Elizabeth Dowden

Time Will Tell

Ellie waited patiently by the fireplace in the kitchen, fumbling with the broken edge of the brick as she stared into the low burning flames. Aimlessly she watched as they grew, consuming the small cherry logs. One of her fathers' trees last summer had been split apart by lightning and he was forced to fell the rest of the tree. Cherry trees have the most delightful smell as they burn. Calm and warmth waft from the fireplace as it crackles in its final moments. Such a contrast to the sweet and tangy fruit it would have provided had it lived.