Nano, Modern Myth, 1.1.2

Four extracts this time, all from part II of Chapter 1, Year 1.

1st Year
Bonfire Night
II

“Which one of these guys is it that you really want to meet?” Cerys’s eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, a smile playing with the corners of her mouth.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Penny replied with a blush.
“Oh, come on. It’s obvious,” Cerys replied with a shake of her head. “You’ve been twitching to meet up with these guys for days. So either you’re really fed up with me, or you’re really hoping to see someone else.”
“Well, I suppose,” Penny muttered, looking away and rubbing her hands together anxiously.
“Brilliant!” Cerys replied in evident delight. “So which one is it? It’s not Eurig is it?”
“No, no,” Penny replied hastily.
“Hmph. Not pretty enough for you?” Cerys replied in mock hurt, playing the twin card as hard as she could.
Penny laughed in reply.

***

“Hi guys! How’s it going?” Cerys called over to Euan and Mike, who were stood quietly, looking pensive.
“Hey, Cerys!” Mike replied with a smile, “Good, thanks. How are you?”
“Hi,” Penny said quietly, half turning her head so that she could watch Euan without having to look directly at him.
“Good, good,” Cerys replied enthusiastically. “Euan! You’re looking very serious. Come and get into the festive spirit of things!”
“I never really thought of Guy Faulkes Night as particularly festive,” Euan replied mildly, with a slightly ironic smile.
“We’re celebrating our government defeating an evil terrorist plot! It’s celebratory and contemporarily relevant!” Cerys winked at him, an action largely lost by the darkness of the night.
“We’re celebrating burning a man alive. It’s a bit dark really,” Euan replied.
“Worse than that,” Penny chipped in, moving slightly closer to him. “Guy Faulkes wasn’t actually burnt alive. He was hung, drawn and quartered. And that was after being horribly tortured for months.”
“Charming!” Cerys replied, shaking her head. “Well, I’ll leave you two gloomy birds to it. Come on Mike! Let’s have a cheery walk.” With that, Cerys linked arms with Mike and lead him away to rejoin the main group a short distance away.

***

“It is a good view from up here,” said Penny, a hint of doubt entering her tone. “It can be a bit intimidating though. We bumped into Ronan and that lot on our way to meet you guys.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” Euan replied, gritting his teeth slightly. “I’ve known Ronan for many years. Although, I personally wouldn’t trust him this near to a large supply of explosives.”
Penny laughed and glanced at his face, to check she’d judged his tone right. He smiled back at her and she looked away again.
“How do you know him? Was he at school with you?” she asked, rubbing her hands together.
“Yes. But I’m afraid I know him through far more sinister means than that,” he said in an increasingly suspenseful tone. “You see…” he paused for dramatic impact, “he is my… cousin!” he said the last with a bit of flare and an arm gesture.
“No way!” Penny replied, covering her mouth with her hand. She hastily rewound the conversation in her mind, making sure she hadn’t said anything that could offend a family member.
“Yes way. Unfortunately.” Euan smiled and then sighed.
“Wow. I’m sorry,” she giggled and then heartily laughed as she could just about make out his mournful expression. She pushed his arm lightly in a playful gesture.

***

“Look, perhaps we should go rejoin the others,” Euan said in a slightly apprehensive tone.
“I think you’re right,” Penny replied.
The two walked back the way they had come, suddenly aware of how much lighter it now seemed than it had earlier, even though it was later into the night. But the light was not the cool whites of moonlight, but the hot, yellows of firelight. Too much firelight.