“Mum! Mu-u-u-um! Mum, come here!”
She runs up the stairs imagining injury, blood, broken bones.
He’s sitting on the rug in his room, red-cheeked, tearful.
There’s a new graze on his left knee, but nothing to warrant the race to A&E she’s anticipated.
“What is it? What’s the matter?” Continue reading
“Okay everyone, let’s get going. PC Plod, what have you got to report?”
“The girl’s in a safe house, Sir. She’s sleeping at the moment.”
“Good. Community Officer Big Ears, how about you?” Continue reading
Many workplaces have a Deborah. Her currency is lies and innuendo. She’s a lunchtime gossip, a whisperer in corridors. She exploits minor jealousies and foments discontent. Hers is a realm built on divide and rule where her subjects eye each other with learned mistrust.
She’s not intelligent, but she’s sharp; quick to recognise opportunity. Her smiles are as false as her vaunted honesty. She targets her victims and coddles her favourites. Continue reading
I nearly don’t go. It’s still dark. I could turn over and go back to sleep.
I leave the house with my gear and a flask of hot coffee.
When I arrive, a pink line splits the sky. I set up the tripod, squat on my little folding stool, take a shot.
Continue reading
In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “A Dog Named Bob.”
James walked into the sitting room and sat down heavily on the sofa. Bob thumped a welcome with his tail on the floor and James reached down to stroke the dog’s head.
Jane smiled, carefully capped her pen, and blotted the ink on the letter she’d been writing. She poured him a glass from the bottle on the table.
“Is she asleep?”
He nodded, taking an appreciative sip and turned the bottle so he could read the label. Continue reading
It’s a very long time since I posted any fiction on this page, and as I was thinking that, serendipitously a message arrived from Julia with a new 100WCGU.
Julia’s challenge this week is heat.
The curtains were still drawn in the windows of the tall houses, but the sun, its face scrubbed clean by the night, was fully risen. The pavement burned her feet through her sandals. A fox stopped its cantering along the street to stare at her, turned, and ran away. Continue reading
“Cowardy, cowardy custard!”
“I’m not!”
“You are. Cowardy, cowardy…”
She ran, tears blurring her eyes so she stumbled and fell.
The jeers turned to laughter. Felicity sneered, “Has diddums hurt herself? Better run home to her mummy hadn’t she.”
I haven’t joined in with one of Julia’s challenges for ages. I think this is the current one. Continue reading
“Hurry up,” said Sally. “They’ll be back any minute.”
“Keep your hair on, I’m almost done. It would be easier if we could have the light on.”
“They might see it. Anyway, this torch is pretty good.”
“OK. Just hold it still would you, I need to see what I’m doing here.” Mike’s fingers worked deftly in the circle of light. “There, all done. Take this please.” He passed a collection of objects to his sister; string, scissors, a pot of drawing pins. Continue reading
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