A Hero’s Last Night

He leans by the window of their one-room house as he runs his fingers across his curly hair, anxiously watching the moonless summer night outside. The lighted candle by the table casts wavering shadows upon his sullen face. Once in a while, it splutters as another fearless moth succumbs to temptation to the deceiving heartless beauty of the scorching flame.

The children are growing up and soon be going to school. The price of fuel has gone up again. Soon, everything follows. The measly monthly pay he takes as a construction foreman would no longer be able to keep up the family needs. He needs to go.

Just as his mind drifts into thoughts of guilt and self-pity, two delicate arms embrace him gently from behind, rubbing the sinewy muscles of his torso ripped by years of hard work. He turns around and smiles at her, as she presses her head close to his chest. Gently, he raises her head and gazes into her soulful eyes. His only love and passion. His strength and his weakness. His world. All rolled into this woman he calls wife. Soon he will be missing these sweetest charming features.

As he brushes the wisps of hair off her face, tears well in her eyes expressing a million unspoken meanings. His heart skips a beat. He follows her as she leads him into the bedroom.

The children are already asleep.

For the last time, they fill the sweltering night with fiery love and passion, as the candle flame licks the very last hot melting tallow to the insane melody of the crickets.

Fin.