The death bell tolls in the town, long and low as it rumbles around the old market square. It’s the third time that it’s tolled today. It tolls so often here. I sometimes joke that you can tell the time by it. Dawn, noon, and sundown, without fail. Not many people laugh at my joke, and I […]
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Two Exhibitions, One Day
On Sunday I had a day trip down to London to see a couple of literary exhibitions – the cultural opportunities are definitely one of the things I miss about living in the capital, although I can do without exorbitant rent and packed public transport. Anyway! The first exhibition was Sherlock Holmes: The Man Who […]
#FridayFlash – Daredevils
They came in twos and threes, strutting down the hill behind the bus stop. Feeling the unease that is perenially provoked by groups of teenaged boys, I pretended to be engrossed in the bus timetable, but I watched them all the same. They tried to ruffle each other’s hair, their fingers getting stuck in copious […]
Colours: A Free Short Story
The pastel shades faded first. No one noticed, not really. They just assumed they’d washed that particular top one too many times, or that sunlight bleached the colour from the walls. It was a reasonable assumption at first. Until the tertiary colours went. No more amber, magenta or chartreuse, their hues replaced by shades of […]
Free Short Story – Remember or Forget
I miss strange things about the city. I miss the sunrise in spring, when the first rays of dawn sparkle in the windows washed clean by April showers overnight. I miss the heat in summer, when everyone sheds their coat and smiles in the street. I miss the fall of leaves in early October, when […]
#BookReview – Within Wet Walls
Of all of the horror sub-genres, I’ve always had a real fondness for the gothic, particularly that strain that comes infused with a flair for the historical. So when Lily Childs asked for reviewers of her new offering, Within Wet Walls, I was there like a shot. In this short, Lily has woven a dark, ethereal […]
