Author: Lauren Thomas

“Dance with me.” “Absolutely not.” “Why?” “I can’t dance.” “Who says you can’t dance? Of course you can. It’s easy. Watch.” He moved in a way that was a cross between a shuffle and a hop. It bore no resemblance to any dance she had ever seen. “You look like you’re trying to scratch an…

People bewail the changing of clocks and the lost light. They mourn lazy evening walks to the sound of outdoor play and breakfast on the patio accompanied by birdsong. Winter brings me home. No longer do I have to hide pale skin under stifling layers. No longer do I have to pretend to enjoy picnics…

The seamstress sewed magic. She sewed bravery into the gown she made for prom for the shy young girl with the fringe she had grown to hide behind. That girl ended up on the stage. She sewed hope into the wedding dress of the woman whose parents didn’t approve of her fiance. That woman went…

“The moons are dancing.” “What was that sweetheart?” “Look.” Her daughter, with her impossibly dark hair and eyes spilled from ink, pointed to the sky. “Can’t you see them?” She squinted. “I’m sorry, but I can only see the clouds.” Those dark eyes looked into hers, swimming with a mixture of concern and what felt…

“Hello dog.” The fisherman reached out a weathered hand and patted the grey terrier on the head as it poked an inquisitive nose into his bag. No collar or lead. “You on your own lad? Maybe you’ll come home with me, eh?”. He gave the dog a piece of sandwich and smiled a rarely used…

She wore a t-shirt with “LOVE” emblazoned across the chest. But she never really knew what it meant. She thought she had loved macaroni cheese. But then she ate too much of it. She thought she had loved her dog, but when it disappeared her sadness was fleeting at best. She thought she had loved…

The world was too loud for him. He wore his armour against it. Thick bobble hats for walking in the park to protect against the barking dogs and screaming children. Large headphones playing the Gladiator soundtrack on repeat whenever he caught the train or tube. A white noise machine playing the sound of rain at…

It was the twentieth anniversary. Over one thousand weeks. Over seven thousand days. She remembered the first time she found that her tiny but perfectly formed garden had transformed overnight. The grass had reached up to her mid thigh. Her dahlias were like a giant’s fist trying to punch the clouds from the sky. Her…

It was unmistakable this time. The walls were breathing. When they had first looked around the house it seemed to chatter at them, creaking in response to their footsteps, sighing with every door that opened. When they had finally moved in, it became a trickster, opening windows in pouring rain and exhaling occasional crows from…

“I’m going to be a fish when I grow up.” She looked at her daughter, all glitter eyes, pink cheeks and a gap-toothed smile. “Really sweetheart? Why’s that?” A thoughtful frown. “Well, I’d get to live in the sea, and blue is my favourite colour. Especially sparkly blue. And I’d get to be friends with…