Mr. Alden is old

Mr. Alden lives in the copper-red bungalow across the street. He has lived there since I was born.

Mr. Alden is tall and skinny with a grey head of hair. My mother told me once it used to be black. Slicked with pomade and smart.

Mr. Alden lives alone. He has for as long as I can remember. No wife and no children who make surprise visits with littles in tow. I learned that he wa...

The temple burned and burned and burned.

Smoke billowed endlessly from the top of the old stone building. It was more smoke than I had ever seen before. The way it spread over the village was a as a rain cloud settled in the sky. Dark and looming.

The fire was terribly large as well. At that age I was only allowed near cooking’s fires. Those fires were contained. As contained as a fire could be;...