Tag: short story

The Find

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Ella saw the carpet at the car boot sale. It was draped across a chest of draws, there was something about it that drew her in. On inspection it was covered in dust, but it kind of spoke to her.  She could see the rich reds underneath the dust and grime, it spoke of adventures.

A man who had come along to the stall after Ella was also trying to look at the carpet, but she was there first and therefore had first dibs. ‘There is a beautiful carpet over the way too’ he said, pointing off across the boot sale, ‘Why don’t you take a look if you like carpets’.  Well there are no flies on Ella and this was all she needed to give her the push  to make up her mind.  Ella paid £40 for the carpet, as that was the very lowest the trader would accept and left it with him to continue her walk around the boot sale.  It was meant to be she thought to herself, she never had more than a few pounds on her when she visited the boot sale, she came for a walk in the sun and a rummage usually.  Today she just happened to have the money she owed her sister in her purse.

When Ella returned later to collect the carpet, the trader laughed as he told her the other guy was really upset to have missed out on the carpet.  He knew all about it from its markings, he knew it was a good carpet and knew the region it was made, he had been furious to be beaten on this find.  The trader told her he now thought he had been mistaken to let it go so cheaply, Ella laughed and shook his hand as she left with the carpet.  Luckily she had help from her friend carrying it across the boot sale to where the car was parked.  She noticed the guy who had wanted the carpet too, and the scowl on his face as he saw her with her prize.

Laid on the floor in her lounge it was clear it needed a clean but even so she could see it was meant to be.  It fitted perfectly with her decor, it almost appeared that the furniture around it had been placed there afterwards to compliment it.  Ella thought this was a little like her life at the moment with pieces slotting in finally to where they were supposed to.

Later, after much scrubbing and vacuuming Ella looked at her beautiful carpet and sighed. she was really happy she got out of bed to go to the boot sale this morning.  Ella grabbed a cushion, lit a candle and laid out on her new carpet.  As she did she had a funny feeling that she had come home, how strange she thought as she dropped off in exhaustion on the  floor with her hand gently stoking the weave of the rug.

Ella’s dreams were beautiful, she travelled the universe and understood it was meant to be.

Watermarks

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Daily Word Prompt – Orderly

Ron was about as orderly as they come, slightly over the top some might say. He put it down to his time in the forces, whatever it was he liked everything to be spick and span.

He surveyed the apartment one more time and smiled, everything was gleaming as it should. He could see his face in the taps and the sink was dry and polished, not a single water mark in sight but he buffed it again all the same.

He was waiting for Miriam to arrive, she hadn’t been to his home before and he wanted to show her how well he looked after himself. He had always been the same, even when his wife was alive he took charge of the housework. That had been their deal, she did the cooking and ironing and he took care of the house. She had been a wonderful cook, she could make something from nothing all right, they didn’t need to splash out on fancy ingredients. Everybody commented on her skill in the kitchen, it had been difficult adjusting after she went. He was getting better as time went on and tonight he would be cooking for Miriam.

Ron thought he would sit Miriam in the leather chair, save the job of puffing the cushions. He would sit opposite and the could enjoy an aperitif before dinner.

He thought about the music he had chosen, he didn’t want to put it on until after the taxi had left the complex, this way just the right track would be playing when she arrived. Ron looked down to the parking lot but no sign of a taxi yet.

It wasn’t long before the door knocked, Ron was confused he hadn’t heard a taxi.  He hurried over to the stereo and pressed play before having one more check of himself in the mirror and opening the door.  Miriam was standing there somewhat windswept with a dripping umbrella in her hand.  ‘I thought I would walk, clear the cobwebs’ she said, giving him a peck on the cheek and walking past him into the apartment.  Miriam still had her umbrella in her hand and it was dripping all over his freshly polished floors.  Ron quickly relieved her of the umbrella and and pointed her towards the leather chair as planned.  ‘What a beautiful apartment’ Miriam said.  ‘If you don’t mind I would rather sit on the couch, it looks so lovely and comfortable with all those cushions to support ones back’.  Ron screamed silently, he hadn’t sat on the sofa in a year, the cushions were heavy and he wasn’t getting any younger. ‘Of course’ Ron obliged, knowing he should have been faster.

