𝐎𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋𝐒 ᶠⁱⁿⁿ ˢʰᵉˡᵇʸ

𝟎𝟑𝟏: 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏
𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐦𝐨𝐤𝐞

Silence. That's what filled the field that people had gathered on to pay their respects for John Shelby. People say he was the good brother which, in some cases that would be correct. Obviously if you didn't count Finn.

Rory's ears rang during Tommy's speech. She didn't want to listen to what was being said. Having to stand before the wagon that held John's body was painful enough.

"We're like sitting ducks here if the wops come.." Finn whispered to his uncle Charlie. "Yeah, well Tommy said we should do it out in the open." Charlie spoke quietly.

"This is how John wanted to go. On the smoke, and the truth is, we died together once before. Arthur, me, Danny Whiz-Bang, Freddie Thorne, Jeremiah. And John" they diverted their attention back to Tommy. "We were cut off from the retreat, no bullets left, waiting for the Prussian cavalry to come finish us off. And while we waited, Jeremiah said we should sing in the bleak midwinter." Tommy gestured to Jeremiah Jesus. "But we were spared, the enemy never came. And we all agreed, that everything after that was extra. And when our time came we would all remember."

"You'd remember that God spared you. But what did you do with that extra time that he gave you, eh, Thomas?" Polly hissed bitterly.

She felt a reassuring hand on the side of her arm as Charlotte offered her a look of sympathy.

Finn's eyes were empty and glossy. He had lost his older brother — the one brother that seemed to pay him the most attention. Rory and Finn departed from their friends to place down flowers for John.

Aurora's lip trembled and she cupped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. Finn held her hand and she just stood there, staring at the decorated exterior of the wagon. "Goodnight John." She whispered, "I hope you sleep well away from this city." She said, kissing the tips of her fingers and pressing them against the wagon.

Finn nodded and they returned to where they had been stood.

Arthur was the one to pour the gasoline over the wood that sat underneath the wagon. Rory's chest stung and she felt a tear fall from her eye. She didn't attempt to stop it or wipe it away. She just let it fall.

"No—" She whispered when it set aflame. Finn kept her close to keep her from running forward or doing anything. She squeezed her eyes closed.

And then, suddenly, a shot fired. Screams of panic erupted from few people and everybody seemed to fall to their knees in hopes to avoid any sort of injury. Aurora looked around with hesitance and Tommy held a hand up. "At ease, at ease!" he shouted. "Do not return fire. I repeat, do not return fire. Stand down." He ordered.

Aurora looked at Finn who seemed just as confused as everybody else.

"The men doing the firing, are on our side. I took the trouble of getting an invitation to Aberama Gold." Tommy tried to explains

"Oh fuck, now it's begun—" Johnny Doggs whispered with a shake of his head.

"You put us out in the open on purpose. You bastard, you used Johns funeral as a fucking beacon!" Polly scolded her nephew with pure anger and annoyance. Aurora's lips parted and her arms fell to her sides with shock that Tommy would do such a thing.

"We were never in any danger, Pol." Arthur tried.

"You set a trap!" Polly continued.

"Finn. Go to the yard and light the fires." Tommy nodded to the boy who was going to refuse but Aurora had already taken his hand to begin walking away.