Category: Stories

The Political Wife : Going back

Part One can be found here.

Going back

She drifted in New York. The first week away was a blur and she alternated between frantic socialising and staying in her room at the hotel and cutting herself off. She did not allow herself to think too deeply about anything, and her future was just that, the future; something to be considered but not just yet.

She felt no guilt whatsoever;  no emotional turmoil, no regrets, no self- recrimination. Nothing.  She just lived for the moment and slept when she felt cut off from humanity. She refused any contact with home and moved through New York in a disconnected way. She enjoyed it but despised the shallowness whilst acknowledging her inability to connect with humanity in more than superficial and selfish sort of way. She slept off the excesses and did not dream.

Continue reading “The Political Wife : Going back”

The visitor – CW entry

“Another pint, Gilbert?”

Mr Chandrasekhar’s ebullient tones cut through the hubbub of the public bar like the north wind through the stench of a cow barn, drowning the cheers from the 50 inch Sky screen as Wilkinson converted yet another try. I checked my watch; no, seven thirty and no meetings or functions in the Club House this evening, I was in the clear, surely? We don’t often see the Chairman in the public, and more than likely trouble’s the reason when we do. Continue reading “The visitor – CW entry”

The Ribbon of death

It had been a few months since we last held a meeting. The authorities had cracked down hard on our activities and our band of disenfranchised rebels was dwindling. As I still retained my membership I was summoned to an extraordinary reunion of the Ribbonmen.

The venue chosen brought tears to my eyes. It was in this holy place that I said a final goodbye to my kid brother. Everybody loved Gerry, from the little kids to the old rummies. He never got mixed up in schemes of Nationalism. Gerry was always exploring, on the move making new friends but the Good Lord had taken him in the prime of his life.
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February 2011 Creative Writing Competition

Up to 2000 words, as short story around the subject of ‘The Weekend Reunion’, to include  the word ‘jealousy.’
One person has just suffered a bereavement during the last year and another has just discovered an infidelity. Continue reading “February 2011 Creative Writing Competition”

Canvasses and Mattresses (JM’s creative comp)

The top floor studio was ideal. Stacks of old paintings, metal utensils and other assorted clutter were scattered all over the place. This made the property cheap by the city’s standards. Dereliction might be off-putting for some; although I’ve watched TV builder entrepreneurs transform pits into palaces. For me dilapidation was right up my street, I work better in chaos.

At last I had somewhere to forget my kinky muse and I didn’t need to march to a far away desert singing about a black pudding with other outcasts. This spacious, detritus strewn attic made me dismiss thoughts of jumping in quicksand. Yes, it was touch and go for awhile there. I remember the fateful day as if it were yesterday. Continue reading “Canvasses and Mattresses (JM’s creative comp)”

The Political Wife: January Short Story

Two months before their fortieth wedding anniversary he left.  Jill was in shock and found she couldn’t focus on practical details. Her eldest son cancelled all the party arrangements and arranged an appointment with the solicitor.

She refused to attend.  The reality of the situation was something she chose to ignore however much her children urged her to protect her own interests. She ignored phone calls from her husband, and flatly declined to discuss the situation with her friends or family. She snubbed the press, and likewise, increasingly frantic communications from the PM’s Office.

It was a frustrating time for all of them but every time they visited their mother, she was pottering around as usual in the garden or walking the dogs.  She was not in the slightest bit curious to know where he was or what he was doing. After years of ignoring his various infidelities and petty cruelties she simply carried on as normal.  Of course, she was on some level aware that her life would change in the future, but she wanted to face that in her own time, and at her own pace.

Continue reading “The Political Wife: January Short Story”

One Man and his Boy (Ferret’s Festive Comp)

This was going to be a tough Christmas for my son and I. Ever since my wife done a bunk with Bunk the detective I’ve had to resign from my job and take care of Danny full time. She’s always had a thing for men in uniform. Ironically, when Bunk snared her he was wearing a suit because he was serious Police. As Danny’s sole custodian I didn’t need to join Fathers for Justice and climb up on a high roof. That’s where she thinks she is: on a pedestal. The Queen of Sheba hasn’t had any contact with Danny since she left. One day she’ll fall from up on high and there will be nobody to catch her. Continue reading “One Man and his Boy (Ferret’s Festive Comp)”

Holy Knight

It was Boxing Day, yet the chairman, along with a skeleton staff, had come to the office to work on the press release that he would issue early next month. On the screen in front of him was displayed the company’s latest sales report. It made depressing, if unsurprising, reading. Things were not looking good at all, though at least a small profit was forecast, which was more than was likely to be the case for his rivals. As welcome as this was, it was not going to prevent the huge number of redundancies that would be forthcoming in the New Year; redundancies which came on top of several store closures and associated job losses that he and his board had been forced to impose 6 months earlier. Continue reading “Holy Knight”