" I think it's time" Kassondra said after moments of not knowing how to say it.
"Time for what" August replied looking up at her from his newspaper.
" Time to open a new chapter". She said sighing frustrated with his ignorance.
"What do you mean"August replied still confused
"Ugh gosh darn it August time to give up our house time to take all of our Money from the old book we have been keeping it in and find a retirement home."
"Why" august said putting his paper down all the way "we're fine here"
"No we're not auggie" I'm getting too old to take care of you and your already too old to take care of yourself."
Kassondra stood up and lit her favorite vanilla scented candle and turned back to look at august. "Ok i'll get the book" august replied struggling slightly to get up, he turned and walked into their bedroom he looked around the room before going over to their prodigious book shelf, Kassondra has always loved books loved reading loved the touch and the smell of books, just the idea of reading itself. He had not understood it but knew she did, he touched the third shelf remembering when he had built it for her but mostly he remembered the look on her face. She was ecstatic to see it when she came home from work. but that was of course when they were younger.
" will you pick up milk for me after you find that old book, hon" Kassondra yelled from the kitchen
"Yeah" auggie said sighing and turning his eyes to the ground. He pulled the book off the shelf looked in it to see if the money was still inside. He opened the cover seeing the hollowed out center filled with ones tens and twenties. Kassondra never trusted banks so they always kept their money hidden inside the house somewhere.
He closed the book and dropped his hand down to his side so when he took a step it hit against his leg. He walked out into the kitchen and set the book down on the table. Kassondra turned around to the clang of the book hitting the glossed maple wood. She turned back to dinner and he walked towards the door grabbing his wallet and not forgetting to give her a kiss on the forehead before he walked out the door. Kassondra watched as he pulled out of the driveway and then went back to cooking. Kassondra's vision was overcame with fog and she started choking and coughing on a grey substance filling the air. When she realized the substance was smoke filling her house. She threw her hand over her mouth and rushed to the living room. When she entered the room she was wafted with an overpowering smell of smoke she noticed that the candle had caught on the curtain. Then the fire alarm kicked in with a loud screech infecting her eardrums. Tears dripped from her face as she ran for the door. Kassondra tumbled onto the ground tripping over nothing. She tried pushing herself up but her arms became too weak to support her weight.
She started to wheeze her body filled with too much smoke. Her vision became more blurred while her arms be came more weak she let herself drop to the ground again and closed her eyes.
August pulled up into the driveway to what seemed like hundreds of fire trucks and ambulances. He jumped out of the car and tried to run into the house but a fireman held him back. He watched as they pulled his wife out of his house on a stretcher. Tears flowed out of his eyes with more forces than they ever had before. He screamed No at no one in particular and Was more angry than sad at this point angry that he lost his rock angry she had to die like that angry at the people surrounding them not doing more and angry at himself for not doing anything for not being there before. He let himself fall into the wet grass cradling his face in his hands sobbing for the love of his life was gone.
