Wednesday 15 August 2012

Gravedigger

by John Xero


Mass immortality had become the bane of Samuel’s life. Science was to blame. No disease, no old age, no natural death.

What work for a gravedigger when nobody dies?

Sam had a god-given gift. There were so many pretenders who thought any hole would do, so few who understood the nature of the abyss. There was a hole left when a person died, and a hole to be made, and the two were not entirely unrelated.

He took up his shovel; it was a fine tool and it would serve him twofold now. Not an elegant solution, but needs must.




Author bio: John Xero knows that not any hole will do. And that even the same hole will fit different people in different ways. Twitter hole. Blog hole.
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20 comments:

  1. Anonymous15 August 2012 at 09:32

    "There was a hole left when a person died, and a hole to be made, and the two were not entirely unrelated..." such a beautiful way of putting it - and the ending! I loved this story.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero16 August 2012 at 13:30

      Thank you, Chris. =)

      Particularly proud of that line. =)

      Delete
  2. Peter Newman15 August 2012 at 10:40

    I like'd that line too.

    I was thinking it'd also be disturbing if Sam was an optician or a plastic surgeon...

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    Replies
    1. John Xero16 August 2012 at 13:31

      Thanks, Pete. =)

      We keep striving for advances that make the old professions more and more redundant, don't we...?

      Delete
  3. Jack Holt15 August 2012 at 10:45

    Sooo good. I liked the above-mentioned line, too. And the one before it, and after it...etc. Great stuff, mate.

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  4. Sandra Davies15 August 2012 at 11:44

    Ditto, ditto, ditto. What a pleasure to read, savour, read again. And again.
    Thank you.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero16 August 2012 at 13:32

      Thanks, Sandra. =)

      Great to know it was worth more than one read. =)

      Delete
  5. Deanna Schrayer17 August 2012 at 15:52

    "There was a hole left when a person died, and a hole to be made, and the two were not entirely unrelated."
    I'm not the first to love this line I see, but still I must say - it is brilliant! Such a profound statement in so few words.
    Great one John!

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  6. Helen A. Howell18 August 2012 at 03:56

    Oh a grave digger that creates his own bodies to bury - shivers!

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  7. Sylvia18 August 2012 at 10:39

    Ohhhh what a nasty little twist! Well done :)

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  8. Steve Green18 August 2012 at 19:34

    I guess there's nothing quite so unsubtle as a shovel at the back of the head, but it will keep him in work.

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    Replies
    1. John Xero19 August 2012 at 07:57

      Makes a great noise. I would imagine... ;)

      Delete
  9. Anonymous18 August 2012 at 19:58

    An out of work obsolete grave digger from the future is surprise enough but I especially liked the depth you gave him, when he shares how graves are specially made for the dead person etc.

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  10. Callie19 August 2012 at 20:50

    I join the others - great line. Great flash.

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