Galway Confidential

11

Scott was furious that their burning of the wino appeared to have gone unnoticed, not a single word in the paper. Tony said,

“Maybe it’s better if we keep a low profile.”

Scott rounded on him, snarled,

“The fuck does you know, we are going to be famous.”

Tony thought jail was the more likely outcome, but he kept that to himself. Best to let Scott’s rage burn out, so to speak.

He said,

“What about we burn two together?”

Scott liked it, a lot.

“We’re going to need a bigger can.”

Across from the docks was a sheltered overhang and a man and woman had claimed it as their spot. The boys watched them for a few nights, and usually round midnight they settled down under a canopy of cardboard on the tarmac. Scott said,

“That’s our folk.”

They had two Coke bottles full of petrol and a large box of kitchen matches. They dressed in dark clothes, smoked a ton of weed washed down with Jack Daniels. Adrenaline had them high as kites.

They approached the couple slowly. The woman appeared to be singing

“Peggy Gordon.”

And the man was humming along. Scott took the top off his bottle, splashed it over them both, nodded to Tony, saying,

“Things go better with Coke.”

The fire took hold instantly and the couple were engulfed. Tony muttered,

“Holy shit.”

Scott was a bit shocked at the ferocity of the flames and grabbed Tony’s arm, shouted,

“We need to get the fuck out of here.”

Tony seemed to be stricken in place, the screams of the couple transfixed him. Scott slapped him hard in the face.

“Get it together, what did you expect?”

Tony had no answer, in truth he thought the fire would singe rather than blaze. He said,

“I feel sick.”

Scott laughed.

“Not as sick as those two.”

Scott finally dragged him away, with Tony casting backward glances, as if the couple might yet follow them.

Back at Scott’s shed, they drank large tumblers of Southern Comfort, Tony could swear he tasted ash in his. Scott was flying, wild excitement coursing through him. He pulled a large whiteboard down along the wall, used a marker to scribble

1.

2.

3.

His eyes were shining with madness, euphoria run riot. He said,

“I want to see thirty on that board, you hear me? Thirty of the useless fucks on fire.”

Tony stumbled out of the shed and threw up his guts.