Friday 7 December 2012

Friday Flash Fiction - week 28


The End or the Beginning

As Emma was biting her nails at two a.m she looked furtively at her husband who was sleeping in their bed. She’d thought about this moment a thousand times, but now that it was here, she was unsure what to do. He snored, turned over and she slowly, quietly let out a breath that she hadn’t realised she’d been holding. 

When they got married three years ago, she’d felt like the luckiest woman alive. Every word of that old cliché was true. Neil was earning good money and had insisted she give up work. Initially thrilled, she soaked in the luxury of time. Soon she lost contact with old colleagues and friends with whom she had nothing to talk about. She spent her days gazing out of the window or willing the phone to ring.  

She tiptoed out of the bedroom, her heart pounding like an African drum in her chest, and quietly closed the door behind her. Thick piled carpets swallowed the sound of her movements. Creeping down the corridor she imagined his large body filling the door frame and asking, “Where are you going?” “To the bathroom,” she’d reply and then she’d have to get back into bed.

Looking back it had already started before the wedding. The subtle criticisms, the odd aggressive outburst. The signs had been there. 

The black and white cups that she had washed up before bed were standing on the draining board. It had taken her a long time to realise that the hot chocolate Neil kindly made for her before bed every night contained two little sleeping pills. She prodded and poked her bruised face, trying to remind herself how much it hurt.

When they moved into this flat he had installed another lock on the front door. “You can never be too careful!” he’d said, forgetting to give her the key week after week, month after month until she stopped asking for it. 

Tonight was the night as Neil had left his keys on the kitchen table instead of locking them inside his bedside cabinet. Most nights she welcomed sleep, but not tonight. The cold enveloped her, but she felt nothing. Numb to the core.
L. Besley



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Flash Fiction diary



This week saw the third installment of Flash Fortnightly on the Artipeeps website. Click here for A Burnt Orange Sari, inspired by a photo I saw on facebook. I don't know the woman, but the sari was beautiful and I had that in mind when I wrote the piece. 


This week I set up a facebook page and if you could 'like' the page, I'd be very grateful! Click here for Laura Besley Writer

I've also stepped, rather gingerly, into the 21st century and have set up a twitter account! If you'd like to follow me, I can be found bumbling my way through this technology @laurabesley 
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Flash Fiction is short enough to read whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil. It's fairly quick to write too, but with it being so short, every word has to count. 

On 4th May 2012 I decided to embark on a project: to write a piece of Flash Fiction every day. I'm hoping this will keep the creative juices flowing and ultimately help me hone my craft. Every Friday I'll be posting 'the best of the week' onto my blog for you to read. If you have anything to say (good or 'constructive'!), I'm open to comments.  

Thanks, as always, for reading. 

16 comments:

  1. Such a sad story and yet full of hope. I really hope she makes it out of there.

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  2. I'm glad she kept her head and managed to piece it all out so quickly. It's one of those situations where something as overt as being locked in probably helped in a weird way.

    Kudos for sketching out a complex situation very economically.

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    1. Yes, you're right. Thanks for your supportive comments! :)

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  3. control freakery to the utmost. I can only think he was so jealous of any other man even looking at her

    marc nash

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    1. Indeed. Thanks for reading, commenting and the RT! :)

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  4. May she find what she needs to feel out in the cold.

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  5. Ok, definitely want to hear more!!!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah! Was thinking already this could definitely be a longer piece! :)

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  6. Nicely put together Laura. Scenarios like this actually make me shudder, I know this is fiction, but for many poor unfortunates it is their reality.

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    1. Dear Steve,
      You're right, of course, and I am very grateful that this isn't my life. We can only hope that there is a chance for women in situations like these to get out.

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  7. Laura, this story illustrates so well how easy it can be for women to fall into a bad relationship. I'm glad there's some hope for her. Well done.

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    1. Thank you, Dawn. I'm sure a lot of people don't show their 'true colours' until later, when potentially it could be too late. I'm glad there's hope for Emma and hopefully there is for others too.

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  8. The suspense constricted my breathing. Now, with fingers crossed, I hope the keys don't clatter to the floor and that the snoring Neil doesn't hear the door opening or closing.

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