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The Casket of Fictional Delights

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The Blue Box

by Joanna Sterling

PodcastFlash Fiction Thought-provoking, Unsettling

The taxi draws up at an industrial blue box. Out of place in this country of mountains, clean air and cuckoo clocks. We are greeted. They call themselves escorts. Not your usual kind. We are here to be processed. I am here – to support – to bear witness. This is your choice.
Papers to sign, always papers to sign. I see you have brought your father’s fountain pen. Blue black ink flows freely from the nib. They ask are you sure? They need you to be sure.

Down in one – don’t sip it – that’s no good. This first to lay a resting place for the second. Then we wait. Now the hemlock, again down in one. Swiss chocolate to mask the taste. My mask must not slip – no fissures to show – yet. Praline is your choice.

I sit beside you now, stroke your hand. I remember when you held my hand to cross the road, picked me up when I fell off my bike, consoled me when my lover dumped me. This is my choice.

The lid of the blue box is open now, your spirit free. You made your choice.

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Hear

You are listening to
The Blue Box
by Joanna Sterling

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

Story read by Keith Morris for The Casket of Fictional Delights.

About Joanna Sterling

Joanna writes short stories and flash fiction, has had her work published in a number of magazines and anthologies. She lives in London with her ever growing collection of Brooches.

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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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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Please consider making a donation to The Casket of Fictional Delights.  All content on the website is free and widely available to audiences worldwide.  We do not receive any grants and all our content is Ad free.  The Casket of Fictional Delights specialises in producing high-quality podcasts which are recorded by professional actors/voiceover artists from around the world. We hope you enjoy reading and listening to the stories and finding out about Joanna’s varied brooch collection.

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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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