Cherrypicked stories
Untitled
The endless exhaust fumes infiltrated the air but Ruth took no heed of them on the brisk walk. Breathed them in and out, in and out automatically. The traffic was backed up as far as she could see.
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- 1 comment
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- 1198 reads
One Too Many
The electric light buzzed over my head and made everything in the bathroom including me look stark, pale and ill.
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- 1 comment
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- 1100 reads
Cats & Fish
Katy sat in her Nanny’s living room, itching to get out into the bright green of the huge garden and play in the bushes at the end.
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- 1 comment
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- 1196 reads
In your arms
Doodle/re-post/ edit
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- 8 comments
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- 3082 reads
Going Down to the Sea Again
...the boarding of a train on our yearly pilgrimage to Broadstairs.
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- 10 comments
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- 2499 reads
14. Never a dull moment…
Time off to bury the sea legs, reflect on slapping someone, a decent meal and then, it finally happens. Alessio, cream your pants, gorgeous.
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- 2 comments
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- 1779 reads
That heat
I was sitting next to Andy on the steps that go from our floor at work to the one above, talking unserious stuff when one of the most beautiful girls I've ever seen came down.
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- 7 comments
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- 3045 reads
The School Concert
Based on a true story – I should know, I was there. Very strong language from the start. Reviews and corrections welcome.
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- 811 reads
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED - Part 1
An attempt at fantasy. A blend of "The Boys From Syracuse," "The Wizard of Oz," "Alice in Wonderland" and what we're trying to do here at "ABC."
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- 896 reads
Sticks and Stones 26
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- 2 comments
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- 841 reads
Lucid Dreams In Moscow
Part One of a two-part series of poems on my experiences of Russia. 'Looming before me, St Basil's basks in camera flashes, with its candy-cane swirls and pretentious pastels,'
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- 26 comments
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- 9111 reads
The Coming of Age September Part 2
Jessica goes to a party
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- 3 comments
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- 1052 reads
The Big C
It's like that feeling you get When you stand at the top of a cliff, Looking down. You push your toes right to the edge Just enough that you can bend right over without falling
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- 13 comments
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- 3797 reads
Earshot
She kind of reminded me of my sister…or a human version of Miss Piggy. She was sitting in the corner and weeping. I had no idea who she was.
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- 9 comments
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- 2505 reads
One Man's Junk (I.P.)
...another's treasure.
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- 22 comments
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- 5436 reads
When Lions Meet
He is the King of this grimy parade
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- 13 comments
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- 4315 reads
Dirt
I never thought I'd get this clean.
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- 3 comments
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- 1245 reads
Down In The Dumps
Inspiration point 21.05.2010
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- 13 comments
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- 4834 reads
A FRANK FARCE, OR A DAY IN A LIFE -- part one
Frank Stimmer awoke angry! He lay in bed and considered the day that was before him. He knew the kind of day it would be; for it had for him the feel of sameness of the last two months
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- 4 comments
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- 2994 reads
Meeting Bosch at the Prado
Poem inspired by Bosch's painting "The Garden of Earthly Delights". http://www.museodelprado.es/en/the-collection/online-gallery/on-line-gal...
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- 1 comment
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- 911 reads
To Cut-Out and Keep
just a poem.
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- 9 comments
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- 3221 reads
Showers
Inspiration Point. 1787 words. Two grad students come across a bag at the state dump filled with something more meaningful than originally thought.
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- 1 comment
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- 918 reads
He Galahad
The natural progression from child to familial hero, the oft unspoken bond between men, and the simple pleasure of shared labor.
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- 2 comments
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- 1311 reads
benny 3
getting home can be sometimes difficult
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- 3 comments
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- 1380 reads
A Hymn for the Cigarettes
no peer pressure or impressing bigger boys I just went to the hotel cigarette machine
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- 2 comments
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- 1375 reads
Pay Another Day
The Secret Service faces its greatest challenge. How will its most famous agent cope?
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- 4 comments
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- 2184 reads
Something Could Happen
But, all days can start like this Here is nothing to be found, Except when walking the beaches For what the tide leaves behind. We expect a treasure, But find only stones, shells,
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- 985 reads
Handoff
I stood with slumped shoulders, roving eyes, twittering fingers, short, careful breaths.
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- 6 comments
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- 2032 reads
The Coming of Age. August Part 2.
