Short stories
- 243 reads
Frisked - Part 1
5 March, 1988 Up ahead, the small straggle of Charlton fans processed slowly through the turnstiles at the away end of the Baseball Ground, in the...
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- 366 reads
The Boat -part 1
‘It began as a mistake.’ Was that how the great Bukowski started off his classic novel? She couldn’t remember. And Bukowski was one of Catherine’s...
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- 478 reads
Frisked-part 2
They sat on the bed, next to each other. A massive Victorian antique, iron framed. Nothing else in the room except a small dark-wood bedside table...
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The Boat - part 2
Grasping the orange-bladed paddle in one hand, she pushed the kayak carefully into the shallows and jumped into the seat. ‘Scrunch!’ The kayak sank...
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- 296 reads
Frisked - Part 3
‘Guldip! It’s me! PC Henderson!’ Sam shouted through the letterbox of the small end-of-terrace house on Exton Street. Thudding steps on the stairs, a...
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- 1053 reads
Welsh Lessons-1
WELSH LESSONS April 1975, on the waste ground where the old abattoir used to be “S’mae?” “Sorry, don’t speak Welsh.” “Just means ‘How’s things? We...
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- 1146 reads
Welsh Lessons-2
“NICK! The bus goes in TWO MINUTES! We’ve got to get down there now!” “NAH. We’ve got loads of time. It always leaves ten minutes late.” “You sure...
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- 418 reads
Welsh Lessons-3
It was five o’clock, after school. They were walking back from International Stores to Rhos-y-Bryn Road; Janice swung her mum’s green and red nylon...
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- 861 reads
The Rigger-1
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THE RIGGER MONDAY Brad picked up the pace, his heavy boots ringing on the hard grey tarmac. “Should have checked that tide table properly,” he...
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- 643 reads
The Rigger-2 (of 2)
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WEDNESDAY The light was definitely beginning to go. He checked the time, the piece of paper. 18.55. Safe crossing ended at 19.20. Time to start...
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- 570 reads
The Coffin-1
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THE COFFIN Mysteries of the Art World had been a huge success. People had flocked from all over Europe – the world, even – to Valletta, the pocket-...
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- 597 reads
The Coffin-2 of 2
Continued from part 1: The Coffin-1 | ABCtales Stephen ought to have retired a decade ago. It wasn't as if he needed the money; Interworld had done...
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- 347 reads
Rod's Part 1
July 1987 Mike had been all agog when Henry described the White Horseman. On the Saturday of their weekend break in Faversham, he’d insisted on...
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- 373 reads
Rod's - Part 2
They sat on rickety folding chairs in the back yard. The afternoon air was warm. Another train thrummed in the distance, then was gone. The bees and...
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- 238 reads
Rod's Part 3 of 3
Continued from Part 2 Rod's - Part 2 | ABCtales Saturday morning found Mike and Julie on the train from Charing Cross to Kent at 10am. “There must be...
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- 546 reads
The Ride-1
THE RIDE So, it had all been arranged, virtually on the spur of the moment. They were to meet at Euston, with their bikes, in time for the 08.46 slow...
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- 335 reads
The Ride-2
Continued from Part 1 The Ride-1 | ABCtales Frank groaned as his phone alarm played its maddening little tune; one of these days he’d get round to...
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- 203 reads
The Ride -3
Continued from Part 2 The Ride-2 | ABCtales It was six weeks later, late August. Frank was back in Liverpool, working on the next issue. He was at...
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- 358 reads
The Ride-4
Continued from Part 3 The Ride -3 | ABCtales They were in Solly’s - a backstreet boozer just north of the container port. The riverside district was...
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- 180 reads
The Ride -5 of 5
Continued from Part 4 The Ride-4 | ABCtales Frank finished early again the following evening. He’d promised Lisa the ultimate pub crawl. They got...
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- 636 reads
Fade
FADE The light is fading on a February evening in an old industrial city in north-west Europe. The woman’s footsteps ring out as she hurries along...
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- 566 reads