Coming Home

A car stands deserted next to the road.  Arthur slows down as he passes, squinting through the rivulets on the windscreen of his twenty-year-old Corolla.  The pelting July rain intensifies the darkness.  No movement from inside the other car.
The crumpled front fender gives the BMW’s headlight a manic frown.  Red paint bleeds across the rock [...]

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A Christmas to Remember

It was quiet in the recreation room at the retirement village. Mr Beaton was doing his crossword and muttering to himself each time he had to look something up the dictionary. The television was on mute, and Mrs Goldsmith paged through last week’s People, looking up at the enthusiastic talk show host every now and [...]

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All choked up

Suddenly she felt a choking thing in her throat – she clutched at the keyboard and random letters spewed onto the screen. She couldn’t breathe. She coughed. Heaved. Retched. It wouldn’t budge. She screamed for help, but only a punctured gasp escaped. The keyboard skidded away across the [...]

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Invisible History

He looked into her eyes and wondered at all they had seen in their 86 years. Kittens, rainbows, birthday presents, lovers. Faraway places, sunrises, azure seas and angry storms. New homes, births, laughter. Grown children, old friends, grief. By themselves, her eyes revealed nothing of what had been seen and should [...]

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Goodman’s New Room Divider

“Hello, I’d like to confirm employment of Goodman Tini please.”
“Who’s speaking?”
“It’s Bianca, from Russells in Claremont.”
“OK. Hi Bianca. Yes, Goodman does work for me. Why do you want to know?”
“Goodman wants to buy a room divider on HP, and we need to establish his credit-worthiness.”
“How much is the room divider?”
“Three thousand five hundred rand plus [...]

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Third Door on the Left

“There we are, Miss Thorpe,” said the clerk as he stamped the bottom of the last page of the application. “All done.  Now just go down the passage, take a right turn at the end, up the stairs and then straight ahead.  Go into the third door on the right – that’s where they’ll give [...]

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Sun Damage

The chlorine crackles as my skin dries.  Beads of sweat burst and tickle-trickle down my skin.  So hot and sultry even the cicadas are quiet.  An apathetic breeze shifts a few leaves then gives up.  Thirsty ants crawl over my legs. Flies land on my face.  I blow them away.
I shift so that the shadow [...]

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Ryan’s First Argus Cycle Tour – Part 3

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Ryan’s First Argus Cycle Tour – Part 2

Ryan stood astride his bike, at the front of his group.  He’d worked hard to get his B-seeding.  He’d ride in the League next year.  Maybe he’d even qualify for Giro.  That would be awesome.
 

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Ryan’s First Argus Cycle Tour – Part 1

He grinned at his reflection in the mirror.  He looked good and he knew it.  He winked at himself, took a deep breath and pushed out his chest.  All those hours at the gym had paid off.
“Ryan, your breakfast’s getting cold.”
He sighed. “Ja ma, I’m coming”

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The Legend of the Frog People

 They were so happy before the hadeda came.
Some of the older ones still remember the first time they heard that harsh cry high above them. They had turned their eyes skywards, squinting into the sun. They had seen the clumsy flight and the long, curved beak. They had thought nothing of it.

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The Colour of Our Love

25 October 1999

6.10am.
I open my eyes slowly. Gritty eyelids remind me how little sleep I’ve had for the last month. I focus, and watch the watery sunlight highlighting the soft fuzz on your body; shadows forming with each breath you take. Your breathing is quick and shallow, but I smile. You’ve made it through the [...]

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