Fire

The rain fell, seemingly endlessly. The mornings were dark and cold. I could hear the wind rattling in the bare trees outside.

There was not much to say to each other. We had run out of things to say to each other some time before. We sat on opposite sides of the fire, both watching the flickering flames as though they could offer portents or explanations.

I felt the urge to go over to her and hold her. I wanted to talk of the times we lay naked in front of that fire. The way the flames used to turn her skin a deep orange and the sparks glittered in her eyes.