Shirley Medhurst

“Tears For A Lost Love” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #277

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, right at the tippy top of the Misty Mountains, there lived a big bad ogre in a castle guarded by gargoyles and topped off with turrets, towers and all that scary stuff that ogres usually have on their castles. ’Orrible Oswald, as he was known, was so-named as he happened to be a most ’orrible ogre who was just about as ’orrible as ’orrible could be. In fact, he was so ’orrible that none of the other ogres would have anything at all to do with him and he had to live alone. Well, not completely a...

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“NOISES FROM THE WARDROBE” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #274

I was crying when Mummy came to tuck me in for the night. “Come on, Jamie, my love, dry those tears away. And please let’s not have any more of that silly nonsense about monsters in your wardrobe again tonight,” she whispered, stroking my cheek. “You know how cross Bill gets about it.” Bill! My stepfather. A horrid man, always shouting at me for one thing or another. How I wish he and Mummy had never met. It was only since he had come to live with us that the scary noises had begun. “But they are real, Mummy, I ...

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“THE UNIVERSE HAS ITS WAY” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #262

Sometimes, the universe can be obdurate. It will insist upon having its own way.Marathons tend to complicate getting around the city, so my little sister and I agree that escaping a soon-to-be gridlocked Southampton to drive up and visit Gran two hundred miles away is the ideal way to start her five-day summer vacation with me. We were both born and grew up in France, and as she still lives there with our parents, she hasn’t seen Gran for four years now. I left home to come and study at university and have stayed here in the U.K. ever since....

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“JACK O'LANTERN: The story behind the legend” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #221

This is the true tale behind the legend of Jack O’Lantern. But before I begin, I’d like to share with you, if I may, a few little-known facts about Halloween.Nowadays, many people believe that this is an American concept, although there is no mention made of it in U.S. history until after the arrival of over two million Irish migrants escaping the great famine at the start of the nineteenth century. Since then, many of the age-old customs the Irish brought with them have been modified including the carving of Jack O’Lanterns. Traditionally i...

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“INDUSTRIAL UNREST AT THE AGM” by Shirley Medhurst

Hard to say when it initially started. Grumbles and mumbles of discontent within the ranks have been circulating since well before 2019, the year those massive bushfires raged throughout Australia, but they’ve always remained very low key—until this year, that is.The Annual General Meeting of the I.U.E. & Co. (International Union of Elves & Company), which is always held in a different location, has just taken place on the first of December. By rights, this year’s AGM ought to have been in Qatar, but in view of the World Cup taking p...

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“A Suffragette and the Black Friday Protest of 1910 ” by Shirley Medhurst

Ruth was late. Lost in London’s West End, she searched frantically for the address where the Women’s Social and Political Union meeting was taking place. Eventually, between a laundry and a grubby haberdashery shop, she spotted a tiny hand-painted plaque marked ‘Alan’s Tea Rooms’ with an arrow pointing upwards and she entered the shadowy doorway, climbing the steep flight of narrow stairs with relief. From the open doorway floated a muted hum of chatter and the clatter of crockery. A tantalising aroma of home-baked sweetmeats ...

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“A DIFFICULT DECISION” by Shirley Medhurst

Contains references to self harm & suicide. ***Six weeks ago, I received the best present I could ever have hoped for. The answer to my prayers from over a decade. Today is the eleventh of September, 2022, my Big Day at long last. When I received the fabulous news, I highlighted today's date with a bold circle of fluorescent orange in my diary. Every morning since then, I have awakened to the thought that I am one day closer, and crossed off another square with that orange marker pen.Perhaps I should explain. I guess my story really sta...

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“An Alternative Midsummer Night's Dream” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #99

I would like to share with you a secret dating from many moons ago. A secret for your ears alone, mind you. This is the true story behind the events which would later inspire a man named Shakespeare to compose one of his most famous and well-loved tales.It was the afternoon of the sacred summer solstice, the longest day of the year, although back then, it was known under the Olde English name of ‘Sunstede’. Niamh of the Golden Hair was feeling the irresistible itch to do mischief. Since arriving to serve her apprenticeship at the fairy court...

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“The Old Elm of Gorbio” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #90

Speaking to you from the peace and tranquillity of these my golden years, I would ask you to spare me a minute or two from your busy lives to listen to the ramblings of an old elm. I was planted here in the heart of my village in celebration of the Treaty of Utrecht some three hundred and eight years ago, although to be honest, I cannot remember much about that event, or any of my sapling years. In fact, I never really celebrated my birthdays at all until my third centennial, a truly momentous occasion I would like to tell you more abou...

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“Who's Kidding Who?” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #47

“May I be of any assistance?” You swing round from the row of adverts in the window to see a handsome young salesman dressed in the inevitable crisply-pressed suit and tie, towering over you. The most startling turquoise-blue eyes twinkle down at you and the term ‘stunning’ springs to mind. No doubt a result of reading too many romance novels, you scold yourself. Stop it! After all, you are here on business.“Erm, yes please. I’m looking for a…. I need a… erm… I want to buy a car,” you say and immediately want to kick yourself. Nothing like s...

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“You, Me & a Man Named Bill” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #47

The Police called to tell me what had just happened to you. My phone clattered to the pavement as I sank to my knees, the humdrum sounds of the busy street fading into oblivion. A foggy greyness hovering at the outside edges of my vision grew darker and thicker, and then there was only blackness! And silence! “Stand back, give her some room!” “Should we call an ambulance?” “Here! Lay her head on this,” “Shouldn’t you loosen her scarf? She might choke.” The jumble of voices sounded tinny and faraway as I swam back to consciousness. ...

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“MORAL DILEMMA” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #35

Bruce was the one to raise the alarm by refusing to come back to either of the girls despite their whistles, shouts and offers of treats. He had scarpered as was his norm the moment they had let him off the lead, but usually he did not stray too far or for too long. By the sound of it, he was down by the river below the footpath.“You’d better go and get him Liz,” ordered Sara, “He’s your dog.”Exasperated, Liz stared at the steep embankment, wondering where best to begin her descent. No longer white and powdery, the old, crystalized snow...

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“My Confusion” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #34

I am a little confused, I must say, with what has been going on around here recently. My daily routine seems to have gone to pot. A typical day in my life always used to start with a very hasty, brisk trot around the block, just to get the old morning ablutions over with, so to speak. We would usually time it so I could pal up with Lola and her man for a brief tail and chinwag as they take the same route as us. When we got home, I would then be left to my own devices for most of the daylight hours, which suited me down to the ground really. ...

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“Waiting For The Rainbow” by Shirley Medhurst

Submitted to Contest #34

When a person is confined indoors, every day is just another rainy day. Today, I am that person. I am sitting in the room where some of you might have been sitting for some time now. The room where others amongst you might only find yourself sitting tomorrow. Then, and only then, will you begin to ponder on life’s absurdities the way I find myself doing right now. A cup of coffee and a chat in a café with a colleague? Groaning at having to do another boring weekly shopping run? Just another humdrum working day? All that is an entire lifetim...

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“ A PARTNERSHIP WITHIN THE GARDEN” by Shirley Medhurst

⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #31

A modest little house stands alone, surrounded by a disorderly sea of green. Not that its garden is completely unkempt, but it is hardly a neatly regimented English garden, nor is it a beautifully manicured Mediterranean oasis. It is chaotic, colourful and cheerful.   Behind the house, small square paving stones lead upwards past a pergola which leans over to one side under the weight of a well-established wisteria and is framed by clusters of tall papyrus stems. Beyond, there are smaller randomly-placed bushes and plants. Frankly,...

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