FOURTEEN
Flashes of Fiction
by
Rosalind Smith-Nazilli
All stories copyright © Rosalind Smith-Nazilli 2012
Except for DOWNLOADING DISASTER © Graham Smith and Rosalind Smith-Nazilli 2011
All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the author.
Published by Rosalind Smith-Nazilli at SMASHWORDS
INTRODUCTION
Fourteen flashes of fiction is the first of five collections of short fiction to be published by the author and contains fourteen short stories, some of which are small flashes. A few of these stories have appeared on her blog.
OVERNIGHTER was featured at Close to the Bone
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This has been a very long time in coming and there are several people who have inspired me to push on with it.
One that stands out for me is STUART AYRIS . He probably doesn't know it, but he is a true inspiration and I suggest you search him out.
Just a few names: Paul D Brazil, Graham Smith and Darren Sant – Thank you for your help and guidance.
DEDICATED TO -
I dedicate this collection to my husband - MEHMET ALI NAZILLI – who works all the hours that God sends in order that I may sit in front of the fire and muse.
THE COLLECTOR.
Sally Bailey was a downtrodden creature and although she tried very hard to make the most of what God had given her, she never actually managed to pull off anything more than what she was. A girl from the wrong side of town. Two kids to different fathers, one half cast and one with autism.
Life was far from easy for her. She lived on benefits in a sixth floor flat that housed a lift that never worked. Just another problem to face every day when you had a pushchair and a boy who lived in a world of his own to get in and out of the building.
Sally took them out to the park. Firstly to use up energy, and secondly so she didn't have to stare at the damp walls and the paper that wouldn't stay up no matter what she tried to stick it with.
Christmas was nearly here and the shops were full of things she couldn't afford. She supposed she should count her blessings, for the time being at least, Lucy was too young to understand and Todd was completely oblivious to it all.
It didn't stop her dreaming of a cosy living room with a lovely tree and heaps of gifts, beautifully wrapped and waiting for the three of them to enjoy. A father would be nice, for the kids and for her as well. Someone to love and care for her. She had never had that. Never.
She pushed Lucy on the baby swing while Todd walked round and round the bench sliding his gloveless hand along the back. Sally had given up trying to keep him warm. He didn't seem to feel the cold at all and she simply could not cope with the screaming and the disapproving looks from passers by as she tried to push his hands into mittens. They had no idea.
Having tucked Lucy back in the pushchair she took out her purse to count the meagre contents. Two days from Christmas and she had three pounds and seventy six pence. Benefit day was over two weeks away since they had paid out early for the seasonal celebrations.
It hadn't gone far. Bits of food and nappies used up the bulk of it. Money on the gas and electric card immediately, to stop her spending it on something else and the rest of it to the bloody great elephant of a man who she had made the mistake of taking a loan from to buy the second hand pushchair that carried Lucy around.
What had started out as forty pounds cash had become over two hundred pounds somehow. She didn't understand interest and doubted very much that the collector was honest with her. If a payment got missed, which it had in the beginning, the debt just grew. Now she paid him what he asked for when he called.
Pulling the jumble sale parka tightly round her she ambled towards the flats with her children. There was a little flurry of snow starting to fall and the festive lights were coming on one by one.