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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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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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Starting in June and through to the end of September  The Casket of Fictional Delights presents more Susan Tate adventures.  Enjoy following a year in the life of Susan Tate the quirky librarian who lives in Canterbury with her cat Charles Dickens written by Joanna Sterling, read by Menna Bonsels and illustrated by Michael N Green.

There are many other short stories and flash fictions available to read and listen to in our Stories and Podcast sections.

Joanna & The Casket of Fictional Delights Team

 

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Text & stories © Joanna Sterling 2022
Stories © various authors
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