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The Unbiddable Hand

by Rebecca Peyton

Flash Fiction Optimistic, Reflective

My hand freezes, unable to knock. A moment of lucidity. I breathe. I study the hand, hoping it will bring me something. My hand is becoming my mother’s and my mother’s hands are becoming my grandmother’s. Does this imply some wisdom? Maybe my hand will rescue me, if I let it. If only it could speak, but it keeps its counsel, right next to my tight-lipped wrist.

From the bus stop to the hotel room is 400 yards. I could turn back. The pavement is busy, I could bury my desires in the frantic trajectories of the crowd. I could walk by, sail to another kind of adventure. But my treacherous feet have brought me to this door.

If I want, I can blind-side him, reel him in. He’s so close, on the other side of this door. My uncontrollable feet and unbiddable hand know what my heart won’t allow. I want to learn about his dead mother’s homemade Yorkshire puddings. Amaze him with my knowledge of the relationship between wasabi and horseradish. He’s only a firefly flared into my path. If I walk till dawn I know he’ll be gone. All I have to do is start the journey away from here and never look back.

My fist is trembling, straining between fear and abandon.

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About Rebecca Peyton

Rebecca is an actor and writer. She has performed her first play, Sometimes I Laugh Like My Sister, over 100 times touring the UK, Switzerland and South Africa. She is currently working on her new solo show, Do You Live Alone? She is published by Oberon Books. Rebecca Tweets @rebeccapeyton
Visit Rebecca Peyton on the web

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Everyone at The Casket is hoping 2021 will be a better year than 2020.  We have some great short stories and flash fiction lined up for your delight.  We kick of the year with a story by Lydia Unsworth “The Smallest Boxes” and then for Valentine's we have a story by Dylan Brethour which will also be available as a podcast. Later in the summer we have a new Flash Fiction Summer Collection which will be published online and as podcasts read by Menna Bonsels and Richard Hodder.  We hope you enjoy the stories we have for you and look forward to welcoming you back regularly.

Joanna & The Casket of Fictional Delights Team

 

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Prefer to listen? - from the beginning The Casket of Fictional Delights has specialised in producing high quality podcasts of short stories and flash fiction compilations. The podcasts are recorded by actors and voiceover artists and produced by a professional studio manager ensuring we maintain a consistent high standard. I’ve chosen three to highlight the variety and quality of work we have to offer - visit our Podcast page for more. I hope you enjoy listening to them.

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Text & stories © Joanna Sterling 2021
Stories © various authors
Audio by Menna Bonsels
Brooch photography by Mark Colliton
Other photography by Rosie Marks
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