The Term and Offer

No one knew how bad the problem had gotten... Madelyn sat on her front stoop same as ever, though paler everyone said in the end. Day by day the ledger grew in signatures. Condolences were proffered. Eminent domain was announced. The town said the place was infested; and maybe it was. All anyone ever saw was old Madelyn out on her metal chair, cigar in hand, or cold cola, and her cotton skirts bundled around. The exterminators found nothing. She said they wouldn't. She wouldn't budge, said they'd have to come take her. The day before they would have, and did, she died. That's when the coroner discovered it. What few folks knew, in rumor, that the stubborn broad was diabetic, with amputated leg; casualty of treatment refusal. It was no ordinary peg leg. Madelyn, as she sat and sat, was Royal Chamber for the termite king and queen. Whisper has it the colony had tapped her marrow and developed a special breed. Seems, they'd built channels in her stiff skirting, and took great care not to take too much from the central apartment. Madelyn walked stiff, and nobody gave it second thought, old age and negligence were cited, from the roadside. And a vaguely suspected infestation in that run down dwelling.

But when they took her, all the termites had already taken off...

10.08.2023

The Term challenge @kNoTeS