Ron prepared drinks and nibbles and brought them over to the sitting area on a tray.  He purposefully left the tray on the glass coffee table, to protect it from ring marks and crumbs.  Miriam, must have missed this as she pushed the tray slightly to put her glass down on the table.  Miriam told Ron she had brought some photos along to show him and popped her bruschetta on the side to dig into her handbag.  Ron watched as the oil and glass met, he missed what she was saying as she handed him the photo.

Miriam said she would like to use the bathroom before dinner and Ron pointed the way, quickly wiping the table with his nicely ironed hanky chief as soon as she was out of eyesight.  Ron listened as the taps in the bathroom ran and thought about the splashes, thought about the fresh clean towels now creased.

Maybe it was too early to consider lady friends he thought, after all his wife had only been gone six years.

Password to Life

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Michael entered the password numerous times, in every format possible. He knew his password for goodness sake, why wouldn’t it work! He tried it in countless ways, big B, little b and with a 4 and then a 7 but to no avail.

This was ridiculous, he slammed his palm on the table. It wasn’t him, it must be the other party’s end, that, or he’d been hacked!  Michael let out a loud groan and held his head in his hands in despair.

‘Is there something wrong my dear?’ Michael looked up to find a woman standing over the table. Michael had forgotten he was in a cafe, he had come to try and see if he would have any more luck with a faster internet connection.  She looked about his age, maybe a little younger as she still had a softness about her.

‘Oh I’m sorry, I forgot where I was, it’s this damn contraption that’s driving me crazy’, he mumbled pointing at his iPad. I’m trying to top up my Skype credit so I can talk to someone, I wanted to call my son in Indonesia, but it won’t recognise my password. I don’t think I’ve changed it but maybe I did and forgot as I sometimes do.  Please do sit down, I am so terribly sorry for my outburst, let me buy you a cup of tea’.

Mary sat down and smiled across the table at Michael ‘perhaps I can help you remember, let me think.  I believe that most of my own passwords are connected to memories of my life.  I think from speaking to friends they are usually connected to ones life, an event, place, name or number with significance.   I know they recommend you shouldn’t do this but my memory just isn’t what it was’.

Michael nodded in agreement, ‘I have tried most of the places where I have lived, I have used these before but that just doesn’t seem to be working.  I have also tried my children’s names and businesses I have had, but the password eludes me’. Michael thought once more about what the password could be.  ‘I’m sure it is Mississippi and a year, but the year escapes me.’  Michael thought about his time in the US with his wife, they had a wonderful time wherever they went, she had told him she had loved their life together before she died.   Michael was lonely, he depended on his iPad to be in touch with people, he knew probably drove them mad, but it was better than loneliness.

‘Tell me a little about your life, we might come up with the password if we are lucky’ Mary suggested.  So Michael spoke and Mary listened, laughing at times and dabbing her eyes at others.  Mary shared some of her own life stories, it was so good to talk to someone she thought.

They were the last to leave the cafe, arranging to meet the next day and talk some more.  Both had smiles on their faces as they parted, they had thoroughly enjoyed their afternoon.

Later that evening when the iPad beeped to indicate a Skype call coming in, Michael was able to tell his son about the lovely afternoon with his new friend.  He told him about how he had been reminiscing and remembered things he hadn’t thought of in years.  Michael said he would be meeting Mary the following day and wanted to take along some photographs.  He didn’t stay on the call as long as he usually did and when it ended, strangely he didn’t feel sad.

It wasn’t until much later he realised he still hadn’t remembered his password.

Day out with a Bang

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Daily Post Prompt – Fork

 

We never know what is just in front of us, what could happen that will change the course of events.

This was brought home to me today, when I met my friend for a girly catch up at a shopping centre. I needed to get an outfit for a wedding, a special wedding, so I wanted it to be something lovely. The plan was to stop for some lunch and then wonder around the shops to get the perfect outfit, hopefully a lovely floaty dress, maybe a cheeky glass of wine.

Linda, my best friend, had her foster child with her as the day centre was closed. That was okay with me I love Anne, I’ve know her years. We met her when we were both working with her when she was seven. It wasn’t very long before Linda knew she could give her a home and now Anne is twenty-three. Anne has special needs and brain damage from her early life experiences, along with this she has epilepsy. Anne functions at around four years old but we know how to meet her needs and help her feel safe.

We had a lovely lunch time chat and Anne had a big bowl of chocolate ice cream. I got some nice photos of her, which is hard as she puts on a false smile if she thinks her photo is being taken. The photos were so nice we thought we would pop along to the photo shop to get them printed off. Only first we would quickly pop into the Nespresso shop to try some of their different flavours.

