As dust settled in the center market of Kabul and dusk reigned over the entire population.  Thousand of miles away in a quaint B&B somewhere in Europe, a woman emerged from a steam-filled bathroom in crisped, white cotton robe.   She checked the digital clock by the bedside table and casually walked toward the balcony.

Situated comfortably on the lone lounger, she pulled out a pack of cigarette from the robe pocket, singled out one, and tossed the box on a small table to join a mobile phone already there.  Her feet propped on top of the table with the cigarette rolling slowly between her thumb and forefinger.  She picked up the phone and it buzzed instantly as if she was commanding it to life.

“Yes” She paused briefly, “It’s done,” and disconnected the call abruptly as her answer and trashed the device in the metal bin nearby.  She lit the filtered red that hang between her lips and took one long drag, making the amber glowed as if endlessly.  She lay back, held her breath, letting the nicotine-filled smoke to burn slowly through the organs.  In due time, her lips puckered to release successive rings of cloud through the air and finally, blew that last blast of smoke to disband the rings into thin air. 

Remnant of the half-indulged cigarette received a flick as it soars and landed perfectly alongside the discarded mobile.  The slow burning amber dutifully ignites the black shroud just below.  The smell of burnt plastic and cotton was enough to keep the woman company for the night.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The loud shrills from the phone woken Bette Porter from her much needed sleep.  The extended travel and arduous task of assessing risks for her company, Century Insurance, left her drained and exhausted.  She phoned the office once her plane landed to request the week off catching up on sleep and unwinding.  She remained indifferent to the noisy device knowing it would cease to disturb with due patience.  It stopped.  She smirked.  The mobile phone nearby began buzzing.  Her indifferent failed to deter the buzzing as it continued the process for an umpteenth time.  She frowned and picked up the call.

“Hello” Bette greeted the obvious caller nonchalantly.

“Bette, why aren’t you stopping by the studio on your day off?” Her expected caller whined.