Tuesday, 19 January 2016

Fear of Flying ( hundred word flash fiction)

She'd always managed to avoid flying, and despite the circumstances, she felt ridiculously nervous. Should that wing be trembling like that? And the whole plane seemed to be tilting; were planes supposed to tilt? She turned away from the window, and sipped her glass of champagne. She hadn't had a drink for a long time, but it wouldn't matter now, would it? Nothing really mattered now.

"Have you got the tickets, dear?" She asked.
"Yes, Mum." Her daughter forced a smile."Here's yours. See?"

Her eyes blurred with tears, she showed her mother her ticket. Her one-way ticket to Switzerland...


(Just an experiment)
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24 comments:

  1. Maggie May19 January 2016 at 22:27

    Interesting but sad. I can't imagine ever feeling that Dignitas was the answer, but you never know. I wonder what you were experimenting? I love flash fiction. It was the task at our group today.

    Http://outofyorkshireblog.wordpress.co.uk

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    1. Maggie May20 January 2016 at 11:51

      Meant to say, I like the way you let us think the piece was about the fear of flying, not dying.

      Delete
    2. Frances Garrood20 January 2016 at 13:22

      Experiment in how to waste yet more time (I'm already an expert) and 100 word stories, Maggie.

      Delete
  2. ADRIAN20 January 2016 at 06:17

    That was a cheerful start to my day. I wish I could write anything like as well.

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    1. Frances Garrood20 January 2016 at 13:24

      Sorry, Adrian, about the uncheered morning. Not my best effort, I'm afraid. As to abilities, I'd love to take pictures like yours, but know I wouldn't even begin to understand your cameras.

      Delete
  3. Librarian20 January 2016 at 07:49

    Stupid me - I didn't "get" it until I read Maggie's comment (by the way, the link doesn't work for me).
    You won't believe what I thought... reading the words "one-way ticket to Switzerland", my mind went to the thousands of people who fled Germany in the 1930s in order to escape from the Nazi regime. For many of them, Switzerland was the answer - at least for a while.

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    1. Maggie May20 January 2016 at 11:48

      I'm not very good with technology Meike. Try:

      http://www.outofyorkshireblog.wordpress.co.uk

      Delete
    2. Frances Garrood20 January 2016 at 13:37

      Maybe you don't get as many people going to Dignitas from Germany as we do, Meike? Our tend to attract quite a lot of publicity.

      Delete
    3. Librarian20 January 2016 at 18:08

      Frances, I am not aware of all that many news about people going to Dignitas from Germany. Occasionally, I read about the topic in my weekly paper, but since I do not follow a daily one, I get a rather limited amount of news. That could explain why.

      Maggie, your link still doesn't work - it only takes me to worpress's own homepage. But this link works for me:
      https://outofyorkshireblog.wordpress.com
      I'll have a look round now!

      Delete
  4. Patsy20 January 2016 at 14:52

    Was just wondering how they both felt when the champagne was offered.

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    1. Frances Garrood20 January 2016 at 18:43

      Patsy, they asked for it. They both needed it. Mum paid.

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    2. Graham Edwards23 January 2016 at 13:42

      So if Mum paid for the drink they must have travelled economy. Why on her last trip?

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    3. Frances Garrood26 January 2016 at 17:48

      Hmmm...well, I've only had experience of steerage, Graham. Your lifestyle is obviously superior to mine. I plead ignorance.

      Delete
  5. Keith Havers21 January 2016 at 15:29

    Wow! Didn't see that coming. Good little story.

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    1. Frances Garrood21 January 2016 at 21:51

      Thanks, Keith, though not sure this story deserves it!

      Delete
  6. Rosemary Gemmell21 January 2016 at 17:11

    A good twist, Frances.

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    1. Frances Garrood21 January 2016 at 21:52

      Thank you, Rosemary. I just wanted to see what 100 words felt like. Have you tried it?

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    2. Rosemary Gemmell22 January 2016 at 09:50

      I've tried a variety of flash fiction over the years and won the txtlit.co.uk comp some time ago with only 160 characters. It's a fun thing to try!

      Delete
  7. rhymeswithplague26 January 2016 at 13:09

    I must be a dunce. I didn't get any of that from reading your hundred words. And why Switzerland? And what is Dignitas (I can look it up). Is the daughter going there too? Is the champagne significant? So many hidden meanings, so little time. Can your next effort be a little happier?

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    1. Frances Garrood26 January 2016 at 13:21

      Dignitas is a place in Swizerland where people can go for legally assisted suicide. It gets a lot of publicity over here. I'll try to be jollier next time!

      Delete
  8. rhymeswithplague26 January 2016 at 14:46

    If the UK is such a fabulous place and the NHS such a resounding success and (insert political myth of the month here), why the great rush by so many to end it all? I really don't get it.

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    1. Frances Garrood26 January 2016 at 17:50

      Actually, the NHS is in a shocking state, RWP, and some terminal illnesses are literally unbearable (why did I start this?).

      Delete
  9. Colette McCormick26 January 2016 at 23:11

    Lovely story that left me open mouthed at the end. Didn't expect that ending.

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    1. Frances Garrood27 January 2016 at 12:20

      Thank you, Colette. Though I'm not sure it's exactly lovely!

      Delete

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