We were chatting to the assistant about the various flavours when, crash Anne had a huge seizure, fell off a stool we had missed her climbing on, and banged her head on the marble floor. The sound of the crack of her head was terrifying and everybody ran over. A big pool of dark red blood seeped from the back of her head onto the marble floor, I was horrified, we were all horrified. As much as I wanted to help and I did, I hate the sight of blood, it makes me faint. I crouched down next to her trying to comfort her as much as I could while we waited for the ambulance.

Passers by rushed to help, a lovely mother and daughter who stayed throughout, mopping the blood, holding her hand and talking to her. They had been shopping for a dress for the daughter who had a big night out planned. They were wonderful people and told us helping Anne was far more important. The shop closed their doors and put screens up in front, they were just amazing, they even passed around espressos.

Anne was taken to hospital over an hour later, it’s amazing how long it takes for them to arrive and treat a patient on the scene. I kissed Anne and Linda goodbye and said I would call them later and headed for my car. I thought about how quickly things can change. There could be a fork in the road for all of us hidden from view and ready to knock us off of our feet, we never really know what is ahead.

I saw a shop and dashed in a bought a dress for an extortionate amount of money. ‘Who knows what is around the corner’ I told the assistant as she wrapped it in tissue. I hope the young girl who helps has a fantastic night out tonight.

I just spoke to Anne on the telephone, she is feeling much better and is on the way home with the two large cuts on her head repaired. I hate to think what could have happened today, it could have been so much worse.

I was jolly on the phone and sang her ‘Humpty Dumpty’.

The Foundation

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Take a deep breath in and release. Watch closely as one by one, on each breath, the cares of the day are let go. Feel that moment of stillness, feel the silence around you and know you are at one with the universe.

Any thoughts that pop up for you, acknowledge and let them pass you by, watch as they dissolve into nothingness.

(Silence)

Now see a staircase in front of you, create the staircase. The steps can be made of whatever you wish, visualise it now. Know that there are ten steps and you are on the top step. Slowly now, step down.

One…

Two…

Three…

Four..

Five, you are half way now..

Six..

Seven..

Eight..

Nine..

Ten..

Now you step from the staircase you find yourself in a field, a summer meadow, full with colourful wild flowers. Look at the tiny heads blowing softly in the wind. What colour stands out for you?

On the other side of the field, there is a seat. You know what the seat looks like, it’s your seat. On the seat there is a brick. I want you to take a seat, lift the brick and put it onto your lap. I want you to look closely at your brick, what is it made of, it could be stone or maybe it’s a crystal, it’s your brick only you know.

This brick is your foundation stone, you are going to lay it, this is your foundation to your future. I’m going to leave you to this task but think carefully about where the stone should be laid, lay it and do it with ceremony. Leave a marker so that you can return again when you feel the need.

(Silence)

You have a few minutes now and then I want you to come back to your body. When your ready open your eyes, move your hands and feet and feel your connection to the earth.

Does anyone have anything they wish to share?

The Look of Love

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Pensive

Alan looked tenderly over at Gail and smiled, ‘Well come on then, it can’t be that difficult’ he pushed his fingers gently into her ribs in a joking fashion. ‘I asked you to explain our love in just five words, it can’t be that hard, surely!’

She hoped her face didn’t give her away, she tried to look pensive, thoughtful and stared off across the room into the dwindling fire. Pensive, that was the look she needed, she wanted to appear as if she was deep in thought, looking for just the right words to express the emotions she felt about their love. In truth, she was screaming inside, she didn’t know if she loved him anymore, in fact she didn’t really know if she ever did. She was in such turmoil, inside she was a million pieces that wouldn’t fit together anymore.  She focussed on the butterflies in her stomach and willed them all to settle down nicely on a branch.

She thought back to when they first met, he was queuing behind her at the canteen and she took the last vegetable lasagne. He let out a large sigh and then immediately laughed and excused himself. ‘I’m sorry’ he laughed ‘ did that actually come out?’. That was the beginning of their relationship, they settled for the lasagne, a portion of chips and salad and two plates. It had been easy, they went to the same university and lived a couple of blocks apart. They settled, like they did for the lunch ten years ago.

