Revenge is a dish

Posted on August 21, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, August 2021 - Revenge

We’ve come the full circle now with the Harvey-Samantha saga. Most of us understood from the get-go that they shouldn’t even have met, let alone moved in together.

I mean, no one’s perfect. But Harvey is one of those people whose worst imperfection is in the nature of an art form. A performance art form. He hones his art and displays it wherever the opportunity arises.

To give an example, our gang often meet up on a Friday night for a couple of drinks. For Harvey, this is an opportunity for artistic self-promotion. He challenges people to out-drink him whilst remaining standing. He calls for combinations of alcohol to prove his talent for holding his drink. Boring stuff, and excruciatingly embarrassing for Samantha.

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A Martian Revenge Tragedy

Posted on August 21, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, August 2021 - Revenge

Martha relaxed into the pilot’s chair, her term on the punishment planet complete. A message flashed on her HUD, “Thank you for your service.”

She hit the eject button.

Ten years earlier, a signal from Rob, “Thank you for your service” meant “Get out of there”. His warning never came. The bots got her, and her wonder turned to blame.

Why contact her now? It had to be him.

She looked back at the ship, then she got her answer as it exploded into fragments. The shock wave hit: her pod shook but survived, coming to rest two-thirds of the way up Pavonis Mons.

“Suit,” she commanded, “status.”

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Paper Dolls

Posted on August 21, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, August 2021 - Revenge

Hannah walks into the classroom, and I freeze. It’s not the way she narrows her eyes at me as she passes, sitting next to Jess instead of me. I expected that after yesterday. No, it’s the bright red gash across her pale forehead that turns my stomach to slush. A crisp diagonal line from temple to opposite eyebrow, like a No Entry sign.

It can’t be happening. Not again.

I couldn’t believe my luck when I made friends on my first day here. After everything that went on in my old school, maybe I was going to fit in at last.

For weeks, Hannah, Jess, Katie and I were inseparable. Until yesterday, when they suddenly stopped speaking to me. Confused, I trailed after them like a lost puppy until Hannah finally said,

“Emily, why didn’t you tell us the reason you left your other school? My Mum said you stabbed some boys in their sleep.”

The others wrinkled their noses, recoiling theatrically.

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His Secret

Posted on July 25, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

“I’m here in Derbyshire at the home of centenarian Alan Davies,” the reporter Jake informs the viewers. He turns to face the spry man in the chair opposite him.

“I’m sure that all our viewers want to wish you a Happy 100^th Birthday, Alan.”

“Thank you,” Alan replies.

“I’m sure that we all would like to know your secret of reaching your 100^th birthday. You certainly look much younger than your years.”

It’s at this point that the cameraman Dave, who has heard it all before, decides to leave the camera running, and goes off to find the lavatory.

“I’ve had a good life, taken every opportunity that came my way. I think I owe my longevity to having my own way most of the time.”

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THE SECRET

Posted on July 23, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

Trailing her hand along the intricate carving along the old desk, and sighing deeply, Delyth knew she had to sort out her late father’s affairs. Never having been allowed to use it, a feeling of guilt flowed over her. Straightening her shoulders, placing the key into the top drawer, her search began.

Soon engrossed in his papers, memories crowded in. A receipt for a hotel they stayed at every year, growing up. Her wedding receipts for everything from the dress to the reception. A smile touched her lips. Going through the other drawers were more he had kept, so many things that touched her heart.

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Even your best friend may not be fully frank

Posted on July 22, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

These two had been at school together and never roamed far beyond the town. They were content and deeply appreciated the familiarity and depth of one another’s friendship. It was unusual, therefore, to watch them fizzing like a herd of ants imitating a headless chicken. I’m no eavesdropper but I couldn’t help overhearing…

‘You mean you nicked it?’

‘I did, yeah. You have a problem with that?’

‘Well, as a matter of fact, yes, I do have several problems with that. And the first is that you forgot to tell me about it.’

‘ Well, sorry about that, mate, but it’s something that’s been bothering me for a while. 30 years at least. It’s an old score I had to settle. You should be glad I still care about honour and dignity.’

‘Go on then. How did you do it?’

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The Unlocking of Percy

Posted on July 22, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

Percy sat staring at the wall… as he does, day-in, day-out. His father John followed Percy’s sightline, to an almost imperceptible blister on the curved stone regolith wall of the living pod where it met the skylight overhead.

