Good evening my friends!

I haven't posted any flash fiction for a little while, so thought I'd share this little tale of cold feet to amuse you on this slightly damp Thursday evening. I hope you enjoy it!

^Source

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The Wedding

10.57am

            'Hey, Ben-meister! You ready dude?'
            Ben grunted as his best friend slapped him on the shoulder, making him drop the ends of his neck-tie for the third time in as many minutes.
            'Sodding hell!' Ben muttered, grabbing at it in annoyance. How did you do this again? Something about a fox chasing a rabbit around a tree and down a hole?
            Dan smirked at him. 'What's up? Getting cold feet? Dreading the ball and chain?'
            'Shut it!'
            'You know she'll be waiting for you? She'll be there in her big white dress, ready to make you into her life-long slave...'
            Ben wrapped the ends of the silk tie firmly around once, twice, concentrating hard.
            'You realise that this is the end of your life as you know it?'
            Ben tightened his tie. He could feel it cutting into his neck through his stiff, starched collar. He yanked at it with a shaking hand. It made it worse, tightening the knot into a hardened ball which pressed painfully against his adam's apple. There was no undoing it, no way out. He was stuck. He was the rabbit getting chased down the hole.
            'Mate, will you hurry up? It's the bride's job to be late, doofus- don't steal her thunder or she'll make you pay for it. For. The. Rest. Of. Your. Life.'
Ben turned his back on his friend, glancing at his reflection in the small vanity mirror. His eyes stared back, hollow and haunted.
            'I can't do this,' he muttered.
            'Mate, don't be a girl!' Dan grasped him by the shoulder and swung him around. 'It's fine- here.' He reached up and tightened the tie even further. 'Now let's get the hell down there and sign the rest of your life away!' Dan shoved Ben towards the door, hustled him into the corridor and slammed the door behind them.

12.07pm

            'Thank goodness that's over,' Bella sighed, flicking on the light and dragging her full, white skirts into the room.
            'What do you mean? Thought this was meant to be the best moment of your life, the whole bride thing?' Ben leaned against the vanity counter, his hand worrying at his neck tie.
            'No, Ben - this is just the beginning. Here.' Bella reached up and with gentle ease, unknotted the tie and slid it gently from his neck, kissing him as she did so. In that moment, Ben could breathe again.

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Hope you enjoyed it! Catch you soon, Evie x

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