The Weight of a Secret

Author: Stacy Chesters (Twitter/Amazon/Instagram)
Genre: Mystery (perhaps)
Reading time: 2 minutes
Rating: 5 out of 5 stars.

When flash fiction is done well, there is almost always a sense that you want more. You want the story to keep going, you want to know more.

Stacy Chesters' "The Weight of a Secret" is no different. Her story pulls you along, hinting at something strange. The ending blows you out of the water, but leaves you with more questions than answers. I have made no secret that I love this kind of writing. It's like the prose equivalent of a mic drop.

As for the story itself, you will find wonderful and unique turns of phrase not commonly found in flash fiction. Words are at a premium in flash fiction, few authors use the space on descriptions. Not so here, and that's part of what makes it so good. You get a little glimpse into a fully-crafted world.

I look forward to seeing more of her work, especially in this form. Many authors try to write flash, few succeed. Stacy Chesters is one who does.

Note: This work first appeared in Reflex Fiction magazine.

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