Tara screamed when she saw the red and white rubbish truck barrel through the intersection. She was still screaming when she woke to bright lights and pain. Even through the pain, she was aware of her new location. The hospital was a low murmur of voices and humming machines. Someone was crying. Someone else was … Continue reading Walter’s Gift
Sparkles
Sparkles The shop was small, dimly lit, and crammed with junk. Dee sneezed. The dust was disgusting. So was the old man sitting behind the counter. Dee hated this place. She was only here because the rent was due and there was no money. Once again, she had been sent to Mr Barton’s pawn shop … Continue reading Sparkles
Storm Damage
I held Hetterford’s body in my arms and sobbed. His soft, grey fur soaked up my hysterical tears. With his death, it felt as if all the goodness had left my world. It was no illness or accident that killed my little, feline friend. He had been dispatched with a lightning bolt to his heart. … Continue reading Storm Damage
The Nixie in the Fridge
“Mum?” I heard the quaver in his voice, which I knew Michael would hate me for recognising. The pause after he addressed me, also said a lot. He did not want to begin this conversation. Neither did I. “What’s up?” I looked up, and up, from my crocheting, to my eldest son’s face. He towered … Continue reading The Nixie in the Fridge
Finishing Family Business
“It’s so cold,” I whispered the words aloud, although I knew no one would hear. My gregarious sister, Renee, was too busy chatting with her friend to be paying me any attention. Renee was raving about the ‘totally awesome’ decor of the room Anna had invited us into. I felt like I had walked into … Continue reading Finishing Family Business
In the Ashes
The moisture sliding down her cheeks made Drala’s face itchy. She rubbed her eyes but noticed grit on her fingers. Fear of scratching her eyeballs forced her to keep her hands away. She growled at the stupid tears. She needed to see where she was going but her eyes kept blurring. Then she sneezed. She … Continue reading In the Ashes
Gutter Butterfly
Leaves, sized from a 10cent coin, up to a saucer, shaped from ragged to round, and a from child’s finger to a man’s hand in width, flutter into a heap. They rest against the base of a wooden fence. Their colours of tan, green and yellow complement the silvered timber. The wind, a warm north-westerly, … Continue reading Gutter Butterfly
Gull Guides
The screech from above was the only warning I got. A second later something small but hard hit my head and bounced off. I was grateful the offering had not gone splat through my hair, but I rubbed the point of impact. The object which dropped on me now lay about a metre away to … Continue reading Gull Guides
The Strange Fate of Albert Dwarf
The Strange Fate of Albert Dwarf. Albert had been lying in the cold, damp, darkness for a long time. Coherent thoughts rarely crossed his mind. With his face buried in sour smelling compost and years of detritus weighing on his back, thinking served no purpose. But there was a new taste trickling into his mouth. … Continue reading The Strange Fate of Albert Dwarf
Ferdinand
The tug on my hair startled me and both my feet left the ground as I reacted. Once safely landed again, I turned to see what had attacked me. An imp was floating there. This creature definitely belonged in the supernatural realms, not my bedroom. He had motley green skin, a Buddha-like belly and a … Continue reading Ferdinand
Liz Homes Author 