Packing up

By Emma's reckoning, she had three minutes. She didn't want to be here. Signed up reluctantly at the last minute, when only the latest time slots were available. Now, she had one hundred and eighty seconds, seventy cupcakes and over ninety dollars before she reached the target. It wasn't going to happen. The place was…

Pearl of wisdom

Restful sleep is a rare gem, not to be taken for granted. ...And that little nugget, friends, is all I have time for today.     Photo by Cris Saur on Unsplash

A friend like Margie

'She's always had a flair for, um...I don't know how to put it,' my voice peters off. Pam and I are talking about Margie, our friend. Margie flies to Spain every July and spends two months there. When she's home in Melbourne again, she is wonderfully generous, hosting parties and dinner for her friends. But…

The appointment

'I'm not sure how it all began,' said Carrie. She bit her bottom lip, a gesture she made subconsciously when anxious. 'Take your time,' said Betty. Carrie stared at a fleck in the carpet. It was the shape of a hyena. No. Not a hyena; a horse. And now a camel. Weird. The longer she…

Mending Fences

Rosanna wakes. It is her regular practice to lie still for five minutes before rising. She likes to centre herself. All part of getting ready to face the day. Today, however, she throws back the covers and hops straight into her jeans and shirt. She throws on her coat, pulls on boots and runs out…