he was, like a general conducting a war. He said he was going out to “inspect what was going on”. Dad said not to be a fool, but off he marched, straightening his hat. Silence. Then we heard a couple of shots followed by pounding feet, and into the station came the station master, bent double with his hat held over his backside. Talk about indignant! Someone had shot at him!’ Katie had to laugh and noticed that Mr Parry joined in.
    Katie was not sure what made her turn at that moment. Theabsence of Father’s ready laugh perhaps, or was it that persistent tap-tapping she had been hearing for some time. When she did she gasped. To her horror Father was staring past her, eyes unfocused, a little foam flecking the corner of his mouth, his steel hook going tap-tap, tap-tap on wood of the trap. Memories of Father’s madness swept over Katie. She glanced at Mr Parry. He was looking at Father too.