Feeding Hazel

Lara trembles with excitement as the doorbell rings. She smooths the front of her dress, and takes a deep breath in. Opening the door, her face falls. Mike stands on the verandah, his arm slung around a beautiful woman. 'Lara,' Mike says. He's grinning broadly, proudly, as if on a podium receiving an Olympic gold…

A bad morning

Serena bends to pick up the contents of her handbag. Her face burns with shame as a furry breath mint sticks to a tampon. She reaches to collect them in her hand. 'Can I help you, miss?' It's a girl's voice. Young, probably a teenager. Serena looks up. 'Thank you, but no. I'm OK.' She…

An Accident

I gaze at the face blankly staring past my own. I am frozen, fear consuming me. I didn't see her coming. She looks about eight years old. Passers-by gather, forming an outer circle, as if by approaching they will become complicit in my crime. Minutes pass like hours before a woman, probably in her 40s…

Hug

I creep in next to their bed. Mouths gaping wide, like a laughing clown at the fair. I stare at them. They look different, slack jowls and closed eyes. Dad's snoring is loud, his lips quiver; he turns over. The bed wobbles. 'Mummy,' I say shaking her shoulder. 'Hmm?' 'Mummy, wake up!' Her eyes fly…

At the farm

'He's slippery, almost reptilian,' Laura said, with a shudder. Laura and Sophie were walking back to the farmhouse. They'd been hiking along the river bed in gum boots and holding long sticks. 'He's so not!' Sophie said, fiercely defending her primary school crush. 'He was lovely to me, all those years ago.' 'Yes, but now?…