Nothing is certain: the woman feels hurried; the town, crowded.

I hear skinder, loosely narrated; newspaper prints anonymous obituary; neighbor discovers their spaniel dead; maid finds pillow in trash.

Only if the children are to be believed. They find the ghost of her husband on the outskirts, snoring too loudly.

Mandira Pattnaik’s work has appeared in print and online journals in fifteen countries. Find her at mandirapattnaik.com.