07:20 is the time he leaves the house, pulls on his coat, blows a kiss, says goodbye, gets embraced, steps onto the concrete, breathes the air, checks his pockets, flicks his hair, buttons his coat, checks his phone, walks down the street for the last time. 07:20 is the time she closes the door, waitsContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘720 Sentences’”
Category Archives: Fiction
100-Word Fiction: ’18 Sackings’
The man who did too little. The man who did too much. The woman left in the frame. The woman who ducked the issue. The man who spoke too late. The man who spoke too soon. The woman with the loudest voice. The women you never heard. The man who no one liked. The manContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ’18 Sackings’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘And How She Danced’
The day the border was crossed he drank sweet coffee. He had been waiting to hear a cuckoo. His father railed “Let them in!” and waved his handkerchief. The fields were yellow with rape. Vasily had his toys all over the carpet. His mother made soup. Later he would meet friends at the corner barContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘And How She Danced’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘Faces and Names’
To S___ on High Street it would be the time when the names were erased. She counted them up, window-shopping in the spring sun. The names that were now gone, in such a brief spell of time. Sam T and Granny F. Uncle, suddenly. The fit guy in the year above. And now they disappearedContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘Faces and Names’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘In the Night’
I waded to the middle of the river and was swept along, searching, searching. I was high in the air but tumbling downward trying to catch you. I stared at the screen until my eyes were dry and sore. I ran down the street pushing past shoppers, over and over. I shouted, screamed, shouted. IContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘In the Night’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘You Inspire Me So Much, And You Make Me Want To Just Take Everything And, Y’Know…’
Must work harder be better see clearer longer straighter closer must be fairer cooler more even leaner stronger fitter must take more time drink less tea and beer or more tea and must be more sociable and read more read quicker think smarter think deeper have ideas react better don’t worry so much just doContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘You Inspire Me So Much, And You Make Me Want To Just Take Everything And, Y’Know…’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘Some of us woke’
It was meant to be a different story but the call came late, at 21:51. Fifty-nine children had been shot or burned to death by a terrorist group in Nigeria. The words on the wire… bodies… ashes… discovered… bullet wounds… students… more than 300 this month. In Venice it was carnival. In New York photographersContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘Some of us woke’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘A Thesis’
His thesis, written in the 1960s, argued that any embodiment of the word ‘refugee’ struck terror into human hearts and minds. Whether a refugee fled persecution on account of race, religion, nationality or political opinion did not matter. To understand the predicament, examples of geography could be avoided: in fact, any person who sought refugeContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘A Thesis’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘Curfews’
What are we If the oncoming silences Sweep in early to Mute us even now? And what if the stories we float Are jetsam for the tide? What prospect is a journey When we cannot believe it ourselves? And where do we get If all the yards of days Are dismantled by dusk To bridgeContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘Curfews’”
100-Word Fiction: ‘If Just Once Those Birds’
If just once those birds That scatter snow from the tall tree – Its branches shaken from white to green By whirled circles on the wing – Would cross to us and feed If just once those birds Would cease from flailing And flashing their colours To the phosphorescent sky And be still If justContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘If Just Once Those Birds’”
MW Bewick 