Now this was what Melissa called relaxation. Reclining in a luxurious bath, a crisp white in her hand, the verdant foothills literally outside her window, she could think of nothing to improve the experience. To one side, her phone nestled between scented candles playing soothing ocean waves. Beside the bath lay a stack of fashion magazines and her favourite romance novel, the cover of which was well worn. For the
‘Oh for fuck’s sake! Can nobody do their fucking job right?’ Slamming a fist on the table, Vernon upset his coffee cup, which jumped off the edge and landed with a thud at his feet. Cheeks flushed and teeth grinding, he barely noticed. Instead he battered his laptop keyboard with furious strokes that set the entire table trembling. Jesus, he hated people. If he could go back to the days
Crossing one of the many burbling streams that snaked down the mountainside to feed the glittering lake below via a well-worn bridge, Josh, Ashley and Spencer continued to pick their way down the slopes. Mother Nature narrated their progress with a chorus of birdsong and the mournful creaking of old trees in the wind. The trails they navigated were well-used and they wondered how many others had passed this way
TRIGGER WARNING: This story includes brief references to suicidal thoughts. Reader discretion is advised. Watching Annabelle innocently admire the forest’s natural beauty from her spot on the ridge below, Lauren felt the deep rage, which usually swirled endlessly in the pit of her stomach, simply fade away. Relieved by the lifted burden, she descended the slope with a contented smile to join the youngest of the Klein family. ‘She’s beautiful,
With the sun throbbing down and Andrew acting as a human drain, it was a wonder there were any cold beers left in the cooler by the time noon broke by the lake. Nevertheless, by some miracle the mismatched group of sunbathers and swimmers still had ample booze to fuel their day and, not long after noon, Glenn took up one of the frigid bottles, popped the cap and took
The warm breeze meandering through the canopy added a chorus of rustling leaves and creaking boughs to the orchestra of the forest. A dirt path wound through the stands, frayed at the edges by swathes of grass, nettles and low ferns. It was seldom used, evidenced by the gnarled roots that riddled the path with wooden veins, yet as the orchestra played on two figures picked their way up the
Dropping the suitcase onto her bed, Maddy admired her find. She had always loved vintage things and how they stood out from the crowd of sleek, modern items lining shop shelves and internet pages. They seemed out of place in all the best ways. As such, she had been attracted to them for as long as she could remember. Charity shops were always a good (and affordable) place to start.
As she busied herself with sorting through her great-aunt’s belongings, Mary sighed. She had only met the woman a handful of times, but she had always had an aura of excitement and mischief about her. They had always got along well whenever they spent time together, and the understanding that she was no longer around was still a blow to the gut even if they hadn’t been that close. Their
