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Any ideas for the middle of my story?

Basically, it is about a family who move from a Gaelic speaking town in Donegal, Ireland because their brother (Sean) ran away the army because their father had just died, and their mother had become to frail to work. So Sean is wanted for abandonment. This is what I have so far: BEGINNING: I shivered as the wind whistled down the cold, dim street. The trees around me cast dark shadows upon the country lane, and I clutched my small case desperately, as if trying to pull myself back into reality. They had come for us. I thought of all I was leaving behind, of all that I had already left, and although I always knew it had to happen, it still didn’t seem real. I looked down and saw young Bridie playing at my feet, so young and naïve, oblivious to the fate that was set out before her. I looked into her innocent eyes, and wept. We stepped back into the shadows as the sound of footsteps drew near, and each time I held my breath. We watched as the drunken flock returned from a night down in Glengesh town, and stirred as birds flew above us freely in the cold night air. It was a while later that the sound of hooves scraping on the soft gravel could be heard, as the battered carriage pulled up before us. The sky was still dark, and I could only just make out the outline of a small figure, who helped us load our few but precious belongings into the cramped space provided. ‘An áit, grá?’ he asked, and upon my response, we trundled off into the quiet night. It was a long, hard journey and the bumps and jolts of the winding lanes shook the carriage violently. I was tired, and my eyes were heavy, but every time I closed them, it came back to me. I saw it. I heard it. I watched them as they came, tumbling the house and taking mammy, poor weak mammy. I squeezed Sean’s arm tight, fearful of what I hadn’t seen, and promising myself that I would never let go. Opening my eyes, I saw Bridie fast asleep, smiling contentedly. And the more I looked at her, the more I hated her for not caring. I finally drifted off, and when I did, I dreamt of Ireland. I dreamt of the fresh springs, the winding streams, open meadows and the life I had lived. I dreamt of the village, of the cloudless skies, blushing pink in pride, and the bitter bite of the soft morning dew, strung among the haziness of fresh pasture. My home. I pictured the cottage, and the large garden which always seemed to be enclosed in brilliant sunshine, and boasting of its beautiful flowers, blooming elegantly and gently swaying in the fragile summer’s breeze. I was so lost in my fantasies, that when I awoke, it took a while for me to notice that the carriage had stopped. Dawn was breaking and I saw that we had arrived. ‘Chuaigh sé suas an staighre’ uttered the driver, who I could now see was an elderly fellow wearing a baggy green overall and a tweed hat. We hastily pulled ourselves and Bridie from the vehicle, and Sean passed over his remaining punts, before dragging us towards the lengthening queue of a nearby standing ship. Leaving Ireland was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, and drifting out into the never-ending ocean, watching my beautiful home disappearing into the distance was unbearable, but knowing that I may never see it again broke my heart. So long Glengesh. So long Donegal. So long mammy. END: Although things were beginning to look up, I still found home life extremely difficult. Of course, living with my great Aunt helped to improve my speaking, but I still had regular nightmares. Each night I dreamt that I was leaving mammy again. I saw her face, a terrified shadow hanging over it. I could see the terror in her eyes as she slowly drifted away from me. I tried calling out to her, but every time I opened my mouth, my English tongue grew back, wiping out all memories of any other language, and I saw my poor mammy’s distressed expression, as she faded away into the distance. It had been almost two years since I my life had changed. School was going well, and I had learnt a lot over the past few years. I even found that I was enjoying living so far away from where I considered home, although it was one of the least likely places I would have expected to be. Which was why I was so shocked when they came for us. I watched them as they tumbled our house. I watched them as they took my loved ones from me. I watched them tear my life apart once again. And once again, it broke my heart. I watched as they took my beautiful Bridie, I watched them as they seized my aunt from her home. And I watched as they took my Sean. I watched as he lay limp, unwilling to fight back, and as I watched him, I hated him. I hated him for doing this to us, and as I watched, I knew that he hated himself. I returned to Ireland many years later, I went back to the lovely county Donegal. I drank from the fresh springs, followed the winding rivers, ran through the open meadows, and lay among the hazy grassland. But I never did return to Glengesh. I often thought about it, I thought of running home, in the hope that mammy would be there waiting for me. But it had been almost twenty years since I left, and I knew that I would only ever see her in my dreams each night.

Public Comments

1. How about a flashback of his first love?