Clare Horwood

“A tale of two cities” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #248

A Tale of Two CitiesAn occupied city He woke up to find himself locked in a darkened room.  Was it night or day now? There was no way of knowing. His watch had gone as had all his money and his identification papers. Rubbing his head with his grimy hands he tried to remember what had happened to him the day before. His mouth was so parched, his stomach growling with hunger that it was hard to concentrate. This was Paris 1940. Indeed, this was occupied Paris. His beloved city, the city of light, now taken over by Hitler’s army. He r...

8 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Away from home” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #247

As she pulled the faded blue curtains back from her bedroom window looking out at the familiar garden with its roses, hydrangeas and too many weeds for her mother's liking, she felt an unfamiliar type of sickness rise up in her stomach. It was September Thursday 17th , 1962 ,the day she was to start boarding school. Her brother had gone the year before at the age of seven which had made her very jealous. Now it was her turn .Charlotte was ten years old, a shy girl with short straight hair, reasonably bright, but not sporty at all. What she r...

6 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“Swings and Roundabouts” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #246

Nathan sat on the swing or should it be said, Nathan had squeezed himself into the swing, and was valiantly attempting to find a comfortable position. His feet were firmly planted on the ground and in one hand he was precariously balancing a cup of take away coffee. On the other swing his wife Lauren was sitting much more comfortably , gently moving back and forwards. Their son Jeremy was over at the flying fox, patiently waiting his turn in a queue that never seemed to shorten. Jeremy was 13 years old, not very tall, slightly chubby and wor...

5 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Autumn conversion” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #238

Charlotte picked up her three year old daughter, Sally, stroking her silky fair hair, saying to her, “I will only be away for two nights and you will have the best fun with Grandma and Grandpa. I think they are going to take you to the zoo”. The child snuggled into Charlotte with tears coming from her large brown eyes, “But I want to come with you Mummy”. “I know you do darling, but this is a weekend for grown ups. You would be very bored and you definitely wouldn't like the food. Grandma's cooking is much better”, she said looking over at h...

9 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“A small package surprise on a blind date” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #237

Winter had come early to Adelaide in South Australia this year. It was still only mid May and yet the temperature had dropped and there was a definite chill in the air. The Autumn leaves had left the trees, leaving bare branches, always a rather depressing look. Of course the gum trees which Jack loved so much didn't usually drop their leaves until around August but even they were going against the grain splattering their leaves wherever they could. All in all as Jack opened his blinds of the small apartment he lived in, right on the edge of...

9 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“The Concert” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #216

                 The Concert Amid the noise of the excited schoolchildren, she got out her phone and saw there was a text awaiting her. “We are here too, in carriage one”. Getting up from her seat she weaved her way through to the front carriage and there were Julie and Sandy . Greetings all round , gossip catch up and then arrival at the terminus. There was a decision as to whether to take the lift or the stairs up to street level, but determined to prove t...

11 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Letters between Best Friends” by Clare Horwood

My dearest Stella, Thanks for your postcard from San Sebastian. It looks magic and I just can't wait to hear more about this guy? Did you take any photos of him? You said that you met him on the beach, were you on your own? Do your parents know about him? Sorry for so many questions, I must seem like the Spanish Inquisition, but I am very intrigued!! A long letter please and soon. My romantic interlude with John Miller has not turned out so well. He seemed so different when he arrived in Lincoln to stay with me. When I met him in Aberdeen ...

0 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“Theatrically Free” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #197

She delivered the last line of the play which declared her freedom from the tyrant of a husband that she had endured for many years. She took her final curtain call along with the rest of the cast. Rapturous applause greeted them. How she had loved performing here in Adelaide in South Australia at the wonderful Playhouse. Adelaide audiences loved their theatre, always being so enthusiastic in their response. Tonight was the closing night of their season here before moving on to Perth. She was pushed forward by the rest of the cast and receiv...

7 likes 1 comment 1

Read story

“Joshua's Choice” by Clare Horwood

Submitted to Contest #196

The day dawned with a mist that seemed to permeate everywhere and everything. Joshua woke, rubbed his eyes, hopeful always that he wouldn't be in the same place where he had gone to sleep. On opening his eyes fully, he realised that unfortunately he was in the same place. It was the corner of a small attic at the top of a big apartment building in the Jewish ghetto in Warsaw. He was squashed up against the wall on a dirty lumpy mattress with no pillow and only a very thin grey blanket for cover. Joshua was hungry, but then he was always hung...

7 likes 0 comments 0

Read story