The Pageant.
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- 2 comments
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- 893 reads
13. - I slapped her and it felt good
Just as Ginny thinks that nothing could get worse, it all falls apart.
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- 1 comment
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- 819 reads
Osmosis
I tell her that love is like osmosis. She laughs and puts on her make up. I tell her about semi-permeable membranes, and she throws her face back in glee.
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- 4 comments
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- 1513 reads
Reclining Nude
A model, draped over a green baize settee;
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- 13 comments
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- 3108 reads
The Genome Kunstler
THE GENOME KUNSTLER By Austen J. Brauker (Genome = a complete set of chromosomes in a gamete Kunstler = German for an artist)
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- 1 comment
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- 758 reads
Wyrm 6
When have space-time wormholes ever been good for the world? Who knows what might be dredged up?
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- 11 comments
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- 3663 reads
Saturday morning 2
more tales from early morning
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- 3 comments
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- 1238 reads
She Went To The Toilet And Never Came Back
A pub fight.
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- 4 comments
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- 2315 reads
Saturday morning football
another ramble
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- 3 comments
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- 1145 reads
Ton Autre Amour
It wasn't that I didn't like Paris; the colours lazily reclining on their canvasses at Montmartre. Gargoyles crawling up the outstretched fingers of Notre Dame.
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- 30 comments
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- 10402 reads
Sticks and Stones 3
January 2006 (Since last writing, we have sold the house we bought near Toulouse and split the proceeds, in her favour, for an amicable separation.) This shows you what an unfeeling reprobate I wa
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- 4 comments
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- 1361 reads
Sticks and Stones 1
July 2005
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- 1 comment
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- 890 reads
The matchmaker
short story-long tail
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- 5 comments
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- 3308 reads
Bookmark (I.P)
Shameless namedropping...
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- 8 comments
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- 2423 reads
Untitled
This mansion has many rooms. Sunlit salons with faded wallpaper. Antique rings that plink against green glass spikes. Ponderous chests of linens and lavender.
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- 4 comments
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- 1749 reads
SHAIKH-DOWN: Sodom and Gomorrah
On the island of Belaj, runaway housewife Cass McBride and banker Eddy Lawrence discover that Arab men can be beguilingly sexy.
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- 3 comments
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- 1631 reads
Industrial Processed Nutrition
If you've been reading the newspapers, you will no doubt have read that Industrial Processed Nutrition have recently merged with our former opponents, the Wholemeal Organic Healthy Additive-Free Allia
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- 1 comment
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- 1379 reads
Under A Distant Moon
Sci-Fi poem.
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- 5 comments
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- 1623 reads
Homemade (I.P.)
"Ring the bells that still can ring, Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything, That’s how the light gets in." (Leonard Cohen)
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- 19 comments
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- 5472 reads
Silence
Warren Bates is the greatest professional escape artist alive. However, he refuses to perform one particular feat. He has never been buried alive.
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- 2 comments
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- 1005 reads
The Mix
The toast begins to burn, The old radio, The one that is new to me since I stole it from you, Crackles quietly in the background. I try to mix summer fruits squash with lemonade,
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- 4 comments
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- 1388 reads
3-6-9
just a story... Photo is PD
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- 3 comments
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- 2139 reads
Musings
(Spacing has changed radically but I don't understand how to sort it) When I was a child... I'd be sitting on my garden wall and my shadow would step up onto a roof and spirit dance along the top
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- 2 comments
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- 1219 reads
Once More with Feeling
...fumble for our cosy, towelling robes...
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- 4 comments
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- 1729 reads
The Coming of Age. June. Part 3
Midsummer madness and other dramas
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- 562 reads
The Latest Thing
'He's a dedicated follower of fashion. Oh yes, he is, Oh yes, he is.' Oh no, he isn't.
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- 2 comments
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- 949 reads
Barney.
You never know what is round a corner.
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- 1260 reads
A Single World to Change - Chapter Two
Victor must face a real nightmare.
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- 1 comment
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- 1295 reads
The Guinea Thief - Chapter 1 - Of Brandy and Bretons
The reworked opening chapter of Jack and Delphine's story.
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- 613 reads
Wyrm 5
Dedicated to Mr Dawkins and his ilk. What sort of a world are you leaving us with?
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- 13 comments
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- 2999 reads