> > Flash in Hand Bristol 1

May 2019

I read my flash fiction piece, XDR, at Flash in Hand, Bristol's first open mic flash fiction event, at Alchemy 198 on 13th May.

 

XDR

 

I was very pleased to be able to join other flash fiction writers, flash fiction judges, flash fiction festival organisers and flash fiction creative writing tutors, novelists and performers at Bristol's first open mic flash fiction event organised by Kevlin Henney and Grace Palmer.

 
Barbara is home early from the Ministry. She’s still wearing her office clothes. Her black briefcase lies on the kitchen counter, next to the wooden chopping-board, the serrated vegetable-knife, the shallots, aubergines, peppers and courgettes. She and Tom are sitting opposite one another at the solid pine table. Tom, in his frayed plaid shirt and jeans, is barefoot. He never wears shoes when he’s cooking ...
-That’s it, says Barbara. Devastating, I know. I’m so sorry, Tom.
She looks down at her hands.
-It’s hardly your fault, says Tom.
-I know but …
-I’m not about to shoot the messenger, am I?
-Aren’t you? Perhaps you should.

If you'd like to read the rest of the story, please email me: nwm.ridley @gmail.com