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The Casket of Fictional Delights

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Ending and Beginning

by Amy Smith

Flash Fiction Poignant, Sad

Breathe in, breathe out. Step into the cramped, crowded waiting room. Take a seat; take another breath.  Look at the clock, look at the receptionist, look at the screaming child throwing a tantrum two seats over. Try to stay calm. Get up quietly when the nurse calls you back; keep your eyes to the floor. Follow the nurse to the examination room; thank her quietly. Sit on the examination table; try not to make the paper covering crinkle too much. Wait. Greet the doctor; lie back. Don’t flinch when the cool jelly hits your stomach. Make small talk with the doctor.  Do not look at the screen. Wait. Try to stay calm. Listen for the heartbeat; watch the doctor’s face. Notice his concern, the hurried movements as he tinkers with the monitor. Feel the eerie silence of the room as it covers you, moulds around you, takes your heart and holds it hostage. Remember to breathe. Accept the doctor’s condolences; take the card the nurse gives you for an appointment next week. Leave quietly; speak to no one, make your way home. Let yourself into the house; let the silence of its rooms comfort you. Walk into the nursery; take the “It’s a Girl!” banner off the wall; throw it in the wastebasket. Breathe.

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About Amy Smith

Amy is an English major currently attending East Carolina University, in her senior year. This is her first attempt at writing flash fiction.

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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Sending

4 responses to “Ending and Beginning”

  • Ross says:
    November 20, 2015 at 1:08 pm

    A really effective piece; it’s well paced and builds the tension really well to its conclusion.

    Reply
    • Joanna Sterling says:
      November 20, 2015 at 8:03 pm

      Thank you for your supportive comments Ross.

      Reply
  • Elizabeth Scott says:
    November 21, 2015 at 12:34 am

    Loved it it grabbed me and the descriptions brilliant

    Reply
  • Elizabeth Scott says:
    November 21, 2015 at 12:36 am

    loved it and the describtions it grabbed me

    Reply

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News

Christmas is Coming

We are gearing up for Christmas here at The Casket.  We have two stories by Morgan Parks  in December

A Bigger Tree Each Year

Lucky Elf

And the Brooch of the Month comes from Estonia.

Don't to forget to let us know what you think of all our stories and our brooches  @casketfiction.

 

Check out other short stories on The Casket of Fictional Delights

The Goldsmiths' Fair

Journeys through Jewellery

Rue Pigalle designs women-only trips around the world, for intimate groups of art, jewellery and culture lovers.  Isabelle describes herself as having three passions; jewellery, art and craftsmanship. She takes her clients on journeys of discovery around the world, destinations include Paris, Barcelona and New York.  There are trips to London planned in 2020 and as a prelude Isabelle asked me to write two pieces on this year’s Goldsmiths’ Fair. Followers of my Brooch of the Month blog will know I regularly visit and shop at the Goldsmiths’ Fair, so I was delighted to take up the challenge and report back all the highlights for readers of Rue Pigalle.

Goldsmiths' Fair Week One

Goldsmiths' Fair Week Two

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  • RT @MennaBonsels: Enjoy Christmas short stories by @MorganJParks And look for the podcast of Lucky Elf, read by @ajacksonbond https://t.co/TKsVU9ooRK, Dec 8
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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 2019
Stories © various authors
Audio by Menna Bonsels
Maintained by Brighton WebTech
Brooch photography by Mark Colliton