Her heart hammered in her chest and her breath came in short, sharp gasps. Her focus was entirely on this last lap of the pool, not the other competitors, nor the time on the clock. For these moments she embodied one singular purpose: winning. She concentrated on her stroke, practised to near perfection. There was … Continue reading In the game
short story
The Straw That Did It
‘Well what on earth did you do that for?’ Sue asked, as she set the iron carefully down on the ironing board and turned it off at the plug. Ron muted the TV and shifted in his armchair to face her, ‘Well I didn’t know did I? Thought he was gonna shoot the lot of … Continue reading The Straw That Did It
The Icing on the Cake
The doughnuts had failed to de-escalate the situation. Maybe she’d have had more luck if they were Krispy Kreme’s, but she’d only had time to nip to Asda. ‘Look Ruth…’, she began as she continued to proffer the iced confections, holding the box between them like a shield that would ward off Ruth’s glare, so … Continue reading The Icing on the Cake
The foot long hot dog and the end of days
I'm lucky enough to have another short story over on Gobblers/Masticadores this month, a heartfelt thanks to Manuela for publishing. Here's a snippet, click the link to read the rest. Jim stood impatiently in the queue for the beat up old hot dog van, hands stuffed into the pockets of his road dusty jeans, weight … Continue reading The foot long hot dog and the end of days
Disconnected
I've got an unsettling tech story for you in this months offering to the illustrious online magazine Gobblers/Masticadores. In a strange bit of synchronicity, I couldn't publish this link to it when I planned because we've been disconnected from the internet for a couple of days, perhaps the Universe is trying to tell me something. … Continue reading Disconnected
Check
It's that time again, when my monthly submission to the wonderful Gobblers/Masticadores helps me step out of my comfort zone and put a story out into the world. At my first creative writing class, it was crafting flash fiction stories that sent lightbulbs pinging everywhere, the inspiration that eventually drew me towards setting up a … Continue reading Check
Fans
All too soon he was home. The dark windows of the two-bed semi seemed to mock him as he stowed his bike in the lean to: the weed filled hanging baskets on the porch silently accusing as he turned his key in the lock and made his way into the cold, empty house. A stack … Continue reading Fans
Snakes in the Grass
Another story published thanks to the team at Gobblers/Masticadores. The opening paragraphs of this story were written in a creative writing class I took a couple of years ago, but I only recently got round to finishing it. It was inspired by a friend who works with cows, but I hasten to add that the … Continue reading Snakes in the Grass
Dad always said
His Dad always said if there was a zombie apocalypse he’d be the first one to die. ‘You’re too bloody nice,’ he’d say, in a way that made nice sound like something he’d stepped in. Well, it might not be a zombie apocalypse, but this world was ending, and he was still very much in … Continue reading Dad always said
The Lion and the Sheep
The lion ruled the sheep for protection, from the wolves that prowled the landThe flock was guarded by the king of the beasts, he had a fearsome roar andAn impressive mane, extra sharp teeth, muscles that rippled when he walkedThe wolf pack would not dare attack, thought the sheep, as long as their lion stalkedThe … Continue reading The Lion and the Sheep
Rae Cod’s Writing 