It toils below the surface. Powerful claws tear through the earth, mile after mile festooned with its larders. In summer it builds, waiting for harvest. It is ravenous, the last of its reserves have run out weeks ago. The first cool breeze draws it towards the surface. It is only a matter of time as […]
Thin Ice
The ice calls to her. Each winter as it creeps across the lake the deeply resonant song aches through her bones. It bids her to come, to commune with it, at least for a moment of intimacy. Even when Asta was a child she was unable to resist it’s gut deep hook. Tonight is no […]
The Laughing Man
“Pull back the veil on life, love and the future my dearies… just a penny and I shall gaze into the great beyond.” Shrieks of giddy joy permeated through the thick tendrils of incense, interspersed with the rush of wheels on wooden tracks. Subdued candlelight picked out tarot cards, a collection of crystals and glinted […]
Sinners
“May God have mercy on your souls.” Several ‘souls’ slouched in the ramshackle pews. Summer, sweaty and halcyon by opposing measures eked on, throwing long shadows across the tiled floor. The very air was heavy, incense cloying as it wound its way along the nave. Once bright tapestries donated by “christians for youth” now hung […]
Circle
Inside no. 9 – Circle Mmmbop, duba, du bop, du. Hanson is on repeat, it’s the fourth time Elaine has heard the perky refrain. It clashes with the otherworldly aesthetic of Nine Below, all aurora and transparency. Roughly arranged blocks of ice form the furniture, draped with midnight blue blankets that reflect the star spangled […]
The Meeting
“You need to be here.” It’s an accusation, as bitter as their relationship has become. Hugh can hear it trickling through clipped tones, given colour by the angular set of Arthur’s frame. Arms are folded, anger the tight line of his brother’s jaw. Now their eyes won’t meet. Now their words are dagger-sharp, whet to […]
A Woodland Tale
So we were tasked with writing a short piece of prose which was George Orwell themed. I chose Animal Farm as my theme and tried to make a story as unapologetically political as Orwell was in his lifetime. So without further ado… here it is. September had arrived with dusky evenings, veils of dampness and […]
Titanic
So we were given the task of writing a short story about the sinking of the Titanic. As this is a very dark topic and this piece is very bleak in its tone. Warnings for serious topics, character peril, character death and all of that good stuff. The photograph I’ve used is from the dry […]