The Bonfire Answers

Only four days after the death of her husband, Maryanne made a bonfire of his clothes and favorite possessions.

She hated that she had to wait that long to do that, something she’d been dreaming of doing since the first time he hit her some ten years ago. She would’ve like to have done it when the hospital called to tell her that he was dead, but that would’ve been rude, what with his many friends and relatives around all hours of the day holding candlelight vigils at the hospital, in the house, and on the front lawn.

A raging fire with her husband things as kindling would have looked beyond suspicious.

And if anyone ever found out that it was the arsenic sprinkled lightly in his morning coffee and not his failing diabetic kidneys that had killed him, that too would have been a shame.

So when the last of the many offered casseroles were eaten and the last of the heartfelt condolences were offered, Maryanne gathered up Charles’ things and piled them high in the backyard way back beyond the huge thicket of trees out of view, and sat them on fire.

As the flames consumed the items, she thought of his drunken rages and his numerous affairs.

“Where are they now, Charles?” she yelled. “Where are your fists? Where are your women?”

For the first time there was no answer.

The crackle and snaps of the flames consuming what once was were the only sounds to be heard.

And that was the only answer she needed.



From Knight Writing Class, May 16, 2013.

Writing prompt (homework):  Begin a story with "Only four days after the death of her husband, Maryanne made a bonfire of his clothes and favorite possessions."