Gone

Gone by Lee Ann Smith (a Short Story Contest entry)

Candle stubs flicker on the table, wax dripping. A bottle of Cabernet stands open by one of the two place settings. A wine glass lays on the tablecloth, its contents spreading, deep blood red. In the kitchen, an alarm blares as smoke billows from the oven.

We made it look sudden, violent, unexpected. When the fire department shows up, they’ll call the police. We’ll be miles away. We knew this day would come.