Racconto inviato | Submitted story 3

Racconto inviato | Submitted story 3

The Last Flame of Guido

In the oppressive silence of the moor, Guido stopped, his right foot still aching from the wound he had suffered months earlier. The moon illuminated the road to Westport, his temporary refuge, but the weight of his mission followed him like a shadow. He carried with him a copy of his manifesto, the text that had ignited the hearts of many rebels. The rebellion was more alive than ever, but Guido knew that the price of freedom was high, and sooner or later, he too would have to pay it.

—

Guido was born in 1783 in Westport, the son of Bernardo and Addolorata, who had emigrated from Sicily more than a decade earlier. Bernardo, a master in sulfur processing, had been called to Ireland to apply his expertise to the production of gunpowder. His unique formula had made the Dublin factory a strategic production center, providing the family with economic stability that had seemed unattainable in their native Sicily.

Guido grew up with tales of a rebellious Italy and dreams of an Ireland free from British rule. His father, though far removed from politics, instilled in him the values of sacrifice and dedication. When the United Irishmen’s rebellion broke out in 1798, Guido, though young, decided to join the insurgents.

—

The Battle of Vinegar Hill marked his life forever. The battlefield was a hellscape: screams, smoke, and the grating sound of bayonets piercing bodies. Guido fought alongside men he barely knew but considered brothers. During the retreat, a bullet struck his foot. He fell, surrounded by the bodies of his comrades, blood streaming down his leg.

When he awoke, he saw a man with a weathered face and deep eyes standing before him. “I’m Finn O’Callaghan,” the man said. “I’ll take you to safety.”

Finn tended to him in a hidden cabin deep in the forest, far from British patrols. Immobilized for two months, Guido found solace in writing. His words, brimming with passion and anger, became the manifesto of the rebellion. “A united people cannot be broken,” he wrote, “and freedom is our birthright.”

Finn encouraged him, telling him those pages would change the course of history. Guido never imagined that his savior was, in truth, a pawn of the British Crown, infiltrating the rebels to dismantle their movement from within.

—

Over time, Guido returned to the fight. He organized targeted attacks on weapon depots and sabotage missions against British supply lines. His manifesto, distributed clandestinely, inspired men and women across Ireland. Among his allies was Maeve, a young widow who had lost her husband at Vinegar Hill. With her, Guido found not only a strategic ally but also a trusted friend.

However, the rebellion was rife with betrayal. Every move the rebels made seemed predictable, as if someone within their ranks was feeding information to the British. Guido began to suspect everyone but never would have guessed that Finn, the man who had saved his life, was the traitor.

—

One night, Finn warned him of an ammunition depot in Galway. “If we hit it,” he said, “we’ll deal a decisive blow to the British.” Guido, Maeve, and a small group of rebels planned the raid, but when they arrived, they found soldiers waiting for them.

The ambush was brutal. Maeve was struck down before Guido’s eyes. He himself, wounded in the shoulder, managed to flee into the forest. The cries of his comrades echoed through the night, but Guido knew he couldn’t stop. He hid in an old, abandoned tower, his blood slowly seeping from the wound.

—

Finn arrived at dawn, his face tense.

“Guido,” he said, “I’ve come to help you.”

Guido eyed him with suspicion. “How did they know about the raid? Someone betrayed us.”

Finn lowered his gaze. “It’s over, Guido. Your manifesto is too powerful. The Crown cannot allow you to live.”

Guido struggled to his feet, leaning against the wall. “You… You’ve been with them all along.”

Finn nodded slowly, his face marked by remorse. “They forced me. My family… I had no choice.”

“We all have a choice,” Guido replied firmly. “And you chose to betray freedom.”

Finn drew a pistol, his hand trembling. “I’m sorry.”

Guido stared at him without fear. “You can kill me, but you can’t stop what I’ve started. My words will outlive me.”

Finn pulled the trigger. The shot echoed through the tower, and Guido fell, his blood mingling with the dust on the floor.

—

Guido’s death did not end the rebellion. His manifesto, saved by a few surviving comrades, became the symbol of a people who refused to surrender.

Finn, consumed by guilt, left Ireland shortly after, but his betrayal haunted him for the rest of his days.

And Guido of Westport, the son of Sicilian emigrants, remained forever in the memory of the Irish people.