Positive vibes waft up from the cleanup. She sweeps the dried leaves up into a pile. Bending her backbone, she looks a typical wife with practical wisdom. The fire that blooms in her yard in the summer is a recurrent sight. Just a spark; the fallen wake up. Flames energize. Red petals cast their splendor in her face, dispelling darkness. A variety of evil pests burn to ashes in her mind. First published in The Literary Hatchet.