“You’re gonna burn out.”
“Good.”
“Well, don’t expect me to pick up the pieces.”
“I never asked you to.”
“Everyone expects me to.”
“I don’t give two shits what everyone—”
The elderly woman hacked. She tried to light her cigarette, but her hand shook.
“I don’t give two shits—”
Fire sparked from the woman’s skin. The flames spread, engulfing her in infernal warmth. She smiled.
“I don’t give two shits.”
Her body disappeared in a blast of smoke. In the ashes lay a baby smelling of tobacco. The man sighed and scooped her up.
“Here we go again.”
About the Creator
Stephanie Hoogstad
With a BA in English and MSc in Creative Writing, writing is my life. I have edited and ghost written for years with some published stories and poems of my own.
Learn more about me: thewritersscrapbin.com
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Comments (2)
Yeah, that's the thing, he doesn't get a chance whether or not he wants to take care of her. She was at least capable of feeding herself before her rebirth, now, she's not so much. It makes me wonder if she would still come back again from ashes if she was neglected as a baby. Like, if she starved to death as a baby, would she revert to ashes and come back again, or would that be a no-go and the end of the line for her? Now, I'm thinking about Fawkes from Harry Potter when we saw his rebirth in the 2nd movie. I wonder if phoenix chicks start out with enough yolk in their belly, like small fry fish, so that they'll have enough food to survive until they're mature enough to fly? Now that also makes me wonder if they'd have to fatten up before reverting to ashes.
Excuse me! This is brilliant! Loving the woman's character :).