Episode 259: The Fascination of Disaster

Terrastina drives across a high bridge taking her out of the city after a morning of errands. A column of black smoke a couple of miles to her right catches her attention. She slows the car and parks on the shoulder next to the bridge’s guard rail. The river flows a hundred feet below her. A rippling drapery of flame wraps a warehouse, placed like a toy, at the bottom of the smoke column. Terrastina stands and watches the fire burn. She imagines all the city’s buildings burning like cake candles. She blows them out and makes a wish.