The Arduous Hill

The oily smell in the engineering workshops of the School was distinctive. It infiltrated my young nostrils, neither hateful nor pleasant but indicative of the work that went on there. Lathes worn from use were neatly lined up and decorated with spirals of sparkling swarf, a plantation of post-apocalyptic Christmas trees. My grandfather proudly explained how he had tutored several… Read it

The Plane Trees of London

My mother missed the trees of London. Where we live, far away in the north of Scotland, our landscape contains only the varying blues and greys of the sea and the soft greens and mauves of the heather heaths. She would sit every day by the window of our lone cliff top house tracing the shapes of trees on the… Read it

From Diamonds to Damehood

A female driver held open the door of a Mercedes as Dame Alicia Greystone, dressed in a black silk trouser suit, moved down the steps and flowed onto the back seat like a moonlit ocean wave. From her handbag Dame Alicia pulled out the handwritten notes she had scrawled last night. She had not wanted to be the keynote speaker… Read it

Hush

When the sea came and knocked her over, it did not know the good she’d done. When it sent its wave to Incheso beach it was ignorant of her life’s fineness. When it crashed down and smashed her small head upon its rough bed it was oblivious to how she’d say some people believe different things depending on where they’re… Read it

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