Category: Microfiction

She set her alarm for four in the morning, and woke with the anticipation she remembered feeling as a child on Christmas morning. But now the gifts she expected to receive were different. The toys she had once loved were long since discarded, but these would nourish her every day if she let them. Closing…

She looked at the shattered teacup and felt her face flush with panic. She had always worn lies like a useless mask on her face, the truth clearly exposed behind her reddened cheeks. She could picture her grandmother’s bared teeth and raised hand, could feel the sting of the smack on the back of her…

“What beautiful flowers! The yellow is lovely against your pink dress.” “Thank you. Can you believe they’re from a secret admirer?” They exchanged excited smiles. “What beautiful flowers! So many colours!” “Thank you. They’re for my mother. She’s in hospital. Hopefully they’ll cheer her up.” They exchanged worried smiles. “What beautiful flowers! White lilies are…

She saw the gun before she saw the man. Stop. Don’t move. Watch him. He was looking for her. She could tell from the look in his eyes. The flare of his nostrils. The signs of blood lust. Don’t move. Watch him. He was creeping. Trying not to scare her. Trying to keep control. Don’t…

“Wow, your vegetable patch is looking incredible!” His smile was oddly vacant. “Thank you.” “Those pumpkins are really unusual. They’re strangely shiny. Are they a rare species?” He kept walking along the rows without looking back. “Something like that.” A crow called out overhead. His friend’s shoulders stiffened. “Everything ok?” “It will be.” He heard…

“You look so much like your mother.” She looked at her reflection. Tried to conjure up her mother’s face. Felt the tears build as she realised that the memories were now a faded photograph. “In what way?” The lines around his eyes deepened. “What makes your face yours also made hers, hers. The way you…

He came into the world, not kicking and screaming, but with a sense of bewilderment. As she felt his weight in her arms rather than across her back and in her stomach, she thought of the multiple journeys his life might take. Every decision he would make would mean a different path, a butterfly effect…

The pitch of the scream was enough to turn her heart to ice. She flew down the stairs, feeling her centre of gravity threatening to spill over with each step, fleeting images of her body tumbling to the ground shattering her thoughts. Running into the kitchen, she saw her daughter sat on the cold tiles,…

“I’ve got the WORST ear worm.” “Ooh can I guess what it is?” “Erm, ok?” “Is it Don’t Stop Me Now?” “No.” “Is it Take On Me?” “No.” “Something more recent then. Call Me Maybe?” “No.” “Hmm. How about Watermelon Sugar?” “What the hell is that?” “Never mind.” “Why are you listing songs anyway?” “You…

“Wait. What are YOU doing here?” “This is my land. I’m allowed to be here.” “No, no, no, no, no. We talked about this. I was here first. This is my land. You need to leave now.” “Get lost! I actually live here!” “No you don’t, you’re just a bloody lodger.” “So are you! You’re…