I like to play a little game with myself to test out my writing ability. I take a word--any random word--and make a short story of it. Thing is, I don't think about it. I instantly start writing, whatever comes to my head. I fly by the seat of my pants as I'm writing. I never know where the story will go.

I should also note that instant stories are supposed to be short and vague. Otherwise I'll put too much thought into them, and want to work longer, and it won't be so "instant" anymore. XD

Though I will admit I cheated a bit on this one, as I read the comment with the suggested word shortly before I went to bed, and so had more time to think about it.

Apologies to  themalodorousmephit, who suggested the word, for the grim nature of the story. I'd played a game set in WWI all day, and so it influenced me.

So, wanna help me? Pick a word.

~~EDIT~~

As I was posting this, I had an image of the husband standing in the rubble of his house, looking at a piece of purple curtain fluttering in the breeze. Ah, what terrible irony that would be!