Shock

Melbourne is in shock. Late Thursday afternoon, news broke of four bodies discovered in a home in the north-western suburbs. A woman in her 40s and three children. No signs of disturbance, no echoes of trouble. Neighbours interviewed by media all shared the same view: the family seemed happy, actively engaged with others in the…

The Mission

'Once the assignment is complete, you will be escorted to the airport, where you will board a jet that will fly you to an as-yet undisclosed location.' Barry, my handler, is serious. Softly-spoken, measured. I am terrified. This is my first real mission and it involves a large serving of femme fatale. Honestly, I don't…

In the Taxi

After a series of health concerns, Bob decided it was time to see a doctor. Oh, he loathed visiting the GP. The clinic smelled of antiseptic and old people and pee. The doctor was usually patronising or arrogant. The waiting room stifling; the heater turned up too high in an attempt to quell the distasteful…

Self-Improvement

Despite the gnawing doubts in the back of his mind, Nick knows this is the only way. Sure, if all goes sideways, there could serious ramifications. Disfigurement for example. Missy sits in the passenger seat, staring out the window as Nick drives on. He's pretty certain she's weeping silently. She disagrees with his decision, of…

The Big Day Out

Our day trip yesterday was quite the success, despite the attempts of the massive infrastructure build in the city trying its best to dampen our enthusiasm. You see, a journey that ordinarily takes a little over an hour took us two and half, given the closure of the freeway and its subsequent rambling detour through…