100-Word Fiction: Quote Marks

“Let’s talk. Everyone likes to talk. We want to talk. You want to talk. We must talk. It is important to talk. We will not be being responsible if we do not talk.” “But we have made our decision. We talked amongst ourselves. You were not invited to talk, but that is not our fault.Continue reading “100-Word Fiction: Quote Marks”

100-Word Fiction: The Last Post

The old man opened the door. I’ve a parcel for you, said the post lady. Oh fantastic, said the man in a high, wheezy voice: It’s from my son. He’s away in Australia. Married. I have two granddaughters. Can you sign here, asked the post lady. Here, I’ve a pen. The old man signed: You’veContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: The Last Post”

100-Word Fiction: ‘The Bad Man’

Let the man speak, said one. No, said another. He has nothing to offer us. He should not be here. Are we afraid of him? asked another. There is nothing to be afraid of, said another. There is lots to be afraid of, shouted another. He is the one who is afraid, intoned another. HeContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘The Bad Man’”

100-Word Fiction: ‘It Was Inevitable’

It was just when the light was beginning to fade. He wanted a cup of tea but didn’t have the energy to make it. It felt like everything might fall apart. He wanted to hold it all together but there was nothing to grasp. In his mind, there were years and years of memories: goodContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘It Was Inevitable’”

100-Word Fiction: ‘Life and Soul’

She was laughing. She liked to laugh, to giggle. The world was a funny place. People were funny. People said she was the life and soul. She liked to dance and let her hair down. Alison said she should be a comedian on TV. She would like to be on TV. She would be goodContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘Life and Soul’”

100-Word Fiction: New Term

Outside the school leaves were on the ground, all green and orange and yellow. A group of adults were talking on the corner by the bench that you could jump from. They had deep, grown-up voices and were saying things about stuff – countries in the world and money and things. Oh, the world isContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: New Term”

100-Word Fiction: ‘The Sky at Night’

The road was quiet and amber in the street light. She could hear the sound of violins and voices from high in one of the office blocks. Someone was playing Verdi. She looked upwards. There were no stars in the sky. Beyond the clouds would only be the vapour trails of aeroplanes streaking across theContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘The Sky at Night’”

100-Word Fiction: ‘There’s No Such Thing’

He was due more money – there were things he needed and without money then nothing would happen. People worked hard. It wasn’t their fault the world wasn’t perfect. You couldn’t expect people to live on so little – it was the modern world after all. These days there were expectations. People travelled the world andContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘There’s No Such Thing’”

100-Word Fiction: ‘September’

The weather was changeable. Some people said the summer was over but, depending on where in the world your eyes were focused, a different picture emerged. The newspapers said it was still silly season. TV ads said it was back to school time. The cricket and the football seasons ran in parallel. In a photoContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘September’”

100-Word Fiction: ‘We All Live In Greenland Now’

The ice is melting round us all. The winds are breaking it apart. Soon its great mass will be shattered into fragile crystalline flakes that look like trees. And the wind will raise great fires from the earth and blow them through the trees and the trees will turn to ash. And the wind willContinue reading “100-Word Fiction: ‘We All Live In Greenland Now’”