Flash Fiction: To Kill a Fly

This flash piece was written for the 20June 2014 Flash! Friday competition and received first runner up.  The cartoon and “arrogance” was the prompt.

To Kill a Fly

“A woman on the throne, women explorers, what will be next? Women voting?”

John stared down his nose at the newspaper. Next to him an issue of Punch showed a cartoon of Queen Victoria.

Mary stared at her cooling tea. She could feel old tears burning her eyes. New bruises throbbed.

“I want to fly in an airship one day.”

John snorted behind the newspaper and slurped his tea.

Mary thought of the flypapers still soaking in the kitchen.

“Did you see the girls again this morning?”

“I did.”

“I do not know what you women have to gossip about. And then act like you are learning practical things. The house is still run exactly the same. Preposterous. A waste of money.”

“I enjoy it.”

“You are being foolish. Tell me one thing you learnt today.”

He rustled the paper again.

“Did you know flypaper is full of arsenic? It does not have a taste or smell.” Mary smiled.

“New crowns for old ones!” –Benjamin Disraeli presents Queen Victoria the crown of India. Punch, 1876, by cartoonist John Tenniel.