Lady-Bird

A mother's derelict behavior has happened once too often.

Lady-Bird

          In the quaint village of Ashwood, where the sun dipped into the horizon and painted the sky with hues of crimson and gold, a sense of unease settled over the thatched roofs and the bustling town square. It was a feeling that had become all too familiar, thanks to Lady-Bird's neglectful ways, a mother of six who prioritized her social life over her children's well-being.

          Every morning, Lady-Bird would set out bread and water for her children, lock the door from the outside, and shutter the windows, ensuring that no prying eyes could witness the neglect that lay within. She would then spend her days at the local tavern, laughing and gossiping with the other patrons, while her children were left to fend for themselves.

          The villagers had grown accustomed to Lady-Bird's ways, but they couldn't help but feel a sense of dread whenever they thought of the six young souls trapped inside her cottage. The children, ages 4 to 12, were left to their own devices, with no adult supervision to guide or protect them.

          On this particular day, the eldest child, a resourceful and clever 12-year-old named Emily, had grown tired of the cold and darkness that filled their home. She had watched her mother use a flint rock and metal to light the stove on the rare occasions she was present, and she had decided to try it herself. Emily's hands trembled as she held the flint rock firmly in one hand and the metal striker in the other, just as she had seen her mother do.

          But instead of using it to light the stove, Emily attempted to spark a flame in the bed, hoping to warm her siblings and herself. The straw in the mattress ignited, and the fire quickly spread, consuming the bed and filling the room with a thick, acrid smoke. The children panicked, running to the door and pounding on it, but it was locked, and they were trapped.

          The sounds of their desperate cries and the smell of smoke wafted through the air, carried on the wind to the neighboring cottages. One of the villagers, a kind old man named Thomas, was the first to notice the commotion. He had been working in his garden when he heard the pounding on the door and caught the unmistakable scent of smoke.

          Thomas's heart sank as he rushed towards Lady-Bird's cottage, his eyes widening in horror as he saw the flames licking at the windows and the roof. He knew that he had to act quickly, and he sprinted towards the local tavern, hoping to find Lady-Bird and persuade her to unlock the doors and save her children.

          When Thomas burst into the tavern, Lady-Bird was sitting at a table, laughing and chatting with her friends, oblivious to the chaos that was unfolding at her home. Thomas's urgent voice and frantic expression finally caught her attention, and she rose from her seat, concern and annoyance etched on her face.

          "Lady-Bird, your house is on fire!" Thomas exclaimed, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "Your children are trapped inside! You must come with me and unlock the doors!"

          Lady-Bird hesitated, her eyes darting towards her friends, who were watching the scene with a mixture of shock and disapproval. For a moment, it seemed as though she would refuse to budge, but Thomas's desperate pleas and the fear that was growing in her own heart finally propelled her into action.

          As they rushed back to the cottage, the flames had grown higher, and the smoke was billowing into the night air. Lady-Bird's face was ashen, and her eyes were wide with fear as she realized the gravity of the situation. Thomas grabbed her arm, urging her to hurry, but it was too late.

          When they arrived at the cottage, the fire had consumed the entire building, and the roof was collapsing in a shower of sparks and flames. The roar of the fire drowned out Lady-Bird's screams, and Thomas's attempts to comfort her were futile.

          The villagers, who had gathered to watch the tragedy unfold, were left to wonder how such a catastrophe could have occurred. The rhyme that would later be whispered among them, a haunting reminder of the events of that fateful night, would go like this:

          "Lady-bird, Lady-bird, Fly away home, Your house is on fire, Your children will burn."

          As the ashes of the cottage smoldered, and the villagers began to disperse, Lady-Bird was left to face the consequences of her neglect. The tragedy that had befallen her children would haunt her for the rest of her days, a grim reminder of the devastating cost of her own selfish desires. And as for Emily and her siblings, their fate would remain a dark and sinister secret, lost in the flames that had consumed their home and their lives forever.

Word Count: 808
Prompt: Choose one of Mother Goose's short rhymes and write a story or poem that tells a tale around which that rhyme could be based