Through The Barricades: Winner of the SCBWI SPARK Award 2017 by Deegan Denise

Author:Deegan, Denise [Deegan, Denise]
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
Published: 2016-12-05T05:00:00+00:00

With the sun gone and the sky clear, another enemy arrived. Cold settled in on them. Daniel remembered Maggie’s scarf. He would not survive the war without it. And that had nothing to do with insulation.

When he finally tracked it down, his heart sank. An officer had it wrapped around his neck. Daniel turned to walk away but an image of Maggie slaving over it for months had burned itself into his mind. He could not let it go. He approached the officer.

‘Sir, the scarf, if you don’t mind. It was a gift.’

The officer seemed more surprised than annoyed by the request but, with officers, you never knew what they were thinking until it was too late.

‘I’ve grown quite attached to it, Private.’

‘It’s of great sentimental value, sir.’

‘How’s that?’

Daniel produced his picture of Maggie.

The officer peered at it by the light of the moon. ‘Is that a boy or a girl, Healy?’

‘Girl, sir.’

He looked up, surprised, as though he had decided otherwise. ‘What happened to her hair?’

‘Long story, sir.’

‘I’ve all the time in the world, Healy.’

‘She sold it to help the poor, sir.’

‘She did, did she?’ He sounded impressed.

‘She did, sir.’

‘Have you anything to trade me for the scarf, Private?’

Daniel thought. ‘A fresh pair of socks, sir.’ They would be invaluable after the day’s marching but would they be as invaluable as a scarf on a freezing night? Perhaps he’d take the socks and hold on to the scarf.

‘Well, why didn’t you say so earlier?’

That’s exactly what he was wondering. He pulled them from his pocket.

‘I don’t want your socks, Private.’

‘No, sir?’

‘I only wanted to see how important the scarf was to you.’

‘Important, sir.’

‘I can see that.’ He took a drag on the cigarette. ‘Private?’

‘Yes, sir?’

‘Your girl?’

‘Yes, sir?’

‘She’s very beautiful. Despite the hair.’

He smiled. ‘I know, sir.’

The officer unwrapped the scarf. It took a while. ‘She made enough of it.’

‘She did, sir.’

Daniel made his way back to Michael. He sat down and held the scarf to his face. What he wouldn’t give to have her here with him, to watch her frown and fret and give out about Ireland’s history. But then, he wouldn’t bring her to a place like this. Not for one minute.

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