The Homecoming

He had left his hometown in a rage. He had slammed the door on his past never thinking he would have to reopen it. Now, coming back, he was filled with strong and mixed emotions as he saw the familiar sites.

As he walked up the path to his past his childhood pet Rex ran towards him. Within moments his face was a mixture of slobber and rasping tongue. He threw his arms around the hairy neck and the years fell away. My god he loved that Okapi.

The door slowly opened and an elderly head quietly spoke his name.

“Mark?”

He stepped away from Rex who proceeded to gallop around the garden in giddy joy. “Mother?” he said cautiously. Could he really be the offspring of this ancient crone?

She was dressed in her familiar American Civil War uniform, confederate of course. If she was still alive then so was his father. He crouched immediately and scanned the garden. Nothing. Then something unusual in the corner of his eye. He made no sudden move but slowly moved his gaze to the tree by the well.

Brilliant disguise but fatally flawed. There had never been a tree by the well and certainly not one with branches in the shape of Danny la Rue’s head.

This was what had driven him away. Why couldn’t he have had a simple childhood like Edwin next door. His parents were always there and perfectly stable in the freezer units in the basement

“Ah well,” he sighed, as he drew his Timelance from its sheath and hacked at the tree “Berrylands will never change."

Stabby's Poem

When grown ups say,

“Don’t play in the woods,”

They're not being spoilsports

They’re being so good.

For they know what’s there

They know who hides

They’ve seen the shadows

They’ve heard the cries

So that when they say

“Be home when sun sets,”

They know the secrets

Of how the wood gets

When the moon strikes the trees

A creature will rise

And perish the small one

Who looks into their eyes

They want to protect you

As their parents did

So back to your bedroom

And make sure your hid

For Stabby is calling

His chorus is loud

Sung by the wind

As it blows through a crowd

He’s been here forever

As old as the hills

And he wants to find you

And wishes you ills

So parents are careful

And check you in bed

They know if you’re missing

You might lose you head

CBERSALB

The Devil placed the four slightly molten tiles on the board. 

"HATE, fourteen points, it's a double word score."

God sat back and looked at the word. The Devil stared at him becoming increasingly annoyed at his slow ponderous movement and irritating beatific smile.

Finally God leant forward and put down three letters in front of the 'e' of 'hate. 

"LOVE, with the 'v' on a triple letter score. Fifteen points. I thought you would have known that love will always win over hate."

The Devil sank back into his chair and stared at the corner of the room. They must get the tv fixed soon he thought.

If only

‘Have you had an accident at work hurting your hand hitting a solicitor who was trying to talk to you about PPI?’

What was wrong with his spam filter? Why couldn’t it pick out the rubbish that greeted him every morning when he turned on his computer? Why was his in box and therefore his life filling with trivia, nonsense, cons and rubbish

He opened a new search page typed “most effective spam filter” into the box and hit enter. The number of choices and downloads available was mind blowing. How was he going to make sure he got the right one? He started to read reviews when one comment suddenly grabbed him, “this spam filter has changed my life”.

He moved his mouse to the download box and clicked. He watched as the little blue bar slowly made its way across the screen until it was complete. Once it disappeared from the screen he slid his mouse to his email and pressed refresh to his email account.

An African Prince was seeking his help in freeing his frozen bank account. His heart sank. He lifted himself slowly from his chair and took his jacket from its back. He pulled the front door behind him and walked slowly up the street.

The couple from down the road who had bored him at last years Christmas street party were standing outside their house. He raised his arm reluctantly to wave but before he did they disappeared inside.

On the bus an elderly lady sat down beside him and began to talk. He shut his eyes in the hope that …..….. When he opened them again she was gone.

At the bank he asked to see the manager. The dull grey clerk was about to block the opportunity to see the person he wanted when her phone rang and she was distracted.

As he walked past her into the manager’s office he had a strange feeling that life was somehow different.

“This spam filter has changed my life”.

The Demons came last night

The Demons came last night. I was expecting them soon, they have been leaving little notes in my head. They are the most unwelcome visitors. They trample over my hope and laugh at things I feel any pride in. They ridicule any achievement I may feel and shrink it to nothing. They invite my fears and my mistakes to they centre of the room and make them do their party pieces. They applaud and cheer every memory that makes me feel the less of myself. They loosen the valve on my self-esteem until in a sudden gasping rush there is nothing left. They flood my thoughts with darkness and doubt and I stumble around trying to find the switch that can bring any light back to my brain - but it is not there. Sleep will not come easily and when it does it is filled with their shadows as my nightmares.

Lying in the dark wrapped in a duvet of doubt and self-loathing I can reach out and rest my hand upon the person I love. They are asleep but just touching them is like having a single strand of hope, a gossamer thread to help me through the maze the Demons lay out. If she is next to me then maybe, just maybe, I am not as bad as I think. I am lucky to have that person. 

To those who who currently don't have that person in your life I just wish and hope you find your lighthouse to guide you through the emotional waves and confidence cutting rocks to the safe harbour of daylight. 

Life's little gaps

He saw her from a distance
her beauty bewitched him
he knew he had
to    get    her

He dreamt of her constantly
an obsession growing
What could he do
to   get   her

A manufactured meeting
laughter comes naturally
uses his smile
to  get  her

He hates time without her
she lights his life
she knows he wants
to get her

Soon they become lovers
happy with each other
gap in life filled
together

Sticky Moments in Life

The usb stick contained most of the things she needed. A small object that held so many precious things and there it was tumbling in slow motion towards the drain cover. Her hands moved in slow motion to try to arrest its fall, constantly fanning the space it had just occupied.

It bounced like a roulette ball between the grates before slipping between the metal slats and disappearing into the depths beneath. It took only moments for her to realise quite what impact this single event was going to have on her life.

A cold sweat drenched her as the full realisation began to take home. She felt a chill wind rise through her body and dizziness invade her head. She reached out to the lamppost to steady herself but it was too late and she slid without grace to the ground.

He head was left hanging partly over the drain cover. The light from the lamppost trickled like water into the drain and lit the leaves and paper that it rested therein. As she moved her head slightly the light caught the metal top of her usb. It was there, balanced on a stick caught between the concrete ledge on the side of the drain and something that looked too horrible to describe.

She felt a surge of hope accompanied by a buzzing sensation. It took a few seconds before she realised that her phone, which was set to vibrate, was trapped between her and the pavement.

By the time she had fished it out the call had stopped. She lit the display and saw a number that chilled her once again. Surely he couldn’t know already about the stick.

The absurdity of the situation matched with her panic made her smile slightly. A usb stick that contained her life held by a wooden stick. Nature saving man or women’s lfe once again.

How could she fish it out? She would probably get only one go. If this were a film she would take the chewing gum from her mouth, attach it to a stick and lift it out. Life isn’t a film so she wasn’t chewing gum and her hands were shaking so much she could hardly hold her phone.

Is this how it would end?

No

The end was a total surprise as she was crushed under the body of a frozen stowaway who plummeted from the undercarriage of a passing plane.