Category: Back Story

Harriet

Harriet woke up feeling uncomfortable. That last phone call “I just wanted to hear your voice again…” had got to her. She had been trying to work out who would say that to her. Obviously someone who knew her, but who? She was racking her brains trying to remember, the intonation felt familiar but not quite. Harriet had never really been very good at recognising voices especially on the phone and was often frustrated by callers who would open with ‘Hi Harriet, it’s me…’ leaving her stumped as to who was talking at her until enough clues in the conversation gave away the caller’s identity. Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Eight”

Adam Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Seven”

Harriet

“Hello, Harriet speaking.”
“Okay, yes I think I can do that, I’ll have to come and measure the job.”
“What’s the address please?”
“Great, thank you.”
“I could pop over tomorrow afternoon?”
“Great. Could I have your phone number to confirm?” Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Six”

Harriet and Daisy

“…and as congestion builds around the Ultimo Centre the police have set a diversion around the incident to allow for recovery to take place. The ring road is expected to be closed for a number of hours and drivers are advised to seek alternative routes for their journeys home. And that is the traffic report at four fifty-five on Radio Theraton at the far end of your radio dial.”
“Thank you, Sam, for that report, and for all you drivers stuck on the ring road we have Winner Today, the new single by Can Guru as we lead into the five oh clock news…” 

“Ooh, I like that song, they’ve been plugging it all week and it’s grown on me. ‘Lose it all today… Could win it all tomorrow! Never giving up… together we can grow…’” Daisy sang along. Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Five”

Harriet

Harriet was hopeful and a little nervous as she walked over to Theraton library. It had been set up as a Covid vaccination centre for the current round of appointments. She was supposed to be back at work at the Community Centre today but Sarah was understanding about Harriet’s appointment clashing. If only it had been later in the day then she could have done her first shift before going, but at least this way it was done and out of the way. Sarah had been vaccinated a few weeks earlier and had warned Harriet that she might want to clear a couple of days off sick afterwards. Harriet hoped not, but if she did feel rough then that would still be better then not getting her vaccine. Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Four”

Sybil’s Funeral

The Unitarian Church in Higher Theraton was once a towering example of high Victorian Gothic. Though now the stone spire is streaked with black sooty pollution and the once grand windows are covered in steel mesh and fibreglass sheets. In the cemetery, ageing grave stones and trees competed for space and a small number of more recent polished memorial stones shone like beacons as they caught the sun. Inside, the original architecture still stood almost the same as it had been originally built, aged and worn but with adjustments for wheel chair accessibility and modern heating. Electric lighting replaced the candles and carpet covered the stone floors. The organ pipes were mostly silenced now in favour of an amplified public address sound system, and huge speaker boxes hung from the stone columns looking more like a theatre then a place for worship. Three people fussed about inside making sure flowers, readings, music, and a solitary burning candle were ready. Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Three”

Harriet and Daisy

“You’re still house hunting, aren’t you?” Harriet was walking with Daisy from the Environment Centre back into town.
Since the lifting of lockdown she had taken to meeting up with Daisy on occasions to walk back with her from work. Sometimes Harriet would arrive early offer to help out with bits of repair work or maintenance on some of the makeshift timber structures usually be done by volunteers and staff during any normal year. Harriet had become a familiar face to the recycling team, and Phil, and they were grateful for anyone who was happy to oil a squeaky hinge or tighten a loose bolt. Harriet was amused by the thought that at home she was building a one third scale garden railway version of the same Environment Centre and could recognise some of the structures she was replicating. Continue reading “Chapter Forty-Two”

Harriet

Sally’s second memory of starting at school was the one that would carry her through to her teens and was one that she was both happiest remembering but also most self conscious about ever sharing, and so she never did. It was a secret that only she and Elle shared.
Sally and Elle were inseparable in school. They would wait for each other at the school gate and while their Mums chatted about the weather and the price of bread, they would hold hands and skip across the playground together until the bell went and they were lined up to go to their class, waving at their Mums as they went. Continue reading “Chapter Forty-One”

Harriet

The clatter of the recycling collection trike roused Harriet from her thoughts. The frustration of the nuisance calls got the better of her and she decided to see if it might be Daisy pranking her. Harriet opened the door and waved, nonchalantly. “Hello!” Continue reading “Chapter Thirty-Nine”