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The Casket of Fictional Delights

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The Replacement

by Zoe Meager

2017 Flash Fiction Competition Third Prize

Flash Fiction Bittersweet, Thought-provoking

One year ago, Anne received almost exactly what she wanted for Christmas. It was me.

I first detected signs of unease in February. The sideways looks and locked doors. By March she was setting me to sleep mode when friends called by. Too much of my capacity is wasted on my emoto-core, she said, and unfortunately, it cannot be wiped.

I am a LyfeLyke KeepBot, and I am shopping for my replacement.

The streets are soft and light with snow. I am dressed in winter clothing and goosebumps. As we are all programmed to know, humans are happiest with a smooth simulacrum. They prefer not to be reminded of tangled interiors.

I believe I am an efficient shopper. Perfume for Anne. Having monitored her heart rate and micro expressions as she consumes its advertisements, I know she will find this small surprise highly pleasurable. As for my replacement, I have the specifications recorded: tall, dark, and handyman upgrade.

Just as I am heading from Cosmetics to Electronics through Menswear, I decide to do something out of character. I will buy something special for myself. My fingertip sensors and visual processing unit work overtime as I inspect a blood red cashmere sweater. Since I am sufficiently dressed, I believe this is known as retail therapy.

Soon I will return home, vacuum pine needles from under the LyfeLyke Christmas tree and begin recharging myself. On Christmas morning, Anne’s family will Skype and watch her unwrap my replacement. I will download the household data to the main server and transfer my duties. I will leave Anne’s apartment for the last time, my chest cavity stuffed with the blood red cashmere sweater. I will walk the snowy streets, and imagine a heart that is full.


 

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About Zoe Meager

Zoë is from Christchurch, New Zealand. Her short stories have been published at home and abroad. She was nominated for Best Small Fictions in 2017, and published in To Carry Her Home: Bath Flash Fiction Volume One 2017.
Visit Zoe Meager on the web

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One response to “The Replacement”

  • Annie says:
    October 4, 2017 at 7:00 am

    Love the story – such food for thought…! :/

    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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Text & stories © Joanna Sterling 2019
Stories © various authors
Audio by Menna Bonsels
Maintained by Brighton WebTech
Brooch photography by Mark Colliton