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The Casket of Fictional Delights

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Kala Pani

by Neema Shah

2017 Flash Fiction Competition Second Prize

PodcastFlash Fiction Curious, Thought-provoking

There was a smidge of Radha in my pocket, a smattering of her on the cruddy wooden deck. I drew the string together and put the cotton bag in my pocket.

The kala pani, that’s what the people in my village call the sea. It wasn’t really black water though, despite all the slops of shit and sick thrown into it. In places, it was copper, like the setting sun; in others, as silver as my mother’s hair.

I spent so long in that turvy topsy world that my turban tattered in the salt air, my beard grew into curly tentacles that tickled my chest and my ribs showed through my skin, like the scores that the English sailors made on the deck to mark the days. Months I spent, ducking the questions about my old life, dodging the sailors’ jibes about the ways of the Hindoo.

At East India Dock, I staggered off the ship and looked out across the river, as grey as the oysters piled up in boxes nearby. As I pulled out the little cotton bag from my pocket, a dusting of Radha floated out, scattering onto the glossy cobbles. It was time to let her go.

The way Radha’s ashes flew out of the bag and into the water reminded me of her once more; the way her legs had writhed under me; the way her arms had flailed as my hands gripped her neck.

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You are listening to
Kala Pani
by Neema Shah

https://thecasket.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/2017-Flash-Fiction-Competition.mp3

Story read by Shash Hira for The Casket of Fictional Delights.

About Neema Shah

Neema is currently writing her first novel. She won The Literary Consultancy Pen Factor Live 2017 and was runner up in the Best Opening Chapter competition at the York Festival of Writing 2017. She lives in London and works in marketing.

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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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