I want to hear the tapestry that is your conversation I want to weave quietly the threads between your words I want to sew together the phrases spoken I want to discern the thoughts you’ve left unspoken. Even if I never draw closer to that which you would’ve rather have left broken.
Fiction
The Jar
Jam, Daddy? First he coiled his wrist around the lid. As he spun the lid, the jar stuck and flew out of his hand. A one handed catch. He elbowed the hot water tap on. Balanced the jar under the steam. Until too hot it got so he let it slide into the sink. He … Continue reading The Jar
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Ebenezer’s Haunting
“Ha! You’re dead. And I’m not.And that is my final word to you,” said Scrooge. And with that the ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and Christmas Yet to come and Jacob Marley dissolved themselves invisible. “And that’s that, “ said Scrooge. “I’ve won my peace.” But after that Scrooge couldn’t sleep. His eyelids would … Continue reading Ebenezer’s Haunting
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Resigned to Staying
The mobile purred. A sleepy finger reached out and pressed answer. "Thought I'd phone in this week's postcard from afar." "Lee, I can barely hear you. You sound like you're croaking it in a drainpipe." "Only line in town, boss." "Only time for one take, even then we'll barely make the deadline. Gimme a second … Continue reading Resigned to Staying
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Hard Knocks
“Three times, “ she said. “Three?” I muttered to myself. “Three times,” she answered. “Then you'll know. That's when you up and leave.” I'd lost track of the number of chances I'd given. Only when things were tapering off towards the end did I start to keep track. Tens, twenties, hundreds. Three would have had … Continue reading Hard Knocks
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The Beckoning
"I don't know why I'm even telling you this," she says. To the stranger over the phone. At last it has begun for her. Though of course it is over for me. Her hovering over me in the bedroom. Closing the curtains again and shrouding me in endless twilight. I can see my waxen face … Continue reading The Beckoning
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Window Queen
My entry in the NYC Midnight Short Story competition...A romantic comedy set in a charitable organisation featuring a window cleaner.... Window Queen Thud. Rope rattled against the window. I peeked over my screen. Window cleaners. Whatever. Except I looked that extra second. And saw two long legs preceding a vision. Princess Elsa against the dawn. … Continue reading Window Queen
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Write, Rewrite, Then Don’t Rewind : Writing Out Loud #4
I paid my money didn't I? I should be able to take my choice then? No, not when NYC Midnight have their flash fiction competition. One thousand carefully chosen words, a genre, a scene and an object chosen at random. Forty Eight hours to write it. And on Saturday 15th July, the email arrived. Genre: … Continue reading Write, Rewrite, Then Don’t Rewind : Writing Out Loud #4
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A Folded Butterfly
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Drenching Human Sheep
"All rise!" The Court Clerk brayed in a tone of bored authority. The words echoed and then died against the wooden paneling. There was a pause. The door to the left opened. A short bobbing woman entered robed and wigged even though convention didn't demand it anymore. The pause followed her and held its breath. … Continue reading Drenching Human Sheep
Andrew James Whalan 