The First Day

By Beverly Knies

Olive shoved her spade deep into the soft, leaf covered earth, wondering if her sister, Bev, had lost her mind. The hole was getting deep. The chickens gathered at a safe distance, cackling among themselves in anticipation of fresh, sleeping earthworms. It was barely daylight. Morning birds were singing, and their dog, Bear, rooted frantically through the fresh turned earth.

"They won't know us around here, have you thought of that?" said Olive.

"Doesn't matter, just keep digging." Bev reached into her jacket pocket and grabbed a pack of cigarettes and her shiny ladies Zippo. There was no hesitation as she tossed them into the hole.

Bear ran over, thinking a game of fetch was beginning.

A cigarette rolled out and stopped a couple of inches from the pack. Olive looked at it and asked, "Are you sure about this, sister?"

"Never more sure. Help me with this basket of ashtrays."

Olive threw the spade down and walked over to her twin sister. She reached into the basket and pulled out a Florida souvenir ashtray they'd gotten when they went to their older sister's funeral. She held it for a moment, then Bev motioned with her head toward the hole. "All of 'em."

A slight breeze stirred. Olive grabbed the spade, but Bev took it from her and began shoveling dirt into the hole. She beat the contents a couple times, and the sound of breaking glass and pottery rang sharply in the quiet serenity of the woods.

Olive leaned heavily against a Black Walnut tree, humming Taps.

Standing up straight and resting her palm on the spade, Bev took a deep breath. It was done, and she felt good about. She looked at her sister, smiling as their eyes met. "Come on Olive, let's go brush our teeth and begin the first day of being nonsmokers..."