Glass Pearl

Glass Pearl  (E) Contest Entry Flash Fiction Challenge 12-30-2016 #2106926 by Chris Breva

179 words

Cynthia was an oyster who lived near a reef. She had a slight problem though. She had never quite gotten the knack of making pearls. One day a piece of sand got into her shell. She tried very hard to expel it but nothing happened. She added tremendous pressure to the piece of sand. The heat inside her shell was unbearable but it was the only thing she could think to do. Finally she felt the piece of sand no longer. Comfortable now she sat back and relaxed.

A few days later something strange happened. Something grasped her and pulled her from the ocean. Her shell was pried apart and two eyes peered into her.

"I've never seen the like of this," the owner of the eyes reported. "There's a pearl here but it's as clear as glass. In fact I believe it may actually be glass."

Keep it," another voice suggested. "A natural glass pearl has to be worth something even if only as a novelty."

"Wow," thought Cynthia. "What a big deal over a piece of sand!"

179 words