Carelessness

A small pile of bone dry leaves lay nestled, protected between two roots It was a sorchingly hot sunny day all the trees desperately needed rain The land that had been without water for so long was parched, all around saplings drooping, dying for its lack dust freely blowing, coating everything The couple strolling, locked together arm in arm, paused to admire the view then settled on a fallen log, huddled as they smoked, chatted and then kissed The man pulled her up into his arms carrying her futher down the path thoughtlessly chucking his lit cigarette which landed on the small pile of leaves Slowly the pile started to smoulder wisps of smoke curling up in the air a gentle breeze playfully fans them small flames start to lick and spread It hungrily consumes the plenteous fuel first one tree then yet another it lights soon the woods are blazing with its fury it leaps from tree to tree, rapidly spreading Catching the couple by surprise it devours them and passes on, fiercely burning all in its path by now firemen are fighting the advancing flames struggling to douse it or bring it into control Not succeeding, it has too firm a grip raging it grows ever more gigantic acres left scorched in its wake carcasses litter the blacken land All seems to be totally lost, when caring mother nature takes a hand the wind swivels round creating a retreat and so, slowly the fire dies of starvation