Pete was well known around the local area. No matter where he set up his market stall a crowd would gather. Pete could sell anything to anyone: air conditioning units, bike parts, chopsticks, fake tattoos, parking meters. When his stall illegally blocked a street, the police were called. They left with a packet of fudge, … Continue reading PETE’S MARKET STALL
The light glowed out of the fog as it turned. He knocked the door. An old man answered. 'I was expecting Donnie.' 'He quit.' He led him inside. 'You need a tour?' 'I'll figure it out.' 'Fair enough. See you in a month.' The solitude enveloped him. Bliss. Lockdown had shown him the path to … Continue reading THE NEW LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER
'Are we there yet?' Archie asked. He was feeling claustrophobic in the hermetically-sealed caravan. Agnes peered out the kitchen window as the countryside whizzed by along the autoroute, 'Not yet, just passed Paris.' 'Maybe we should have picked somewhere closer than the Mediterranean?' 'You wanted warm sunshine and the beach.' Agnes brought the coffee over … Continue reading A CHANGE OF SCENERY
'Always was a wayward child, that one.' 'This is a little something more than wayward.' 'I remember him growing up around here. Always in trouble, stealing sweets, ringing doorbells.' 'I'm not sure that childhood pranks would lead to this.' 'You gotta stop 'em when their young. Learn 'em early to respect people.' 'I wonder how … Continue reading LOCAL HERO
He put the flask of scotch and two tumblers on the makeshift table and sat in a plastic chair. Puddles of water swirled round his feet, bits of flotsam were strewn everywhere, broken trees lined the beachfront. It was a matter of waiting. Waiting to see who turned up. Waiting to see if it was … Continue reading AFTER THE STORM
