‘Football?’

‘I don’t mind.’

‘You’re all go these days. What’s up with you?’

‘Nothing. Football would be great.’

‘If that’s what you’d like.’

‘Yeah.’

The two shots were loud and very close. The sound of them echoed down the street for a moment and then there was total silence. A few birds flew up in the air and hovered before settling down again.

Peter seemed to be the first person in the whole city to break the silence. ‘Wow.’

‘Armalite,’ said Joe.

‘Yes.’

They stood where they were, uncertain what to do. The street seemed very empty. There was the sound of some orders being shouted from round the corner and then some rapid shooting.

‘What do you think’s up?’

Joe shook his head.

‘Will we go and have a look?’

‘No.’

‘No.’

A figure turned into the road along at the corner. It was Kathleen. She began to run towards them. Two army trucks hurtled over the crossroads. He moved slowly towards Kathleen.

‘Don’t go up there.’ Her face was white. She gripped his shoulder fiercely with her fingers. ‘Don’t go.’

‘What happened?’

‘They shot two soldiers … just there … just … don’t go.’

‘I’m not going.’

‘Don’t go.’ It seemed all she could say. Tears slid down her cheeks.

‘I’ll just run up and have a quick gawk,’ said Peter.

‘Don’t,’ she said.

Peter moved away from them towards the corner. Joe put his arm around her.

‘It’s all right. I won’t go.’

She pushed at the tears with her hand.

‘I was there. Right beside them. Just walking … just …’

‘Have a cigarette.’

‘It was just past the corner. One of them fell into the road. I thought, oh God, he’ll be run over if a car comes round the corner. Wasn’t that a silly thing to think?’

‘Well, he might have been.’

‘It wouldn’t have mattered. He got it right in the middle of the head.’

She rubbed fiercely at her face with her hand. Another truck went past them. Peter stood up by the corner, not moving. An ambulance siren was whining towards them.

‘I’ve never seen …’

‘Come back home with me and have a cup of tea.’

Mam would have a fit, but there was nothing else he could say.

She shook her head.

‘I’ve never … no … I’ll go home. Promise. Don’t muck about. Just go home.’

‘I’ll walk up with you.’

‘No. Just go home. You wouldn’t know what sort of trouble there might be …’

She felt at her face with her fingers, feeling the reality of it, the livingness of it.

An ambulance screamed across the road.

‘Come on. Come, Joe.’

They crossed the road and walked slowly towards the corner. Peter still stood by the corner motionless. Not even a curtain twitched. No one breathed. The tobacconist on the corner was locking his door as they went past. He nodded briefly at them, but said nothing.

‘Run away on home now, Joe. Quick. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.’