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The Casket of Fictional Delights

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Under the Tree

by Clare Elstow

Flash Fiction Amusing, Playful

She wasn’t sure how it had happened but sneaking a peek – and a slurp – of the liqueur chocolates probably hadn’t helped. She’d lost her balance somehow and now here she was, looking up at the ceiling through a lattice of pine branches, punctuated by coloured lights and many glittering baubles. It was such a different angle to the one she was used to but lying in the shade of the tree was somehow restful, and very relaxing.

She hiccupped quietly and hoped it was a long time until the family noticed their Christmas fairy wasn’t in her usual place…

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About Clare Elstow

Clare has written extensively for TV, but has now embarked on a novel, and particularly enjoys exploring different genres through short stories and flash fiction. She also writes poetry and is interested in the overlap with prose and breaking down the boundaries between the two. Enhancing words with music is another key interest and Clare has toured with performance poet John Hegley, accompanying him on keyboards

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The Casket is a platform for new, fresh and enjoyable short reads. We don’t receive any grants and your generosity helps us provide FREE accessible ad-free content. Any donation is hugely appreciated. If you would like to contribute, donate by PayPal by submitting your name and an amount.

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4 responses to “Under the Tree”

  • Michelle Mullen says:
    December 18, 2018 at 11:14 am

    Great!

    Reply
    • Clare Elstow says:
      January 7, 2019 at 9:26 pm

      Thanks Michelle! It was fun to write, and get a twist in within just 100 words.

      Reply
  • Francis Phillips says:
    January 7, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Just the right light tone; amusing and quirky.

    Reply
    • Clare Elstow says:
      January 8, 2019 at 9:08 pm

      Thanks Francis. We had a ‘fairy mousemother’ on the top of our tree this year, a successor to several years of an angel teddy – I shall have to think up flash fiction tales/tails for them too, perhaps!

      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.

Joanna & The Casket of Fictional Delights Team

 

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Text & stories © Joanna Sterling 2021
Stories © various authors
Audio by Menna Bonsels
Brooch photography by Mark Colliton
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