The Sale. Part 4. A short story.

The crazy lady was right up in my face, spittle flicking onto my cheek as she voiced her objection. I backed up, hands raised. “Look, I’m really sorry,” I said. “I really didn’t know you had a tragedy related to…cleaning products.” As if from nowhere, she extracted a huge butcher’s knife from its hiding place behind her back. It glinted malevolently in her hand, matching the glint in her eye. The yelp that escaped my lips was more feminine than I would have liked. My eyes widened to the size of saucers, adrenaline surged and my voice trembled. “I can … Continue reading The Sale. Part 4. A short story.

The Sale. Part 3. A short story.

The living room was immense, I almost needed binoculars to identify the furniture. This consisted of a few ornate and dusty lounges, chairs and a worn coffee table, all encircling a huge twenty-foot wide hearth, a fire burning briskly within. Exotic, cobweb-covered chandeliers shone dimly from the ceiling far above—the light they cast had very little impact on the dancing shadows cast by the flames. My previous confidence in a quick sale was evaporating, unlike the sweat forming on my brow from the heat in the room. The butler lurched to a stop by the door, out of breath. Standing … Continue reading The Sale. Part 3. A short story.

The Sale. Part 2. A short story.

The rain was falling harder now. I raised my collar against the cold and turned to go, lifting the heavy vacuum kit awkwardly beside me. The door slowly opened with a long creak (it was like it had its own theme song, the patter of rain the accompanying percussion). I turned and jumped. The fellow in the doorway was huge, at least seven feet tall, with a face so wrinkled and jowls so pronounced it looked like it was melting. He was dressed in a butler’s coat and tails, and as he opened his mouth the harsh intake of breath that preceded his … Continue reading The Sale. Part 2. A short story.

The Sale. Part 1. A short series.

I’ve just started a new uni subject, and one of the threads on the discussion boards is about re-writing clichés. This is my first post from that thread (it’s not part of the marking process so I can post it here now, otherwise I would have to wait until the course was over). I’m going to continue this series on a semi-regular basis.   It was a dark and stormy night. Okay, it wasn’t really that dark. There were big street lights, like super A-grade halogens (the city council must have had a bigger budget in this town than my last). And … Continue reading The Sale. Part 1. A short series.

Anchor. A poem.

The furrowed brow The weight of my world Bringing me low My successes tarnished Corroded by rusty deeds And the lime of consequence Troubled thoughts Sail on a sea of responsibility The waves toss and tumble Almost as black as pitch And sticking like tar The dead weight of regret If I could be saved Would you extend a hand? Or let me be smashed on black reefs The wind is cold and hard It whispers in my ears A melody of darkness The fire fuelled And then brought low By implacable resistance Will I ever escape? Will I ever … Continue reading Anchor. A poem.

Too Late. A poem.

How could you say the things you did? And how could I respond in kind? Every bitter reproach Like a roadmap of our pain Every recrimination Like a hammer to my brain Holding back the tears Letting emotion and volume have their way Where logic would have saved the day Two mules head butting Unable to back down Two recalcitrants enabled In the aftermath When all is said and done When acrid smoke rises from the craters of regret Realising you can’t take back what was said And you wish you never had But it’s too late Far too late … Continue reading Too Late. A poem.