He sat and watched the fire during low, embers glistening and spitting as the oil wood burst tiny sparks. His mind was numb, not thinking, just wandering through pictures in his head and heart. “What happened? Why? I didn’t understand. He sat there, laid there, cried there, not knowing what was happening or what would happen. The sounds, loud, ear splitting burst of thunder. The smells, scents, vial toxins flooded their pit. He could smell them now, in the pit, in his pit, bu

Sitting at the dinner-breakfast table he would cluck and mutter whenever the story of the minute was flying about. Four grandies from 7 to 12 would all chatter at once while the mum fluffed and flittered from the galled kitchen to the table. Her mother always tried to help but was usually bustled out of a kitchen that only help one person at a time. Her grey hair all tightly curled with usually a bobby holding the curliest lock in place. Always smiled, always looked content w

‘What do you mean I don’t try? I’ve been called the most trying person that ever lived.’ Today I will climb over a fence, the barbed wire at the top is a bother, so I leave my clothes strung over it. It is a bit chilly, lucky my undies don’t snag or the cold weather would be quite evident. Running onto the tarmac isn’t as hard as I thought it would be. Gee, those dogs can run fast. Lucky I got to the baggage truck in time. Only one nip on my left heel. Those carts aren’t so f

A pub discussion   ‘Up to my bloody armpits. It doesn’t bloody stop. Everywhere you look is his face. Just like his sister ole Horseface. He is everywhere! Since his mum finally dies – and thank Godfrey for that – he is on all things. I tell you what, I’m not going to lick the back of his head. It was bad inuff with his Gerry mum let alone his tree-hugging bald spotted noggin.’   ‘Did you see that red pain thing? It looked like it had been defaced by protestors before it was

‘Cabbages cabbages where do you keep the cabbages,’ Chef blustered and bluffed his way through the storeroom. ‘You can’t make a slaw without cabbages.’ He grabbed the chicken, and cutting it into pieces, thrust it into the pot along with the garlic, onion and the sesame seeds, garnish, spice and soy.   The hot water was added and it all came to a bubbling brew while he dismembered the red cabbage and thrust the dices into the cauldron.   Adding salt, pepper and paprika he mix

“Get out of my way” gruffed the mountain as he barged through the shopping mall, forcing his trolley past and through a gathering. “Fucking tourists. Don’t just stand there chatting, this is for walking not for standing around chatting. Haven’t you all got places to be instead of in my way?”   “Well, I never” bustled the older lady, trying to manoeuvre her shopping cast out of the way, only to have it jag into his path and force it into his gut.   “Oh, for Christ’s sake, ya b

‘No, no that’s not how it works’ flustered Polamo Nopendero, his cheeks reddening and jowls wobbling. ‘I said it is MY decision who gets to eat the cupcakes first.’ His chubby fist with sausage fingers slammed onto the tea table making all the cups, plates, and saucers bounce in unison, like mad Irish dancer in an Irish jog.   ‘But Polly,’ said his stork-like partner ‘the cup cakes are for everyone, it doesn’t matter who gives them out.’   ‘But I wanted the one with the big c

‘I want to be one’ Tommy blubbed. ‘I want to be a big one, a bright one. One with a big tail and bright wings,’ he sniffled, whipping snot over the back of his hand. ‘Mummy let me be one, I wanna I wanna,’ jumping up and down on the spot so mummy’s tea and cucumber sandwiches bounced on the plate and sloshed into the saucer all at once.   Mummy tried to push the white triangles back together, rescuing one of them from its soggy saucer resting plate.   ‘Mummy mummy pleeeease’

There was a time when I used to travel a lot – I mean snails do a lot of travelling. Most people don’t know that. But, we have houses and very little luggage and food can always be gathered, and eaten on the way. It’s a lovely lifestyle. I remember once after I slithered inside a wooden crate full of yummy lettuce. I munched and munched until I fell asleep, all cosy and warm.   It was a long time in that crate, but with food and dark warmth, it was lovely. I just ate and sle

Octopus’s Garden is a very shady grotto. Cedric hides in the back and nibbles on small larvae and crustaceans he has gathered this morning. He has his pipe and slippers and his favourite coral armchair, the one with the round boards so he can rock back and forth, watching the vista of the reef just outside his door/window.   He has been here for many years, is well known for his poetry and short stories, and his once-a-month storytelling at all the swimmy kiddies in the area.