Must have been a printing error in the 3D Additive Manufacturing extrusion process. He added it to the list of things needing attention.

It had not been easy to persuade the Space Agency Executives that a child with disabilities could continue in the Family Colonisation Programme. Mary blamed herself for that momentary lapse of attention, -for not fastening the chin strap of her son’s space helmet. One minute he was in the crèche pod clambering up the slide ladder, the next performing an Olympic-perfect front-roll over the restraining side bar; a rag-doll plummet,- helmet spiralling off on a visible “gun-shot” trajectory,- then a muffled thud as he was forked by the shard-ed lunar surface and a spreading of strawberry jam blood complete with pips… except they weren’t pips but shreds of brain matter. Mary ofttimes replayed the accident’s sequence of events. “Water” he had demanded of the obliging playgroup assistant who promptly topped up the empty reservoir of his space-playsuit. That was his last word these 12 years.

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The Allotment Fairy

Posted on July 17, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

“He’s at it again!” Russ slammed the front door, trailing dirt through the hallway.

Barb sighed. She held a protective hand over the mirror on the wall until it stopped vibrating, and reminded Russ for the millionth time to remove his gardening boots in the porch.

But he was already stomping towards the kitchen. Barb followed and put the kettle on, waiting for both it and Russ to boil over. Meanwhile, she listened to the usual rant about how Ian at the allotment was jealous of Russ’s prize vegetable patch, and was obviously tampering with it, because his tools kept moving and his marrows weren’t growing at the expected rate. Yet Ian’s patch was thriving.

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Exit Strategy

Posted on July 15, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

Thursday:

She really should tell her sister: Carys was her best friend. But how embarrassing to announce, ‘I’m having second thoughts about marrying.’ Carys would probably reply drily, ‘Leaving the exit strategy a bit late, aren’t we?’ And Carys would be right. What the hell are you going to do, Derwena? No solution came to mind.

Those two cross-terrier puppies Dave’s mum had bought had clarified Derwena’s sense of the imbalance. The male, Shep, fawned and begged for attention – from Dave and his mum, and from the other puppy. He pleaded for his little masculine ego to be acknowledged. Whereas Trixie, the bitch, might allow herself to be stroked but she was bored by Shep’s greedy neediness. Just let me be, she seemed to be saying to both dog and owner. She was an independent soul. That’s me and Dave, Derwena thought. Irreconcilably different; fire and water.

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Stockholm Syndrome

Posted on July 12, 2021 by Martyn Winters under 2021, July 2021 - The Secret

“Hello,” said the tall man as he peered around the door to the classroom. “Are you Cecelia Luth?”

“Why, yes I am,” said Luth. “May I ask who wants to know?”

“My name is Bejerot,” he replied and stepped into the room, “but not the famous one. Are you familiar with the name?”

“I really don’t know who you might mean,” Luth responded warily.

“You don’t know Nils Bejerot?”

“Should I?” Luth said, “The name seems familiar, but I can’t place it.”

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After the Event

Posted on June 27, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, June 2021 - Afterwards

Just afterwards, we managed to leave the event with some aplomb, a modicum of dignity intact-or at least faked. Torn between hooting with laughter over council-man’s trifle covered shoes and lower trouser legs, and seriously thinking over the consequences of the action, we rested languidly in the warm evening light of the nearby park to consider the position.

I have known my good friend Alice for years. We’ve shared holidays and secrets as well as heartbreaks and terrible times. I’d say she’s a pretty good humoured person, except for her occasional explosive outbursts. I’m not saying she’s bad tempered, not at all, and rarely has a bad word for anyone.

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You Do What You Can

Posted on June 21, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, June 2021 - Afterwards

Morgan Ratcliffe locked the car door, opened the allotment gate wearily, and crept like a snail on Mogadon up the rise. Long Covid wasn’t going to beat him.

Alice Rees had lent him a small part of her allotment plot to assist his recovery. She’d also lent her neighbour – he lived several doors down from her – a few long-handled tools. Ratcliffe came daily in all weathers, scratched at weeds with a rake, turned a few inches of earth with a hoe, and half an hour later limped back to his car. Occasionally Alice discreetly removed clumps of weeds and sowed a few seeds on the strip. Otherwise Ratcliffe’s labours would’ve been wholly in vain.

