Literarily, and not literally—of course!

Getting away with murder! There comes a time when a writer must kill a full-fleshed character—or two.

For whatever reason, a writer will kill a character (s)—whether from urge or resignation. Perchance, by doing so: it propels the plot; fits the character’s lifestyle or circumstances; adds realism to the story.

A parallel thought akin to a purportedly enraged Joan Crawford screaming, “No wire hangers!”--

No gratuitous kills!

It’d be a deadly sin to kill a character purely for the superficial reason of shocking our readers or making them cry.

Not willing to slit my own throat by giving away plot spoilers with regard to killing characters in past or current works, there’s no harm done in providing a perverse passage involving a minor character.

From Chapter 5, An Enlightening Quiche (Contemporary, 2016):

Augusta: The school teacher could use the extra cash since grappling with her husband’s much publicized conviction for first-degree child molestation sexual assault. Facing a minimum of ten to fifteen years in prison for the least invasive criminal scenario more than likely sparked the voluminous, luminous, bituminous pyre two days prior to Vern’s court appearance for sentencing.

Death by hibachi!

Vernon Blais went out in a blaze of glory, smoked to death barbecuing charcoal briquettes while locked inside the bathroom with the window shut, an apropos exit strategy for the junior high guidance counselor caught stalling a thirteen-year-old boy in his office privy.

*In my writing capacity as judge, jury, and executioner—I daresay this character got what he deserved.

Eva’s Authors Den Page: https://tinyurl.com/yycm7d2w