Seated in the sun at the end of the station, Head to one side, wide awake. Enjoying the late afternoon: Not worried by the noise and bustle Of us hustling commuters. Unbowed by age, black twinkly eyes sparkle In grey whiskery face. Not one of us He sits apart, smoothing pale pink hands Over freshly... Continue Reading →
Photo by mark broadhurst on Pexels.com A thick grey day, chill and drab, Smelling of woodsmoke and toadstools. Me hankering for fireside and hot chocolate, not to walk the dog, not to be outside. Then out of the cold mist, silent winged and watchful a barn owl quartering the field over and over, hunger pushing... Continue Reading →
The scabby yellow bitch lay in the shade of an old upturned crate, tongue lolling, head couched on her front paws. There was a weeping bite mark on her shoulder and her ribs on one side throbbed where the butcher on the other side of the road, had put his boot in. She had come too near, and in truth, her motives had not been honest.
Gerald stared out of the rain spattered kitchen window at the branches of the trees swaying and shaking in the wind. A typical winter day he thought, stirring his coffee in an absent minded way. His eyes came to rest on a wooden bench at the bottom of the garden under the apple tree. How many times had he and Sheila sat there, holding hands, watching the children playing, up by the house? He had so many happy memories at this home.
“This morning you have to clean the hippo’s teeth.” I just stared at him. Then I gave a nervous giggle. He was pulling the left -handed screwdriver joke on me surely. He wasn’t.
Standing in the hallway I was quaking inside my polished school shoes. My knee high grey socks were neatly turned over under my knees, just below a small skin laceration caused by the bramble bush down the lane; and my gold and grey tie was painstakingly knotted to perfection. My stepmother held out my... Continue Reading →
She watched the water swirling around the stones, caught glimpses of tiny fish that would one day grow into whoppers, and kept her eye on her father’s rod.
Picture by Olli Haaker Charlie had never noticed a door there before, which was strange if you considered how many times a day he was up and down this hospital corridor.He tentatively leant forward and knocked, but there was no response. If there was one thing that he liked more than anything else, it... Continue Reading →
The excited voices of children floated up to the top of the hill carried on the gentle breeze. Up here on the grassy slopes the man had been relaxing, warming himself like a lizard in the sun. Now he shifted to peer over the rocky outcrop he had settled behind, hoping the kids... Continue Reading →
Petra lay on her back listening; sleeping bag peeled back to expose the warm red fleece she had slept in last night. It was so quiet out there apart from a sudden smattering of moisture on the tent side. The noise was sharp in the pre dawn stillness outside her thin nylon walls. She listened... Continue Reading →
Blue Parrot Creative Writing 