Short stories

just a collection of stories i am working on, all comments gratefully recieved.

Cherry

006 In Celebration of the Cervix

I have to confess I enjoy doing pap smears.
Cherry

001 A little bit of history, repeating

She watches the removal van gurn and growl down the road containing a whole load of something and nothing.

003 a = abscence of, without

Anorexia - without appetite, asexual - without sex, anosmia - without smell, achromatic - without colour.
Cherry

004 Just Relax

One for the girls.
Cherry

005 I gave you the moon and stars for your birthday.

I gave you the moon and stars for your birthday. You furrowed your brow and wrinkled your nose.
Cherry

007 Crop Circles

Mike likes beer and leaving a perfect imprint of his signet ring on Katarina's cheek.
Cherry

010 A-slip-of-the-hand

The front door frowns as I approach, its post box mouth turned down in disappointment. Shame burns in my cheeks as I remember my hasty departure last night, tail between my legs. I don't have a key. My knuckles graze the wood and I think can hear her footsteps in the hall. I bend down and prise open the letterbox, I push my hand through the inside flap and peer inside. Stale alcohol and burnt toast reaches my nostrils. My jacket hangs on the hat stand, the key in the right hand pocket, tantalising out of reach.

016 the opposite of orphan

A phone-call¦ a dash to the hospital¦ a wait with hope¦a Paediatric Consultant¦ a wait without hope¦ a goodbye.
Cherry

018 her skin painted by time

I was putting out the rubbish when a loud fart caused me to look up
Cherry

019 her skin untouched by time

I was putting out the rubbish when a loud giggle caused me to look up
Cherry

021 A sum

4 little words, I love you more, and always will. May 2003 + 6 = 10 tiny fingers and ten tiny toes, kissed one by one. June 2003 + 1 =

022 To my children's, children's, children,

Are Polar bears and seals the stuff of myths and dreams?

A very British tragedy (edit)

I watch her face with the sound turned down. The breeze lifts the yellow ribbon in her hair, it flutters playfully in the seaside town where nothing bad ever happens.
Cherry

Blind Date

"So which one is he? The tall dark one by the Gents? That blond one by the fruit machine? Coast looks over to where Lynn is pointing. Lynn nudges Faye, raising her left eyebrow. "It'll be the ugly one, the ugliest guy on the row, Faye says, lighting a cigarette.
Cherry

Death by PowerPoint

There must be a factory that makes Conference Speakers

Green stick fracture (edit)

We spread contented on our thrones and clap the supple tumbles, like shiny silver dollars spinning cross the blade lush lawn. We sup sweet wine and sour beer and goad each

Shaking the pedestal (edit)

This is the gospel truth! As I sat at her feet in the pool of her shadow, lit warm by her smile convinced it was me that remembered wrongly. Ran my fingers through veiled hair finer than silk
Cherry

I am an Angel

When I tell people that I am an Angel they usually smile, vaguely. It doesn’t matter if they believe me or not. Because I am, and Denial doesn’t alter the Truth, however much it shakes its head.

How should I hold my face?

How should I hold my face? Should I brush my hair? Wear a yellow ribbon as a noose around my neck. Should I smile just in case you see me standing there. How would that look?
Cherry

How to get published

The Roberts were just plain greedy. Ugly, feckless and greedy - what a bunch of bloody eejits. It was obvious to anyone with half a brain that they were ‘copycatting’...

Her last party - 18th November 2007

The snow fell. Soft and white it blanketed the garden. We stepped out with virgin prints, her crutches left damp black holes. Bangs and sizzles, filtered through flakes as large as doilies.