LITMIR.BIZ

       A FIERY PLAN

      He knew her habits from careful and stealthy observation. He knew how she usually drank a warm glass of milk before bed, sitting at the kitchen table and looking over her appointments for the next day in her blue book. He knew what time she usually woke, the time she allotted for dressing and a quick breakfast. He knew how she scheduled her first appointments for late morning. And he knew where she kept the spare key for the house.

      Quietly letting himself in, he went straight into the kitchen and washed the milk glass in case there was residue from the sleeping pills he’d peppered the milk with the previous day. Then he went over to the refrigerator, took out the milk container, poured the remainder in the sink and rinsed it out as well, collapsing it to put it in the garbage. Next he dried the milk glass and placed it in the cabinet.

      “Don’t worry, sweet Brenda. I’m definitely not going to wake you up,” he said to himself and started humming, “You Are So Beautiful To Me.”

      He looked under the sink and pulled out a bottle of rubbing alcohol. He’d placed it there several days before when no one was home. Afterward, he lay on the floor and stuck his upper body under the sink. It was a tight fit, but he made it. He’d done it before so he knew he could. He removed a trap door at the back of the sink. It was intended to be used by plumbers to reach pipes when they needed repair, but he had hidden something in the space between the trap door and the outside wall. He pushed aside the insulation, reached in and felt around. Finally, he snagged what he was feeling for and pulled out a box. The label read CALCIUM CARBIDE.

      He replaced the trap door and climbed out from under the sink. He stood, picked up the box, happily tossed it in the air, turned around and caught it behind his back. He chuckled because the move reminded him of a majorette.

      Stop fooling around and get on with it.

      He quietly walked to the bathroom door and listened. Silence greeted him. He opened the box, pulled a mask over his nose and mouth and began to sling the calcium carbide into the air. The fine, gray powder with its acidic smell settled on the floor, furniture, everything. It left a ghostly dust throughout the house.

      He went back to the kitchen, removed his mask and took a soda from the fridge. He swished it around in his mouth and spit it out in the sink. His mouth was dry and he wanted to wash any of the carbide residues out before he took a drink. He took a sip and swallowed.