I begin tunnelling, through rock, clay and gravel, cutting through the streets of London. A link from the King to his Knights of St. John. Covered over with arches of bricks. Down the line two dummy house fronts act as camouflage. Engines grind through the bowels of commerce, rattle homes, disturb lives. Yesterday travel around the city was on foot… Read it
Author - Joanna Sterling
Joanna writes short stories and flash fiction and is published in anthologies and online, ‘Big Fish Little Fish’ was published by English PEN. As part of National Short Story Week she hosts ‘Telling Tales and Taking Tea’. Joanna lives in London with her ever growing collection of brooches.
On TubeFlash…
All’s Well that Ends Badly
I’d moved into Lavender Cottage on the 15th of April 2013. Falling in love with its chocolate box looks, charmed by the inscription over the door ‘Built by Tom ~ Thatcher of this Parish in 1791’. In a moment of weakness, I invite my few remaining relatives still alive to celebrate the festive season in my picturesque idyll. My brother… Read it
All his Worldly Goods
You turn my key; a rough edge scrapes my mother-of-pearl escutcheon. You run your index finger over the small abrasion. The spoon slips into the dark curled leaves, wrinkled and dry with the faint aroma of bergamot. They will not come alive without the scalding water from the kettle. It hums and purrs, poised to unfurl my treasured contents. A… Read it
A Great Escape
Once upon a time in Fibula Castle lived Princess Crystal. On Thursday morning in the east tower she asked her long-suffering maid Susanna “Is he here yet?” Susanna looked out of the narrow slit window for the eighth time that morning. “No, Your Highness.” Princess Crystal flopped onto the pile of satin cushions and re-read the message on her iPhone… Read it
Josephine & the Detective
At first, Josephine had suspected her pretty young dresser Maxine. Who could have blamed her? They were such beautiful creations; any girl might be tempted. But Maxine had beat her fists against the dressing room mirror and sobbed, protesting her innocence. A month later, three more exotic costumes went missing, including her famous banana outfit. Something had to be done.… Read it