Marion

This piece of flash fiction poignantly captures societal expectations, personal failures, and many faces of relationship complexities. The narrator in this story reflects upon the life choices he has made and feels the burden of cultural expectation's value in a village being measured by the age one should be married. His trip to see Marion, whom he plans to show to his parents, is symbolic of his feelings about acceptance and validation. However, the moment is shattered when Marion abruptly ends their relationship, leaving him feeling isolated and misunderstood.

The dust of the way along with the busy crossing contrasts with the injury he was carrying inside, and thus his feelings of being incomplete and longing further grew. Vividly imagined, Marion brings an aspect of hope that turns into being similar to this protagonist caught between tradition and modernity. Overall, it is a very well-penned story that evokes deep emotional resonance in a concise narrative. It is quite good in capturing a man struggling for connection in a world that harshly judges him, as the reader stays with one feeling of empathy and reflection on societal pressures.