When a fire breaks out in Mrs Mavis Walker’s home, the small close knit community of Baker’s Lane is sent into shock, fear and later, when her charred body is discovered, morose grief. 

Yet, no one is as shaken by this senseless incident than her younger son John, when he returned home and promptly breaks down.

In shambles over the loss of his mother, John begins to act strangely, and argues with his older brother Derek when he arrives on the scene. 

He’s so shaken up, only Derek speaks to the media, giving them the story of his mother and some reports of what the firefighters told him must have happened.

The community understands the grief, but is all as it seems? 

Was the fire really an accident by a senile, elderly lady or is the truth much darker?

Read the short story to find out.