Not All is Lost

Heat wafts over the night breeze and the somber smell of wood smoke settles in the neighborhood. Two stories are no more and the once sturdy foundation is now a bed of coals. Amid the destruction, I am struck by an overwhelming wave of gratitude. Not all is lost.

With our arms around each other, we watch firemen scurry like ants over the burning wreckage. The fire dwindles and the light goes out. Sirens cease and the stars return. At the edge of the smoldering ruins, we embrace in the bittersweet spirit of, “at least I didn’t lose you.”

 

Thanks to Charli Mills for hosting weekly flash fiction. Check out her blog and join the fun with thousands of other writers. This week’s prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story about “not all is lost.”