quaintfungus's profile

Rain falls steadily from the Manchester sky, grey and dreary drops drip from massed umbrellas. My eyes carelessly follow the shoes of splashing shoppers who jink around the puddles in the streets. The windscreen wipers swish passed my arc of vision at 5 second intervals, clearing the gathering drops. Each drop contains a minute red reflection of the stalled tail lights of the evening traffic. If I close my eyes I am in Pakistan, I am eight and sat on sun hot rocks, on the low ridge above my v...

Rain falls steadily from the Manchester sky, grey and dreary drops drip from massed umbrellas. My eyes carelessly follow the shoes of splashing shoppers who jink around the puddles in the streets. The windscreen wipers swish passed my arc of vision at 5 second intervals, clearing the gathering drops. Each drop contains a minute red reflection of the stalled tail lights of the evening traffic. If I close my eyes I am in Pakistan, more than three decades ago, I am eight and sat on sun hot rocks...

“This is a lovely place, you’ve got here. A nice wee parlour and is that a kitchen through there? Do you still cook all your own meals?” The postman, poked his head through the door but Granny didn’t invite him in, she placed one arm across the door frame barring his way. She took a drag from a small cigar and blew smoke in his face. The mail began to sort itself behind him, thousands of letters poured into the multicoloured hoppers. He didn’t even blink “...

Don’t worry I’ll explain all this as we go along. You’re going to be hearing from a few different voices, but don’t get scared, because I’m going to help you out. First and foremost there is Ralph he’s what I am calling the protagonist today, he talks like this: “My name is Hagbiter and I know no fear, I have stared death in his sickly face and laughed. I have slain the Bull man of Halrith and cast my net for the Kraken in the dark sea of Krull. I ha...

A glance into the dingy back bedroom of the last lodging house on the left in Cornwall Street revealed Emily Daniels dressed in an exquisite ball gown, tears streaking her face. The Doctor placed his foot in her back and seized hold of the garments collar. The two women in the room likewise took a firm grip on the dress. “Right......after three. Pull!” They tugged at the dress until Emily started to sob. It would not come off. “Been like this since last night” “S...