The House

She stood up from where she had been lying. Looking around, she found that she had been under a large tree on top of a hill. The world rolled around her, the wind slowly meandering through the tall-grass, the tree rustling silently. Wondering where she was, she went towards the tree and saw scratches on it.

The boy went up the hill, finding a sapling. He yelled to two older people at the base of the hill, telling them this was where they were supposed to stop.

She went closer to the scratches, scraping the mud that was caked on it off wither her fingernails.

Two children sat underneath the tree overlooking a small house. With a small bottle they had stolen, they shared their first kiss.

She finished, finding a small

heart. He inscribed it on that night. With the penknife that he had gotten from his father when they found the place. She sat next to him as he did it, a small heart with their initials.

She looked away from the tree, noticing the house below the hill. Walking towards it, her heart started to pound.

He carried her into the house as he had seen others do. After their vows, they went straight to their house to make it theirs. The day before, his father had passed away, he was alone until today.

She reached the door, Red with flecks of gold paint. It looked dusty, swiping her finger on it told her that it hadn't been used in a long while. Dust and paint black on her finger.

They had their first argument. It was over their child. Resolving that they both needed more time. They had to get their lives started, how could they worry about another mouth to feed when they could barely sustain themselves.

She stepped through a cobweb. A familiar hallway greeted her, but so did a cold hearth and complete silence. Sunlight poured inside unlike before.

He shouted at her as she lay crying on the floor. It was the chance of a lifetime, how could she not see that? He could make everything better for them both. They would be able to finally have their long awaited child.

She walked past a small room with an even small bed, too small for a person. A room for the new addition that never came. A window that wasn't there before stood agape as if the house was wounded. She didn't look there, she was looking for something else.

He rushed out the door, two bags in his hands to the carriage that waited just outside the gates. She ran after him, tears streaming down her face, tripped and fell as she watched the carriage roll away.

She found what she wanted and was happy that it was still full. She went to the kitchen.

She sat in the kitchen, clutching her head. What could she do now.

Her clothes dripped on the floor.

The walls glistened in the candlelight.

And she struck the match.