John Mason: Flash Fiction: January 2021

Fiction

I have a Master of Arts in Teaching from Lee University which is in Cleveland, TN, to establish my Southern Legitimacy… to further cement my southern roots, I was born in Columbia, SC, raised, largely, in Oklahoma and Texas, and lived in Tennessee and Georgia for a significant portion of my adult life. Hope my southern credentials are up to snuff!

At the Edge

There is an edge. It runs, from left to right, as far as my eyes can see. I slowly pull off my shoes, cracking the knuckles of my toes as my feet find freedom. The ground is cold, but I don’t mind. The chill is reassuring. It reminds me of why I’m here. I slide the ball of my foot over the rim, relishing the feel of the rough earth scraping against my skin. My toes dangle in nothingness. It’s exhilarating. You could drop a boulder over this edge and you’d never hear it hit the ground. If I fell now, I’d just fall forever. But maybe that is the closest I’ll get to flying.