Flaming Lies

He saw something he wanted, different from him.

Observing, he found her vulnerabilities.

It was a fire not easily lit, but after resistance, a flicker appeared, and once the flames roared into life, no wind or counsel could snuff them.

Hotter than a crematorium, she felt the burn, not realizing until it was too late that his desire was a whim. The heavy ash of him, formed by his ego-filled, dishonest, and untrustworthy ways, made it so heavy that a breeze couldn't carry it away. Still, the fires in her burned, shutting out reason, blocking the truth within her.

Charming

Lies

Charming lies

Smiles

Charming and lying smiles

Cheater in all things of his life, including his marriage vows, but the vulnerable one didn't know, would not see, could not admit.

Fire burned so hot she could barely breathe when he was near.

Forsaking others, she took the brittle burn, like a coating of burnt cotton candy, absorbing the scars, unable to block that charm or his shining, lying smiles.

Bonfires full of excitement and daring.

Charming, gleaming lies, orange flickers of truth, embedded in her soul.

A friend's honest words rang a knell, breaking the spell, and, in the confrontation, he dared to smile and shrug, dousing the blaze that consumed her heart and emotions.

Simmering into a frozen despair, she faced his smirk of exploitation, devoid of empathy, those cold, reptilian eyes, leering at her sharp words.

Torched soles of her feet burned footprints into the street.

Statue-like, she held his frigid gaze, a dying fire pulsing slowly, pushing at her ribcage. Her stomach circled in sickening somersaults, and she asked why.

Then she laid a line of kerosene between them and struck a match. She squatted down over the line, looking up at the charming liar. Running her fingers through the kerosene, she flicked them towards his ankles, spraying droplets.

As he begged her to put out the match, she grinned at him, giggling softly.

"Why?" she asked, but then put her finger to her lips and said, "shhh," as she touched the match to the finishing line.

Copyright © 11/30/2025 by Andrea O. Corwin

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