The Beautiful Game?

She’s put out the snacks and brought his beer, chilled, in his special glass (one of them). More beers are in the fridge; she has a pie ready to warm for half-time – steak and kidney – his preferred.

Pre-match build up: pundits pontificate; re-runs, highlights, triumphs and near misses. There is success and then there is shame. Which will it be today? National Pride is at stake, for this is the World Cup.

As she sits, small and submissive on the far end of the couch, she plays a different commentary in her head. Missed penalties, own goals, bad decisions by the ref. The repercussions: cuts and bruises (hers); failure on the field reflected in domestic disappointment.

Predictions are favourable. The odds of a positive outcome are weighed in favour. She weighs up her own odds: win or draw 20 per cent, lose 50 per cent (the chances of a beating).

Incidents of domestic violence rise significantly during the World Cup

6 thoughts on “The Beautiful Game?”

You lured me in with that peaceful opening paragraph. Ugh, what an awful scenario, though fantastically written. Really powerful story, and all the more so considering the news report you linked.

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Thanks, Ellie! I am quite pleased with this piece.

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Wow, that was slap in the face. I didn’t see where it was going until the end. Great piece. I have a lump in my throat right now.

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[…] was a little flash fiction piece entitled ‘The Beautiful Game?‘ which was prompted by an article I read about domestic violence increasing in the UK during […]

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