Three months after starting, Ratcliffe’s health was unchanged. His walk was still laboured, his actions and thought as if made in slow motion. ‘I do what I can,’ he muttered. He was a tall, elderly man, his rugged features putting Alice in mind of a rocky steep. His cheekbones were hollowed out, his shoulders sunken, his expression as bleak as hard snow in the Brecon Beacons.

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The Conclusion

Posted on June 17, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, June 2021 - Afterwards

Hookers with fifties mother presenting a cake

I can see that I had been manipulated from the start, but what choice did I have when it was my wife doing the manipulating?

It had all started when we were driving alongside Streatham Common, on the way back from Beryl’s sister’s place. Although it was early evening, there were already some working girls about. I hoped that the wife wouldn’t notice them, but she had. I saw her neck whip around as we passed one. I was just waiting for her to pass a derisory remark.

‘Gosh, did you see that one?’

‘What, sorry love, I was concentrating on my driving’ I lied.

‘She was really pretty.”

‘What?’I thought I’d misheard.

‘That last one, she was so pretty, a bit thin though. Didn’t we have any sandwiches left?’

‘Yes, there’s a few left and a spot of tea if you’re thirsty.’

‘Not for me, for her.’

‘She’s working luv, you can’t just drive up to her and offer her a sandwich.’

I was wrong, Beryl had a new mission, I had to do a U turn and head back to the common. As I stopped at the kerb, the prostitute jumped into the car. She looked startled when she saw Beryl in the rear seat. After an awkward moment, they started chatting together like old friends.

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Black Cat

Posted on June 16, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, June 2021 - Afterwards

Panther ready to pounce

Afterwards, when Maureen’s body was slumped over the table, Geoff had thought about the cat. For some reason, it was the first thing that had popped into his head. Even before the guilt had begun to wind itself around his insides like ivy.

And now, there it was again: the black cat. It had appeared every morning since she died five days ago, its yellow eyes piercing his soul through the glass. He shivered.

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Changed

Posted on June 6, 2021 by Martyn Winters under 2021, June 2021 - Afterwards

March 2016 – Houston, Texas: Mark and Scott Kelly are identical twins, both are captains in the US Navy, and both spent time on the International Space Station. Scott spent nearly a year orbiting the Earth, returning in March 2016. On his return, they compared his DNA to his twin’s. During his flight it modified so much they were no longer considered identical twins. He had changed.

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The Night of the Full Moon

Posted on June 6, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, June 2021 - Afterwards

Fergus sat on his rock watching the young males as they set about their training. Leaping high and far, others wrestled in the muddy shallows, diving to see who could stay under the longest. Females were off out of sight doing their own training. What Fergus did not know was males were forbidden there.

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A Dolphin Tale

Posted on May 21, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, May 2021 - Happily ever after?

Dolfina leapt and twirled, racing back and fro with the other youngsters. Life was good except for the bully Drogo who kept bumping and pushing the little ones. Rushing at him, she angrily thumped him with her tail. Her parents rushed over to separate them.

Nearing maturity, Dofina knew that her behaviour was not acceptable. Her role was to teach the younger ones how to follow the dolphin code but Drogo made her so angry. Listening to her parents, she so wanted them to be proud of her.

Mother explained she would soon find a mate and they would mate for life. Dolphina wasn’t too sure where would she find him.

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H.E.A.L. Your Happy Ever After

Posted on May 21, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, May 2021 - Happily ever after?

Roscoe Manning’s rounded Devon drawl faltered. He gasped as burning sand trickled down his windpipe. Standard issue military full -face visor was powerless against the inexorable seepage of desert dust.

Not a good idea this open- air presentation, he thought.

Hawking an ochre flume of spittle, he re-placed his face- mask and resumed.

“Imagine….. I didn’t know what a Hesco was before this deployment and now I’m training you.”

Experience had taught Roscoe that modelling his own learning curve built trust with the trainees. So necessary in the field where operational success and minimum casualties depended on orders being instantly obeyed.

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The Rise and Fall of Wee Willie Winkie

Posted on May 19, 2021 by swanseawriters under 2021, May 2021 - Happily ever after?

The problem, really, is one of unintended consequences. It arose from a parental wish to relieve their child’s anxiety and extend the happy-ever-after era of childhood.

It was one of those summers when the family holiday consisted of ‘going out for days’ rather than the usual week by the seaside in a b and b. This kind of holiday always turned out to be more expensive and less restful than the b and b option.

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