Thank you to Steven Bruce for submitting this short, 100-word drabble which exposes the unsaid parts of grief. You can find more of his work through the author's website: Steven Bruce │ The Official Website
"What They Don't Talk About"
by Steven Bruce
Tagline: A couple returns from a carnival carrying the weight of an absence neither can talk about.
At night, they walked through the carnival.
The carousel whirled and played its fairground organ music.
‘Toffee apple’s burnt,’ she said.
He carried her coat over his arm.
On the drive home, he glanced in the mirror.
The child’s car seat was still there, biscuit crumbs in the folds.
In the kitchen she stood with the fridge door open. The light fell across her face.
He took the blue blanket from the chair, folded it against his chest.
‘You forgot to get milk,’ she said.
After a while, she shut the fridge door.
They stood there together in the dark.
About the Author
Steven Bruce is an award-winning author whose poetry and short stories have appeared in international anthologies and magazines. He holds an MA in Creative Writing from Teesside University and explores themes of trauma, survival, and the human condition. Born in England,
he now writes full-time in Poland.
Website: https://www.stevenbrucewriter.co.uk
Image Description: A black and white photo of the author, Steven Bruce. He is photographed from his head to his thighs wearing a wool coat and long scarf. He is standing on a street with old-fashioned streetlights.
Credit: c/o Steven Bruce
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