Alan was solid, he didn’t give her the rush she was used to but that she thought was because she was growing older and wiser. He was safe, he had a good job and they enjoyed the same things, both loved photography, to dance and to sleep in on a weekend. Alan would look after her into her old age, he would hold her hand still when it was covered in wrinkles and sun spots, she knew that for sure, but was that enough. It was last week anyway, before Brian came to stay. ‘Brian the bum’ as Alan called his brother.

Alan was out of town and Gail and Brian opened that extra bottle of wine after dinner. Brian got his guitar out and played some of the songs he had written. Later that night as she turned off the light, she realised she had been waiting for someone to knock her of her perch. She needed the wake up call to show her not everything in the garden was rosy. She did regret sleeping with him in his brothers house but not the good slap around the face it had given her.

She felt her cheeks redden, her heart beat frantically and knew she couldn’t keep the pensive look up any longer.

‘I don’t love you anymore’

Leaving You

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I have tried to leave you on a number of occasions, but it is impossible as you always conspire to keep me. I can make up my mind to go and then suddenly I find myself sitting on the beach with you, looking out at the vastness of the sea and wondering if I could really ever be truly happy anywhere else.

I often toy with being away from the craziness of us, I imagine being alone somewhere, maybe in a field, with just the birds singing. But I’m not, I’m still here with you, I stay as I always have since you came into my life. You give me that constant buzz, there is always something going on with us, you still amuse me.

I don’t remember when we first met, it was so long ago and in those first days we just danced and flirted with the idea of us. It wasn’t until much later that I knew I had to be with you.  I packed up my home without a seconds thought and moved to be with you.  I wanted to merge with you, be a part of you, I knew I loved you.

It was hard at first, we were different, your people were different. I had to make changes, I had to soften my edges. You are always changing, still changing, but you’re still the same in the most important ways. You’re welcoming, you always look after everyone, you want them all to have a good time, night and day you keep going.  I remember the festivals and music we danced to, I remember the newness of everything, the excitement and the joy of living.  You still excite me, although I see all sides of you now.

The people you have introduced me to will always be in my life, wherever I go. You knew they would be my people, those crazy, weird and lovely people. Then there is the kindness and love I have discovered here, discovered in myself. I’m not sure I would have found that anywhere else in the world, you gave me that, you provided the opportunities.

As with all great love affairs, I think one day we, you and I will come to an end. But our ending will be gentle, never painful, not us. I will eventually find the courage to leave you, but it will be gradual at first, a few days at a time until I can manage the final goodbye.

I will always love you, there will always be a special place in my heart. Brighton, you will always be my home.

.

Going Home

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She walked down the cobbled pathway towards toward her childhood home, she hadn’t been back in years and yet it looked just the same. The shiny cobbles the rain had washed and shined for her arrival, the blossom floating between the cobbles, knocked from the tree in the shower sparked memories of days gone by. A rainbow appeared to arch the ally down the hill to the small house where she had been brought up. Didn’t that signify a pot of gold, she certainly hoped so.

She was looking for herself, she was in search of what was constant inside of her, what was true. She had changed so much since she left the village, travelled the world and met so many people she felt that she had been moulded into something else completely. She wanted to find her essence in all the confusion of life and had felt a pull to return to where it began if she were ever to find the truth.

She wanted to find what was real, not just thought, fear or judgement but real and constant. She knew she had to come back to the village, experience the peace of the place and still her mind. She took a deep breath and slowly let it leave her body as she took a step closer to the house at the end of the lane.

Her therapist had asked her what in her life was constant and she hadn’t been able to answer. She thought it was something about who she really was and might be discovered in returning to where she had come from at the very beginning of her life. The place she had felt safe in, the place in which she had been allowed to be her natural and authentic self.

Now she knew she had to let go of yesterday and the city, let all the thoughts go past. Accept and let them pass, she did’t want to dwell on them, she didn’t want to loose track of why she was here. She looked down at her feet, connecting to the earth and step by step moved closer to home.

The gate still hung from the rickety post, she lifted the latch and pushed it open stepping onto the path. Flowers framed the pathway to the front door, smiling up at her as she passed them, welcoming her home. The door was still green, a slightly deeper shade but green non the less. She put her hand on the brass handle, feeling the warmth of the metal in her palm. She took another deep breath, opened the door and stepped through.

