literallystories2014

Literally Stories – Week 2

November 29, 2014November 29, 2014 literallystories2014

Week 2 on Literally Stories and no one can say we did not live up to our globe-trotting promise.

Monday witnessed a Welshman, living in South Africa, writing disturbing American based horror.

Tuesday, Swedish funny man Tobias Haglund landed us in Germanville trick-or-treating Nietzche et al.

Wednesday and it was but a short trip to Dover for an Englishman and his Romanian girlfriend.

Thursday saw a return to the USA. More unpleasant goings on in the backwoods with squirrels and…sorry folks, that would be telling.

Friday brought Week 2 to a close with a suspect Russian ‘Product’ which was up for negotiation in an offer you really would want to think twice about.

Continue reading “Literally Stories – Week 2” →

All Stories, Horror

The Product by Victor Bort

November 28, 2014December 4, 2014 literallystories2014

“Can you imagine someone who knows that he may be living his last year?”

The enquirer was sitting in a wheelchair opposite me – a man in his late forties to early fifties, broad-shouldered, dressed informally, black hair with streaks of silver grey, intense brown eyes, clean shaven.

“How old might he be,” he went on, “and what might be the reason for his imminent departure?”

He eyed me questioningly, an enigmatic smile on his pale, handsome face.

“I believe you’re not referring to yourself,” I smiled back.

He grinned broadly and chortled, “Well, a bit of sarcasm won’t spoil the pleasure of our interaction.” He pressed one of the buttons on the arm of his wheelchair and moved closer. “Are you really sure you want this?

Now, he was staring at me intently, unblinkingly. “Let’s put it this way: Are you adamant in your decision?” Continue reading “The Product by Victor Bort” →

All Stories, Crime/Mystery/Thriller

The Old Man by Scott Sharpe

November 27, 2014August 3, 2018 literallystories2014

Rust-orange scales litter the ground beneath the pine – sign of the squirrel’s search for the sweet seeds found tucked beneath the cone’s thorny lobes. The scales fall like heavy snowflakes, twirling and seesawing to the forest floor. As I raise my eyes to the bushy-tail sitting astride a pine limb, I’m thankful he’s ignorant of my presence and his certain death. He’ll feel no pain, for I don’t miss.

Not anymore. Continue reading “The Old Man by Scott Sharpe” →

All Stories, General Fiction

Dover by Michael W Smith

November 26, 2014August 3, 2018 literallystories2014

I was sat at a table in a service station café off the M20, on route to Dover, waiting for Angelika to return with the coffee. The seat beneath me was small, with a round foam cushion and flat metal back. Outside, through the window that stretched the length of the cafe, I could see our campervan parked in the rain. In the dim morning light it appeared grey. We’d been on the road since six, as the sun bled into the sky, and had made good time. We were twenty miles from Dover when the temperature gage hit the red and the warning light came on. Continue reading “Dover by Michael W Smith” →

Literally Stories – Week 1

November 22, 2014December 4, 2014 literallystories2014

We said we were going to put our feet up come the weekend. Heave a collective sigh. Have a lie in. Take the dog on a long walk.

We changed our minds. Decided Saturday was an opportune time to say thank you to our readers.

Thank you.

Literally Stories began the week with 8 WordPress followers and a handful of Facebook likes. It finished the week with 31 fellow WordPress folk keeping tabs on us and 56 Facebook ticks and in total 270 story reads.

It is, as they say, a good, solid start. Continue reading “Literally Stories – Week 1” →

All Stories, General Fiction

Friday by Jane Dougherty

November 21, 2014August 3, 2018 literallystories2014

There are some lives that don’t begin in earnest until they are almost over. Time is almost used up before the moment is reached, the decision taken that will give life some meaning. Until that moment, only holiday snaps show that time has moved at all. Children grow up, then move away and there are no more holidays, no more snaps. Time passes unnoticed. Continue reading “Friday by Jane Dougherty” →

All Stories, Horror

The Bargain by Diane M Dickson

November 19, 2014August 3, 2018 literallystories2014

I want to show you a picture of me, before. When I was young, well truth to tell maybe not so young but oh I was a looker, a real looker. I bet you won’t believe it was me and you’ll think how did she end up like this, now?

Ha, I guess you can say it was greed did it, or just plain wickedness. Yes, to be fair it was greed. I just wanted more, more of everything really but mostly time, but even that wasn’t enough. I wanted time that was unspoiled, without the slow rot. So there we have it, everything has a price, and a time comes to pay and so it did. I’ll tell you now, just what it was like. Continue reading “The Bargain by Diane M Dickson” →

All Stories, Historical

Madam Panagoulias and the Pithos by Adam West

November 18, 2014November 19, 2014 literallystories2014

“May I?”

The man took a step towards the jar.

“You will be careful with it, won’t you?”

“A closer look, that is all. I know it’s worth a small fortune, what, at least…”

“…At least a jolly large amount I shouldn’t imagine and wouldn’t like to say.”

“Well I will say, Madam Panagoulias. Put my cards on the table so to speak.”

“As you wish.” Continue reading “Madam Panagoulias and the Pithos by Adam West” →

All Stories, General Fiction, Story of the Week

Post by Jenny Morton Potts

November 17, 2014August 3, 2018 literallystories2014

Final credits. Show’s all but over. One last tune from Ed’s iPod and the crematorium doors widen. I’m going where the sun keeps shining, through the pouring rain. Randall lurches outside, wobbles in a thank-god patch of sunshine. Going where the weather suits my clothes. The family shuffle themselves into a line-up: the deceased’s mother reaching just the shoulder of the deceased’s wife. Ed’s brother next? Very tall and looks a little like him. Ed’s children, the daughter only up to her uncle’s waist. A face she loves interrupts the protocol and the little girl’s smile slashes the dark fabric of today. Ed’s son, adolescent and alone at the end, arms meshed over the outrage in his gut. Here now we see the stiff bar chart of the family, offering some kind of analysis. Continue reading “Post by Jenny Morton Potts” →

Literally Stories – Update

November 14, 2014November 19, 2014 literallystories2014

On Friday next week (21st November) we will publish a story by another author we hope keeps on patronising Literally Stories, Jane Dougherty.

Coincidentally, the story is called Friday.

We found it in our Gmail Inbox. Last Friday I think it was. It was a joy reading it.

You see, we love reading and are having a great time sifting through all the stories you are sending in.

So please keep sending them in and we’ll keep on reading them, and some – the very best, we’ll publish.

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