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The Casket of Fictional Delights

Brooches Podcasts Stories

En Garde

by Louise Mangos

Flash Fiction Bittersweet, Jealousy

My thumb and forefinger repeatedly click and unclick the cap from the lipstick. An overnight bag sits on the floor at my feet, half unpacked from the conference. The wait has been interminable, enhanced by the suffocating warmth of our marital bed where I sit.
Click, click.
Maybelline. Perilous plum.
The front door slams, and the heart-thumping panic of inevitable confrontation eclipses a fleeting plea for more time. Blood sings in my ears as I catch the clack of the hangar holding his jacket into the hall cupboard. I feel his footfalls along the uneven floorboards, muffled by the threadbare rug. A fencer approaching his unseen opponent.
Click, click.
The knob glimmers as it turns, an ancient dent in the brass reflecting a distorted grid from the bedroom window.
Click.
The door yawns open. Heat rushes to my face, and hairs rise like iron filings on my scalp. I momentarily weaken. I want him to hold me, kiss me, and tell me he loves me. But determination kicks my conscience as I remember why I am waiting. I want to hate him instead.
I point the lipstick, and wave it in precise circles like a foil.
He steps closer to inspect the article in my hand, the one I found in our bathroom cabinet as I put away my toiletries. He blanches. He always appreciated my natural look, no make-up.
Taking a step backwards, he prepares to parry.
I stand and face him across the piste. My arm pulls back, and I hurl the lipstick with all my force. It flies end over end through the air. A crimson tick appears on his brow.
Red Revenge.
His eyes cloud, and his brow plummets to a dark furl before he strides towards me.
I raise my chin and wait for the final riposte.

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About Louise Mangos

Louise is a compulsive writer and drinker of prosecco. Louise was a runner up in The Casket of Fictional Delights 2017 Flash Fiction Competition.  She lives on a Swiss Alp with her Kiwi husband and two sons.
Visit Louise Mangos on the web

You’ve reached the end of this story. Please do explore further. And if you’re feeling generous today, donate to The Casket and help keep the fictional delights flowing. Want to know when more stories arrive? Make sure you sign up for regular updates.

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2 responses to “En Garde”

  • Cat Russell says:
    March 9, 2018 at 3:37 pm

    Expertly done! I love the fencing terminology mixed in with the marital confrontation.

    Reply
    • Louise Mangos says:
      March 9, 2018 at 8:43 pm

      Thank you Cat! This is one of the first flashes I ever wrote, re-edited for the lovely Casket site. Marriage can be a little like parrying sometimes ;o)

      Reply

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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.

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Text & stories © Joanna Sterling 2021
Stories © various authors
Audio by Menna Bonsels
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