She was in the parlour, it was exactly how she had remembered although she didn’t want to think she wanted to still her mind. The same old comfy chair was in the middle of the room and she stepped towards it and sat, hands open on her lap. Her mind was still and her heart was open as she sat there waiting, watching and listening. She saw herself sitting, she watched as thoughts passed by in trickles, she let them go, detaching herself from anything outside of herself. For the first time in a long time she felt at one with herself, she wasn’t watching herself anymore she was connected to her true self, her essence. She felt love and realised she was love, love was all there was, love was her constant.  She was at one with the watcher inside, the self that accepted without judgment, she was home.

A breeze blew through her hair and she opened her eyes from her meditation and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She uncrossed her legs and stretched up with her arms, it was always good to go home and get away from the city.

Defence

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Heisenberg looked up at the early morning sun through the bars on his prison cell. Today he would be going home, he thought to himself, tonight he would eat steak. He got up from his bunk and washed himself at the sink. He was looking forward to a swim in the lake later, he wanted to wash the filth of the prison away.

Dressed and ready Nick Heisenberg sat patiently on his bunk waiting for his defence lawyer to arrive. He wanted to be out of here now but resigned himself to the fact that there was one more day of court before he was free.

He thought it over one more time, he didn’t put Catlin in the box, that was just supposition and as she hadn’t been seen by anyone, no-one could prove she had ever been in the box.  He really believed he had it sussed, she couldn’t be called to the witness box as she couldn’t be found. As far as he was concerned there wasn’t a case to answer. So what if her finger nail had been found at the bottom, she could have caught it closing the lid the last time she sorted the laundry. That there was blood too, could just as easily be explained away, she would have caught herself on the box, that’s obviously how the nail split, it should be clear to everyone.

He wanted time with his defence lawyer this morning, he wanted to remind him of the importance of his summing up today. The jury would have surmised that the equation appeared simple enough, one missing body, one broken nail and one box with a lid and large enough to hold a body, added together equal murder.

Police reports had been read out in court of calls to the couples home, his history of violence had been discussed over and over.  Catlin’s friends had spoken out of her fear of him and desperate wish to get away, maybe she had finally left, one said.  Heisenberg smiled and nodded across the court as the stupid girl let this slip.  Catlin would never have left of her own accord, she was simple but who was he to protest today.

The defence would need to argue that it was more than just simple mathematics, he would need to introduce a quantum element into his summing up. The supposition that she had died in the box could not be proved, even if she had been put in there or even climbed into the box herself once the lid was down no-one could really prove if she was dead or alive. The closed box could only lead to the conclusion that Catlin was alive and dead after the lid was closed because she wasn’t observed after that point. That her body hadn’t been found, wouldn’t be found, would surely only go in his favour.

Later that day as Heisenberg again looked at the night sky through the prison bars and he cursed.  He cursed his inadequate and sloppy defence, he cursed the jury for their pre-formed opinion of him and he cursed loudly Catlin’s body being found so late in the day.  Most of all though, he cursed that he put her in the box in the first place, dear sweet Catlin who would have visited him and loved him whatever.

The Chase

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I thought I saw mum, I was ecstatic, I hadn’t seen her in so long.  I ran to her quickly, I was running down a hill to where she stood but didn’t really notice my steps keeping my eyes upon her should she move.  I reached her in no time and instantly I could see I was mistaken, I was distraught.  There was a likeness, defiantly in build and hair style and colouring but she  just didn’t have mums beauty or light. Then as I stood thinking about the comparison, mum ran past a few feet away.  I took chase, knowing as I did that I had little chance of catching her. She flew across the ground and she looked to be heading back up the hill I had just travelled down from. I hadn’t noticed the big stone steps as I had come down minutes earlier. This time it was definitely her, I saw her beauty and light. She was dressed in a brightly coloured costume gown with a fancy head dress upon her head. I fleetingly wondered how she could bare it, she hated anything on her head and that dress was awfully long to run so fast in. The dress was cut out at the back, gathering just below the waist.  I could see it was mum, her tapered back and tiny waist so familiar.  I knew for sure because I had seen her lithe and beautiful body all my life, I had cuddled that waist many times, reaching up as a small child does.  Her skin was soft and shiny and looked to be touched by the sun.  I felt hopeless, she was going far too fast and I had little hope of catching her.  I shouted out for her but my voice got lost in the crowd or didn’t leave me. She stumbled and dropped something, turning and stooping to pick whatever it was up.  I clearly saw her gentle face as she turned.  This was my chance to reach her – I woke up.