Friday 21 September 2012

Friday Flash Fiction - Week 17!


Blue Monday

Grandpa’s favourite colour is blue. He told me this once, but it’s not a secret. He said lots of people know, so it’s ok for me to tell mummy or daddy or Sophie at number 62. She’s my best friend. When we grow up we’re going to live together in a house with a swimming pool and a garden and a big oven for making biscuits. Mummy always says “they’re biscuits, not cookies, we’re not a merry can.” Mummy’s very silly; cans aren’t merry, they’re just cans. 

Grandpa always comes round for tea on Mondays. He picks me up from school, walks me and Sophie back and then we play until mummy gets home from work. Mummy has been crying a lot. She thinks I don’t know, but her eyes and cheeks are red when she’s been crying. I give her a little hug, or give her bunny to take to bed. 

“Stacey! Are you ready?” 
I run from my room, down the stairs to put on my shoes. 
“Now darling,” Mummy says, and looks at me with her head tilted to one side and her cheeks and eyes a little pink. “Remember Grandpa isn’t coming today. He’s gone…”
“To heaven.” Mummy’s told me this and I am pleased I can remember the name. 
“Yes, that’s right, but he won’t be back.” 
“But when he went to Brighton he came back. He promised and he did. He bought me a book.” 
“I know, darling, but heaven is different.” 
“Why?”
“You go there when you are too tired and you need a long rest.” 
“But can’t he just have a Grandpa nap and come round later?”
“No darling.” 
I look at the ground and feel the pink in my cheeks. My bottom lip starts to wobble. “It’s not fair!”
“I know, darling.” Mummy puts her arms around me, but I shake her off. 
I feel a hot pink ball in my stomach stomping around. “It’s not fair,” I say quietly.  
L. Besley



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Flash Fiction diary

I started a 6-week online Flash Fiction course with Calum Kerr. I'm really excited to be learning more about this style of writing. This week's flash fiction is a piece I wrote as part of the course.  
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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. 

14 comments:

  1. So many things aren't fair, it seems...

    What sort of work is Kerr assigning?

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  2. Tissue time. Very poignant.

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  3. So hard for young one's to understand - death is so finale, even adults have to get to grips with the feeling of not seeing someone ever again. Beautifully written piece of flash.

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    1. Very true. Thanks for your kind comments, Helen!

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  4. Sad, in a coming-of-age way. It's always tough to read someone so young getting their first taste of the world's ways. Nicely done.

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    1. Indeed, it's tough for youngsters to understand what's going on. Thanks for your comments! :)

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  5. Sad, and truthful.

    It's quite a horrible time of a child's life when they begin to know about the concept of death.

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    1. Yes, it is. At the moment I teach a lot of young children and can't imagine how hard it must be for them to understand. Thanks for commenting! :)

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  6. Beautiful story, Laura. I want to know more about Stacey and her Mummy. How about turning this into a novel? It's a great opening scene.

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    1. Thanks, Clint! It would make a good opening scene, wouldn't it? Will have to put that on the 'to do' pile!!

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  7. Just brilliant Laura. Really well written and totally moved me. X

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    1. Thanks Katy! I must admit, I really like this one too. X

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