#shortstory

The Summer Job ~ Not a Christmas Story

The Summer Job – Not a Christmas Story by Kerry J Donovan © Dec 2015   Pure Whimsy   The summer sun flared through the window, highlighting the dust hanging in the stifling air. The fifty-something woman behind the desk smiled without mirth and waved him into the applicant’s chair. “Take a seat please, Mr St Nicholas.” Graham St Nicholas obliged. Never let anyone say he wasn’t an obliging fellow. The woman, Gladys Emmanuel according to the rectangular nameplate atop her workstation, paused for a moment before dropping a hand into an open drawer. She retrieved a thick sheaf of [...]

By |2018-09-23T11:21:59+00:00December 23rd, 2016|Categories: Short Stories|Tags: , , , |6 Comments

Proposal ~ A Short Story

Proposal The station clock hanging from the wrought iron roof brace seems to have stopped. The dark hands and black numerals of the Victorian timepiece fade behind a grey mist swirling in from the sea. I squint to bring the numbers into focus. Less than three minutes to go. Come on, John. Breathe. She’ll be here in a minute. Jayne called earlier, when the train left Euston, so I know she’s aboard. All I can do is wait and hope I can hold myself together until she arrives. The tension hurts like a knife thrust through my stomach, but all [...]

By |2018-09-25T23:47:24+00:00February 26th, 2016|Categories: Short Stories|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Chameau’s Tale ~ A Short Story

Here's a bit of nonsense for your delectation.  This was the first story I ever posted on the Interweb, back in 2012. Hope you like it.   Pierre Chameau stared up at the half-painted ceiling with resignation. His wife—‘she’—was right, as usual. He never finished anything and he wouldn’t be finishing the ceiling any time soon. Damn it, what a waste of space he was. Chameau had never believed in fate, but the final straw had been waiting for him all bloody day, which had started gently enough, with a stroll down to the shops for groceries and a stop [...]

By |2018-09-23T11:47:32+00:00January 23rd, 2016|Categories: Short Stories|Tags: , , , |2 Comments

The Ballad of Jürgen Sömersön the Busker

The Ballad of Jürgen Sömersön the Busker For my musician son, Kyall... The chord, a G-major, fades to a thrumming silence. Next time I’ll add harmonic after tones to beef up the ending. It’s not Carnegie Hall, but all I need is an audience. Shoppers rush past. Most ignore, but some glance and nod in appreciation. A blonde woman stops, smiles, and listens. Her head bobs with the rhythm. When she leaves, there’s another banknote, a Jackson, among the coins in the guitar case. I’ll eat well tonight. My guitar, Genevieve, is warm and responsive in my arms. She shares [...]

By |2018-09-25T22:03:06+00:00July 3rd, 2014|Categories: Short Stories|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Short Story #1 – Sweet William (Part 2)

Sweet William (Part 2) Continued... Every Sunday morning, Mum and Dad dragged us, kicking and screaming, to church. They'd done so ever since I could remember. We hated going, but had to put up with the boredom. No choice to it in those days. Mum's word was law and she had the devout Christian ethic of the true eyes-closed, heads-up believer. Dad used to go along with her to keep the peace more than anything else. Most of the year there’d be no more than fifteen in the congregation. Two expatriate Irish families, my lot and the Kellys, plus a [...]

By |2018-09-25T22:01:20+00:00July 1st, 2014|Categories: Short Stories|Tags: , , , |0 Comments

Short Story #1 – Sweet William (Part 1)

Sweet William Memories from a troubled childhood “Tom?’ I asked as Simon and Garfunkel’s 'Cecelia', one of my favourites, faded into Mungo Jerry’s In the Summertime. “What’s up, baby brother?’ He called from the top bunk. I hated it when he called me that and he knew it, which is why he carried on doing it, of course. “Turn the radio up a bit, I can’t hear it.” Tom had bought the radio from saved pocket money, and so controlled the volume. The sound level decreased. He could be a real pain in the bum sometimes. A few minutes later [...]

By |2018-09-25T21:52:46+00:00May 28th, 2014|Categories: Short Stories|Tags: , , , |1 Comment

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