Fahrenheit 451 FanFic

Part 3

Granger's eyes found their way to meet montags in an intense enlightenment. "Montag..."
Montag leaned forward, giving Granger a listening ear.
"I-I can't help but... but stop and wonder now... " Montag didn't move a muscle.
"I noticed earlier... you seemed to have been in deep thought..." Montag's eyes widened as he knew exactly the thoughts escaping Grangers mouth now, in a matter of moments, minutes, seconds, 3, 2-
"About something... or moreover...-"
"Someone." His voice no more than a whisper, he tried to hold back his tears. He tried to keep in these emotions he has felt since the day the news was broken to him, kept in like water behind the dam. That same very damn that had been beat time after time, people mentioning over and over her death and how much it didn't matter, about how much she didn't matter, not to them and not to society.The dam that had been sealed only by overwhelming aching pains that erased whatever he felt at the thought of her death. The overwhelming pains that came with rage, with sorrow, with fear, all swallowed in the bombing. The dam now was vulnerable... the dam that now...

Broke.

He fell to his knees, shivering. His voice was raspy as he spoke in a voice like that of a lion, "HER LIFE DID MATTER!" Surprised, Granger jumped back.
"She and those like her, like us! Clairesse did not mean nothing to no one, she meant something to her family... and to me. Without her as a wake up call, I would never have realized the corrupt and dead society we used to live in... SHE MEANT SOMETHING!" His tears now raced down his face in a magnificent rush, his hands still clenched and quivering. He raised his fists to the air, defying whomever denied his words.
"I am the thing that Clairesse left behind! It is just as you said, Granger, you must leave something physical behind to be remembered. Clairesse had awakened me from the life of nothing and of numbness, contributing to the society that drove forward straight toward death, without a note at all! She left me behind! Not to be left in sorrow, but to continue her work of opening peoples eyes to the twisted world that surrounds them!" Granger was now just seeming to take in what Montag stated.
Granger took a few steps away from the other men and toward Montag. His hand reached out, stopped by Montag's gaze. "Granger... are you with me?" Granger's head tilted ever so slightly.
"For what do you mean Montag?" Montag found his footing with the help of Granger. Their eyes met yet again.
"I mean that this is the first step. Our next move could mean pushing society in the right direction... or make it come crashing down harder-"
Granger took hold of Montag's shoulders, "DO YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF?" The look of terror and confusion in Granger's eyes and engraved in his face gave Montag some hope of getting through to him.
"Granger, we need to help those around us see the world they are living in. Without someone to do that, then what point is books? Someone once told me that a big part of the reason- no... THE reason that books started to be burnt in the first place was because people lost interest in them and lost sight as to why books are important. Without someone to tell others why we need books and why we need to think for ourselves, what point are books to begin with! The plan would be pointless!" Grangers hands fell to his side as did his eyes to the ground beneath them. It was then his turn to clench a fist in intense thought.
"So to answer your question, Granger... I can hear myself... " Montag paused, stepping forward, "... but can you?"
He flinched at Montag's harsh words, cutting deeper at every silent moment. The air that surrounded them suddenly became thicker, almost drowning Granger alone with his thoughts. Montag couldn't quite tell his next move, but he sincerely hoped that Granger would choose to come with him in the days to come. He hoped that he would have Granger at his side when the two of them and the gang awakened others the way that she did...

The way Clairesse did.

That thought lingered with Montag in the following moments, up to when Granger lifted his head, pulling Montag back to reality and away from his thoughts. They had another moment of silence, holding eye contact. The tenseness wore away and Granger seemed ready to speak at last.
"Alright..." Montag could feel his heart race, anticipation rising. "I will join you. But, we must make a solid plan, we aren't just gonna go find some person off the streets and convince them to join us! This is going to take time, going to take courage, and most of all-"
"Patience?" Granger chuckled at the stupid grin that Montag wore with no care.
"Yeah, patience."
The men stared out at the place in front of them. This place old, but with a new filter and a new start for man. This place that they can finally claim their own again.