MY EX-WIFE'S GHOST

Joan'

into the air, casting a glow over the mayhem in front of me. I took a st

e demise

, as I had planned. No one would survive that inferno alive. Not

feeling of satisfaction swell

that she wasn't good enough for him, that she was no more than a blemish on our family's reputation. Bu

akness. Love

had fallen in love with

Love had gott

"Poor, silly girl". She had fought so hard to have a sp

e intruded o

N

rough the bystanders. His eyes were wide with

turning back and forth. His hands came up into his

het

hand on his arm, his expression grim

e, his entire body trembling."

of the security guards grabbed h

in their grip. His voice cracked, pleading.

le in the firelight. Some felt sorry for him. Other

a smile sprea

ly

. She was panting, as if she'd run the whole wa

holding her hands as if in fear.

and glan

yc

iggle esca

ed, my head tilted to one

yes, ma'am. She couldn't

ly, my fists t

d have disobeyed

respassing on my family. For thi

apsed to

his anguish. A raw, guttural

yce

tared into the fire. "N

ment. His shoulders shook, his b

enough to savor his despair. He was lear

would r

ondition, a phase one

id, he would

, the flames dancing in

," I breathed, hardly loud

backward glanc

fire. Away fro

was

future w

t

e meantime, I had to put o

h, she's still a pain

***

ames h

gs. Burned flesh filled the air, thick and inescapable. Firemen searched the

h the burned passageway. Z

th

A dis

rned

and a delicate necklace, bl

m my arms. The world

s like a grieving widow. The touch o

r, tripping on the wreckage until

ognizable. A mere sh

e neck

ri

ing with weeping

o

no

torso. The heaviness of the vision, the embracing of the event, the finality o

body's discovery. Describing how the fire spread too

s climax. Happy my plans

ng his hands. My voi

st, darling. She

st cle

, His vo

king under the strain of too many thoughts

again. "She was alone. Trapped

, Zack, you were there

she had gazed at me with tired, pleading eyes. The way she had clung to my touch, even when she w

afraid", He

I had

ped him. I couldn't tell

ng had happened between them. I did not plan

as beginning to hav

Jerry, to have her flown out. I wou

is for th

. "You'll heal. W

ed his

forw

ears streaming down. But his face contort

ckage, from the grief ready

thing about this dosen't feel right". Zack s

ster. Knowing him, he can go to any

rward". He clenched his fists. His tears fresh

t y