[Critique Group 2] Fire Ballet.doc For 8-25-22 critique session.

[jamesstarfire at gmail.com]

Fire Ballet

C By Brad Corallo

Word count 361

 

In the distance the fires continue to burn.

She makes her way outside drinking a bottle of Mountain Doo.

She wears old sweats and a pair of ancient sneakers

that may have been black once

but now are a color no one would choose from a color wheel.

As she shuffles out to the clothes line.

She is belting out "South's Gonna Due It Again!" by the CDB.   

 

In the distance the fires continue to burn. 

Standing 35 feet in the air 

in the basket of a bucket truck.

As the unrelenting wind blows dust and grit in his face ,

he is thankful for the wraparound goggles.

He is replacing a section of insulators on an overhead transmission line. 

 

In the distance the fires continue to burn. 

The band is banging out a spirited version of "Everything Happens to Me."
The tenor sax player steps up to the mic

and channeling his inner Lester young, blows a solo which garners 30 seconds
of audience applause. He tips his pork-pie hat and grins hugely. 

 

In the distance the fires continue to burn. 

The young pigtailed red headed girl, throws the brightly colored ball. The
brown dog chases it, barking joyously and drops it at her feet. She smiles
and praises him lavishly. 

 

In the distance the fires continue to burn.

In a filthy alley

between 2 brick buildings 

a strung out junkie attempts to shoot up.

With a dirty syringe containing a dubious milky substance.

His hands are shaking so badly,

that he misses 3 or 4 times before hitting a vein. Just before the shot
takes effect, he feels The winds shift. 

 

And the fires moving, alter their forward direction.

The newly engaged couple walk hand in hand,

down the wooded path.

They turn, 

And look lovingly into each other's eyes.

Almost indiscernibly ash begins to rain down.

They do not heed it. 

 

Strengthened by the wind, the wall of fire moves purposefully and rapidly
toward the town.

As three uniformed members of the high school track teem exit the drugstore,


they look up and suddenly realize,

there is nowhere left

to run anymore. 

 

jamesstarfire at gmail.com

 

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