Waiting

She waited on the front porch for the authorities to arrive. She sat with one hip on the railing, swinging her raised foot and balancing with the toes of the other one.

The four chairs lined up across the front of the house held boxes as occupants. Their rocking was stilled by piles of newspapers pressed around them like ancient pillars.

She smoked a cigarette partially from nervousness but also to hide the smell coming from the open front door. She dared not touch or move anything else for fear she would be accused of corrupting the murder scene.