Chapter 6
Sean tossed a small, split log into the mouth of the old cast iron stove in the corner of the frigid room. In his other hand, he held a fried-chicken drumstick that had been sitting by its lonesome in the cardboard bucket at the back of his refrigerator for at least a week. He sank his teeth into it and enjoyed its spices as he watched the flames in the stove devour new fuel.
He had been fond of the stove from the time he was a child. On the few occasions when he and his sister got to spend the night over at their Uncle Zed’s, the two children would sit in front of it for what seemed like hours with their arms wrapped around their folded legs as they warmed themselves and played silly word games.
The stove seemed much larger and more intimidating back then. With the steel door
