I know you’re watching me.
My eyes don’t work like they did in my twenties but I can still see you pushing up against my kitchen window, gawping. I should’ve pulled the curtain before I sat down but no matter. The glass could do with a lick but you can see the bars through it just like the others. And you can see me clear enough. Continue reading “A Gift For Cheyenne by Nik Eveleigh (Adult Content)”
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”
The woman cuddled the sleeping child who was oblivious to the man pointing the gun. The father stared and reasoned and wondered if he could. The other man also sat looking for an opportunity. The gunman stepped back and sat down in the armchair.
“Don’t even think about it folks. I know how to use this. I don’t panic and please forgive my arrogance but I am a damn good shot. I won’t miss.”
“What do you want?”
The father tried to keep his voice steady.
“I will get to that but let me first say, you are simply unlucky. I have nothing against any of you. But having just finished your barbecue, sitting having a drink and me seeing you is all that it has taken.”
She pulled the kiddie closer. Continue reading “Dilemma – An Experiment by Hugh Cron”
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”
“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”
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”
Monday, 17th November, 2014, Literally Stories will publish its first short story. Tuesday, 18th, our second story will appear here.
A new story each weekday and then the Editor’s favourite from the week, featured on Saturday.
On Sunday we aim to put our feet up. Read the paper. Take the dog on a long walk. Play Scrabble. Swim the Channel.
Okay – you’ve seen our bios and none of us – you’re thinking – look anything like long-distance swimmers?
True. We just like making things up. Telling stories.
We hope you will enjoy reading those stories, that they will enthral and entertain you. Scare you. Shock you. Make you think – brilliant protagonist – wonderful plot – original idea – slick narrative – didn’t see that coming – awesome (or whatever superlative you usually use) or just make you think. In fact, you might enjoy reading our stories so much you are inspired to write one yourself – not forgetting of course, when it is completed, edited to perfection, buffed up and ready to go, to make Literally Stories your first stop for submissions.
Conversely, you might read one of Literally Stories short stories and think; I can do better. Great. We’d love to see the result.
First though, we hope to see you all here next Monday. The 17th. Until then, we extend our very best wishes to all our followers (that was eight at the last count) and future authors (who knows how many that will be?)
The Literally Stories Editors – Adam, Diane, Hugh, Nik and Tobias.
literally stories 