Before the frost returned, spring had been kinder than normal. Though the ground was still frozen Aaron knew that the scent of decomposition from the thawing flowerbeds would fill his garden when spring returned again.
“Elaine left me”, he had claimed, “left me for another man”.
All through winter he lingered in pretended sorrow and the faint perfume from its chalice.
Steals and crocodile tears brought sympathy soothed him, kind neighbors brought food and wine and he had crowdfunded a new car.
He was not ashamed, Elaine brought it upon herself, by that constant nagging.
The return of cold weather brought him time to conclude the sale of their house. Time to settle his estate. Time to change identity, Time to to be reborn as … anyone.
Did he go east? Did he go west, north or south?
Maybe he is your new neighbor.
Marie Duhem
Today it is time for prosery again hosted by Dora at dVerse. The challenge is to include the line “And the faint perfume from its chalice steals” from the poem Sympathy by Paul Laurence Dunbar.
May 11, 2026
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Somehow I knew he’d buried her….the scent of decomposition not from leaves or fallen flowers but from her. Creepy ending! You’ve gone to the dark side!
🦨it will truly stink
I like the way you split the prompt line, Björn, the twist and the chilling ending. I will be keeping an eye on any new neighbours.
you will never know 🙂
I don’t think I’d like to be anywhere near his flowerbeds, wherever they may be! Clever use of the prompt line, Björn. I thoroughly enjoyed this story!
It is always interesting to find new ways to use the prompt line
A haunting story! These days one does not know who his neighbor really is……
Intriguing
much love
This is “vintage Björn” if you don’t mind me saying so…full of the stark darkness in prose, getting inside the protagonist’s head and thoughts, and leading one down that deadly path…enjoyed!
Wonderful story telling – and an enigmatic ending – Jae
A dramatic close, Bjorn. Someone prone to pretentions and putting a front to make unsavoury gains can be a problematic neighbour. A very good twist to the prompt!
Hank
dynamite response to the 144 prose… i found myself chuckling at the audacity of self preservation… moving on, setting oneself free, drop of the key lee set yourself free… truthfully i am always leery meeting a neighbor.. are you the good witch or the bad witch… loved how he took a step one by one dropping every memory of a relationship gone… gee how many of us would not have done the same… i could use a new truck…