Gentle Reads

Sophie had been driving since the early morning. It was not a morning she had been looking forward to. She could see her mother’s cottage just a few yards away and slowed down to pull into the drive. She sat for a moment, looking at the cottage. The cottage was where she’d been brought up with her brother, Beau. Sophie had left over fifteen years ago in a rage after rowing with her mother and vowing never, ever to return. Sophie let out a heavy sigh, getting out of her car, and before she could knock on the door, her brother Beau opened it. “Ah, the wonderer has returned to the fold,” Beau said, looking slightly amused. “Hello, Beau, I see you have not lost your charming self, and I have been back in the UK for over five years now, as it happens.” Sophie was determined not to let her brother wind her up like he usually did. “I’ve just made coffee, would you like some?” Beau asked, ignoring the comment. “Yes, that would be nice, it has been a long drive from Suffolk.” Sophie loo...

The car spluttered to a halt, and Joe cursed, “Come on, please don’t break down now!” He steered the car towards the kerb of the country lane and turned off the ignition. He waited a few minutes and tried to restart the car with no response.   “Oh damn and more damn!” Joe said, putting his hands up in the air. “That’s it, no car, in the middle of nowhere with still over twenty miles to go, thick fog setting in, pitch black, what more could go wrong?” Charlotte anxiously looked at him. “Oh, hell, what are we going to do? We can’t stay here all night, we’ll freeze to death!” she said, pulling her coat around her tighter. “I don’t know, I’m no good with mechanics, so I wouldn’t have a clue as to why we have broken down,” Joe answered, feeling frustrated and more annoyed. Charlotte looked out of her side window into dense fog and forest. The fog was building up fast by the minute, and everything looked eerie and cold. “Maybe someone will come along and give us a lift,” Ch...

My friend Lauren was so excited about the prospect of the promotion that had come up. “I’m sure I will get this, Lucy,” she said, excitedly, her face a picture of glee at the very thought she would become the next marketing manager, with such a prestige organisation. “What will this promotion mean for you personally?” I asked, joining in with her excitement. “Well, I will have a big raise in salary and my own office,” she replied, then added, “and of course, there is the status that comes with being a manager.” She flicked her long, dark hair behind her shoulders and took a sip of her coffee. “Lucy, I am so thrilled about this. I know it will mean less free time because of the responsibility that comes with the job role, but I’m up for it!” “How many people have put in for the job?” I asked. “There are three of us, but I have been there the longest. I get on well with everyone, and my work has always been given good yearly reviews,” Lauren answered, biting into a biscuit. “But, wha...

The park was still and quiet as I stood against the trunk of my tree, the tree I named Angel .  This tree saved my sanity when I thought the entire universe was against me.  Angel has been my comfort over the past years. Its beauty and strength seemed to fill me with the faith that I would one day come out of this darkness and back into the light.  The tree gave me the self-belief that my emotional pain would eventually ease, and I would accept my situation and move on with my life. Angel had whispered comforting words, encouraging me to stay strong, when I most needed a strong arm around me. The big tree stands high, almost touching the clouds above its highest branches. I’m sure it has many stories locked away in its roots, deep down in the earth, because it has witnessed many happenings over the years.  Not just my story, but others who may have told the tree their fears, hurts, and guilty secrets.   I gently touched the rough, dark bark, allowing my fin...

The computer flashed, and then the screen went blank as George turned towards the screen. He sat staring at the blank screen, scratching his head, ‘For gods sake, what’s up with you today?’ he asked, agitated at the computer's refusal to show the desktop. He got up from his chair and checked the leads to make sure none were loose or had become detached, but everything was in place. George pressed the return key, then a few other keys, and the computer remained stubborn, with no sign of life. His wife, Eve, came into the room with a cup of coffee. “Morning coffee and biscuits,” she said, light heartedly. Then, looking at the computer, said, “Not switched on yet, George?” George, feeling more than agitated by now, replied sharply, “The damn thing came on then flashed off, and I can’t get any life out of it!” “Oh,” Eve answered, looking at George’s red face, “have you checked the mains?” George took in a deep breath, “Of course I’ve checked the mains!” Eve thought it best to leave G...