The Storm Within

Even the storm wasn’t loud enough to drown out her newborn’s screaming. If anything, he rose to the challenge. She bounced him ferociously in her arms, no longer sure of who she was trying to subdue.  Her whole life had been spent sitting on the fence, bogged in a swamp of unmade decisions. But here

Cat-22

There were only three people ahead of me in the queue. Three transactions standing in the way of me cashing in my ticket to incomprehensible wealth. Or prison. But I was feeling optimistic. I’d daydreamed of holidays and mansions for far too long. This couldn’t fail. ‘Next!’ the newsagency assistant barked. His narrow eyes, straight

Floodgates

I stare at the blue and yellow spotted socks, housed by brown leather shoes on crossed ankles, swinging under the seat in front of me. There is a scuff on the side of the left shoe. A small, dark blue thread hangs from the right sock. Brown cord laces hang, snug between the firmly interlocked

Cooking Class

‘Three tablespoons of minced garlic,’ Mal muttered beside me. Sweat was dripping off his forehead as he concentrated on the disproportionately simple Bolognese recipe. ‘It’s teaspoons, mate, not tablespoons,’ I said. Mal startled like a supine newborn with flailing arms. ‘Ahem,’ he recovered, ‘It is too.’ He fumbled for the teaspoon. ‘Are you okay, mate?’

Accelerate

I woke groggily to the rising sun peeking around my curtain. I felt as if I’d only just fallen asleep. I pulled the pillow over my head to drown out the inevitability of daytime for a few moments more. My head spun and my body felt strangely light. I felt jetlagged. It was a harsher

Not Cool

‘I hate it!’ Silence. Had I gone too far? I was always the last to know. I scanned the room. Trish and Bernie were giggling. Maybe I was funny? Sal and Nancy were staring. Maybe I was cool? Claudia, Rosie and Nic were chatting. Maybe it was no biggie? My palms were sweating. My palms

Study Break

“Shoplifting is illegal,” I whispered, feeling anxious to leave as Paul joined me on the footpath. The front-page story I’d just seen in the newsstand lingered as we walked swiftly away from the corner store.   “Only if you get caught,” he said when we were safely out of sight. “Plus, it’s just a packet of lifesavers and some stamps. Nobody’s gonna miss those.”  “Lifesavers are gross.”  

Black List

“Um, Mel, did that plant just wave at me?” “No? No.” I frowned. “That definitely did not happen.” “I must be going mad then.” Todd returned a suspicious glance to the plant. “Yes, I’d say that’s the most likely explanation,” I forced a laugh as my eyes darted to the innocent succulent on the sideboard.

The Blackness

“Mummy, is Mama coming?” “No, my love.” Her fearful eyes glistened as she held her daughter tight. They stood alone on the hill, waiting. The long grass blew around the woman’s ankles and the dark clouds shrouded the painted dusk sky. She stole a glance back down the hill toward the farmhouse. It was dark

Puppet

I knew the voices in my head weren’t real. But damn, they came up with some great ideas. I found myself sitting on an unfamiliar park bench, at dusk, disguised as Where’s Wally. I mean, how fucking brilliant! What a hoot. I loved Steve already. I wouldn’t tell my therapist about him. She tried to