Flash Fiction

Joy

It perks up the living room. The miniature figurine on the coffee table was cherished and passed down over a number of years. Brought to life by a gifted artist in the mother’s side of the family, the glass koi fish is one of a kind and survived four generations. Incredibly detailed and bursting with bright colors, the koi is beautiful. It has crystal-clear gems for eyes. Its perfectly formed tail is robust and life-like.

The koi is regularly tended to and cleaned, nurtured as a living creature is. It shines, appearing to revel under the household members’ close supervision and care. It belongs to a close-knit, happy family. Together, they find joy in the simplest, smallest things. They always set aside time to catch up over refreshments and reminisce about fond memories.

As the family business incurs one loss after another, a cloak of foreboding follows the family. They start selling their possessions. The mother pawns her wedding ring. The father sells his beloved golf clubs. The young daughter cashes out a meager amount from selling books and clothing. She also starts juggling two menial jobs. Soon, they have nothing of value left, excepting one artifact.

The mother, for obvious reasons, had intentionally skipped this item. The business continues to deteriorate. Unable to part with her precious koi, the mother hastily removes it from the coffee table, where it had sat undisturbed. She tucks it away somewhere hidden. When her husband asks about the koi, she feigns ignorance. She acts indifferent to his continued inquiries. His increasingly agonized pleas ricochet off her ice-cold facade. Little does he know about her inner anguish and how their ruined state, slowly but surely, chips away at her sanity.

Their finances depleted, the day comes for the glass koi to go. That morning, the mother wakes up, places her feet firmly on the floor, and urges her body upright. She walks over to her wardrobe. She locates the concealed cubby. She pulls out a small object wrapped in powder blue velvet. This mother tenderly places the bundle inside her purse. Stoically, she throws on her coat and flings the front door open. Poker face switched on, she drives to the local pawn shop. Within the last few months, she had made this drive more times than she’d like to acknowledge.

Upon arrival, she cradles her purse and steps out of the vehicle. The mother enters the pawnshop and strides up to the counter. Forcing a smile, she shows the tiny package to the man behind the counter. She barely processes the brief words exchanged between them. She unwraps the velvet covering and takes one last loving look at the koi. Her heart heavy, she offers the koi to the man with every intention of giving it to him.

She registers with mild surprise that he practically pries her fingers off of the fish. He quickly hands her a wad of cash and disappears into a back room. The mother numbly exits the shop and returns to her car. Behind the wheel, her cool demeanor collapses completely and she dissolves into a flurry of tears.

Unbeknownst to the mother, the glass koi gathers dust in the back room. There is no one to ensure its fragile well-being. Hurriedly dusting around the shop one night before closing, the assistant shopkeeper knocks the tiny figurine onto the floor where it shatters. The assistant shopkeeper doesn’t bat an eye. Cursing quietly, he furtively sweeps the mess up in no time, discards the fragments, locks the establishment, and goes home to his dilapidated apartment where his family is fast asleep.