A Night of Fire (A Christmas Story pt 6)

The story so far! Part one Part two Part three Part four Part five

Cinaed darted to the door, not a moment too soon. Just outside he collided with one of the brothers.

“Why, young Cinaed. What brings you here?”

It was Brother Indrechtus, the monk most commonly charged with his instruction. However much he hated the lessons, Cinaed liked the man. “I was looking for you. I was hoping for an extra lesson so I can be as wise as Graunt.”

Brother Indrechtus folded his arms and looked down at Cinaed from twinkling eyes. “I know what this is about, young man. You care nothing for being wise. You just wish to impress your father.”

Cinaed shuffled, allowing a rueful grin to suggest to the monk he was right. “Please can I have some instruction?”

The monk shook his head, but put his hand on Cinaed’s shoulder. “Very well, my son. Come this way.” And to Cinaed’s relief, he led him away from the refectory.

…

“That was the most boring morning of my life,” Cinaed announced when he finally returned.

He had found Domnall and Graunt laughing together in one of the storage huts, where the younger boy was engaged in breaking the sticks into tiny pieces and dropping them by the handful into the pot of grease Graunt was stirring.

“And you’re probably still not as wise as me,” Graunt said, throwing a load of dried grass at him.

Cinaed threw it back. “I might be.”

“You’re not even as wise as me,” Domnall cried.

Cinaed’s reply to that was to push him into the pile of dry grass, pinning him down. “Take back those words.”

“Never,” Domnall cried, shoving his brother back with surprising strength.

Still laughing, they brushed the grass from their hair and turned their attention back to the pot.

“How much did you steal?” Cinaed exclaimed.

“You said to take lots,” Graunt retorted. “Anyway, I want our fireball to be the biggest and brightest one there.”

“Can I be the one to carry it?” Domnall asked.

“I think it might be a bit heavy for you,” Graunt said.

Domnall face fell and Cinaed quickly said, “We’ll carry it together and Graunt can be the one to light it.”

With that plan happily agreed, they added some of the dried grass to thicken the mixture in the pot, before moulding it into a ball. It was a somewhat squashed effort and the outside was smeared with a grease which left a sticky mess on their hands.

“Just put some more grass on the outside,” Graunt said. “It will be fine.”

Domnall did as he was instructed, looking pleased with his handiwork and Cinaed inserted a stick so they could hoist it high into the air. Leaving it in a dark corner of the storage hut, they hurried to clean themselves. Already the sun hung low in the sky and it was not long before Unuis called them to dine.

“You must hurry if you are going out to see the fireballs,” she said.

They grinned surreptitiously at each other as they tucked into meats, using chunks of bread to soak up the thick vegetable broth. Afterwards they rushed to change into plain, dark clothes and hoods.

“We look just like islanders,” Cinaed said. “No one will know it’s us!”

To be continued…