Author: Lauren Thomas

As the colours around her became richer, she felt herself begin to fade. The fallen leaves were like paint splashes, ochre and burgundy competing with plum and russet. But she saw only grey, the brightness of the clear blue autumnal skies creating headaches behind her left eye as she wearily scanned the hedgerows. The blackbirds…

“Oi! Give us a smile love!” Oh how she wished they would stop saying that. As her pupils dilated and the tendons in her hands stretched uncomfortably, she looked around for the quickest exit route, deciding on the wall that she knew she would be able to jump over before anyone had time to understand…

She wished she’d known beforehand. It seemed so lovely. Buried beneath a sapling, nurturing growth and providing a space where her family could gather and reminisce to the sound of birdsong. She had led a happy life with no regrets. Until now. As they gathered beneath her branches, the lines on their faces a little…

She half smiled at the camera, still uncomfortable with the idea of her image being captured forever. She clutched the little boy so tightly that the discomfort showed on his face. The atmosphere behind them was one of unfettered freedom, the beach packed with holiday makers for the first time in years. She never saw…

She was stuck between two lives. A smile for one. A frown for the other. Her mouth showing both at the same time. People thought she couldn’t hear them talking about her. They assumed her smile was from the old life. From the person she used to be. What they didn’t know was that she…

It’s time to go. Go where? Over there. What’s over there? Why, are you scared? No, I don’t even care. Then go over there. But the sign says beware! I knew you were scared. Ok fine. Double dare. He uttered a swear. That’s not even fair! A double dare is always fair. Urgh. I know…

“How long will you be gone for?” He tightened the straps of his bag, trying not to show how heavy it was and how nervous he felt. “I’m not sure.” Her forehead creased. Her brother had always been impulsive, but this was something else. “Why are you doing this Jack?” He exhaled. “My nest is…

She felt lighter and heavier at the same time, something she had never felt before and something she hoped to never feel again. Tucking herself into her hood, she walked with her head down. She knew that if she made eye contact with any of them she might never recover. She needed to recover. A…

She had been driving for hours. The rain on the windscreen shattered the headlights of the cars coming in the opposite direction so that they filled her vision like fireworks. She tried to blink back the exhaustion. It jumped in front of her so suddenly that she hit it before her brain even processed the…

“What do you think we could reach if we climbed that ladder?” They craned their necks up at the same time. “An apple from the tree!” A snort of derision. “Aim higher!” “The top of the house?” “Higher!” “I’ll reach the clouds!” “Higher!” “I’m going to reach the stars!” * Thirty-eight years later she looked at…