Flashes Of The Past II

Fire crackles loudly and spews out a smoke filled with the cozy aroma of fresh wood. A metal pot rests above the flames, suspended by two chains that expose its bottom bare to the licks of the orange fire.

A woman stands over it, jittering her four legs in seeming fatigue from a prolonged session of attending to the pot.

She stirs the pot, humming a joyful tune that warms the chest. Her hand stirs once, twice, and a third time before she lifts the wooden ladle to taste.

The ladle, stained in the color of the broth, holds a rich aroma that sends tingles down the brain and warm saliva to envelope the tongue.

As the ladle touches her soft lips, the streaks of golden light get caught in the dull surface of the spoon, vanishing from the woman’s soft almond face. As if in protest, the light seems to shine brighter looking to burn through the spoon.

Ignorant of the sun’s jealousy, the woman perks up in joy as the hot broth makes its way down her throat.