Music plays. A calm, swell of chords that holds you steady. We begin. As you take a breath in, you close your eyes. You breathe out and your eyes want to open. Let them if it adds to your feeling of security. But as you breathe – in…out – you feel the need to open your eyes reduces. Your eyes are closed. Gradually, like the emergence of dawn, you start to become aware of the world inside your mind. It is a place of great beauty and a serene, epic grandeur. You are aware that you are sat comfo...

Music plays. A calm, swell of chords that holds you steady. We begin. As you take a breath in, you close your eyes. You breathe out and your eyes want to open. Let them if it adds to your feeling of security. But as you breathe – in…out – you feel the need to open your eyes reduces. Your eyes are closed. Gradually, like the emergence of dawn, you start to become aware of the world inside your mind. It is a place of great beauty and a serene, epic grandeur. You are aware that you are sat comfo...

“Just staaaaaahp! It’s atrocious! Staaaaaahp!” The conductor’s excess and excessive As hung in the air like a full can of Lynx Africa body spray, making the orchestra’s collective noses twitch with distaste. “This is a noise you are making. A noise!” The second violins wondered why he pronounced noise like no-ice. “Again, let’s take it from the fourth bar, this time be musicians, not noise-makers.” The orchestra found their place and at a signal from the conductor the magic happened. Silence ...

“Just staaaaaahp! It’s atrocious! Staaaaaahp!” The conductor’s excess and excessive As hung in the air like a full can of Lynx Africa body spray, making the orchestra’s collective noses twitch with distaste. “This is a noise you are making. A noise!” The second violins wondered why he pronounced noise like no-ice. “Again, let’s take it from the fourth bar, this time be musicians, not noise-makers.” The orchestra found their place and at a signal from the conductor the magic happened. Silence ...

All the ideas and thoughts that coalesced in my brain between 19:41 and 19:51 A cosy ninja. Furry slippers. Marshmallows on the points of his shuriken. The Smiths on a camping holiday. The 100 Acres Wood implies the existence of a 100 acres wouldn’t. I bet The Fonz really struggled to buy batteries. What size would you like Mr Fonzarelli? Aaaaaaaaaaay. Floating, floating, floating, floating, floating, then not floating Tesla superchargers, Tesla superduperchargers, Tesla supercalifragilistice...

All the ideas and thoughts that coalesced in my brain between 19:41 and 19:51 A cosy ninja. Furry slippers. Marshmallows on the points of his shuriken. The Smiths on a camping holiday. The 100 Acres Wood implies the existence of a 100 acres wouldn’t. I bet The Fonz really struggled to buy batteries. What size would you like Mr Fonzarelli? Aaaaaaaaaaay. Floating, floating, floating, floating, floating, then not floating Tesla superchargers, Tesla superduperchargers, Tesla supercalifragilistice...

It is dark in the room. You think that it might be light outside though because at the very top of one black wall there is a slither of light, as if it’s emerging from where a pair of curtains don’t quite meet. The beam of light creeping into the room illuminates one thing, a picture on the wall of Jesus suffering on the cross. The thorns cut deep into his brow and the pain on his face is evident for all to see. You reach behind your back again trying to free the muscles in your shoulders whi...

It is dark in the room. You think that it might be light outside though because at the very top of one black wall there is a slither of light, as if it’s emerging from where a pair of curtains don’t quite meet. The beam of light creeping into the room illuminates one thing, a picture on the wall of Jesus suffering on the cross. The thorns cut deep into his brow and the pain on his face is evident for all to see. You reach behind your back again trying to free the muscles in your shoulders whi...

The animals gathered in the moss-quiet wood at the base of the eldest oak. In badger’s memory – the longest of all the animals in the wood – this was only the third such meeting. The first was because of the fire. The second was because of the death of Old Mam, a rabbit whose life had extended to nearly 20 years. The third was because of the men. “It’s unacceptable! Unacceptable!” cried the peacock in the shrill voice that secretly enraged most of the other animals. “We know,” explained Fox p...

The animals gathered in the moss-quiet wood at the base of the eldest oak. In badger’s memory – the longest of all the animals in the wood – this was only the third such meeting. The first was because of the fire. The second was because of the death of Old Mam, a rabbit whose life had extended to nearly 20 years. The third was because of the men. “It’s unacceptable! Unacceptable!” cried the peacock in the shrill voice that secretly enraged most of the other animals. “We know,” explained Fox p...

This is not how you make a cup of tea. First - find a mug in the cupboard. Any mug will do, but generally it helps if it is quite wide. Some people – primarily from an older demographic – will prefer a china mug. There’s something to do with the thinness of the ceramic that means it cools quicker. I don’t know. Anyway, find a mug and then place it on the kitchen counter. It’s very important that you place it upside down, so that the opening is facing the counter. You should just be able to se...

This is not how you make a cup of tea. First - find a mug in the cupboard. Any mug will do, but generally it helps if it is quite wide. Some people – primarily from an older demographic – will prefer a china mug. There’s something to do with the thinness of the ceramic that means it cools quicker. I don’t know. Anyway, find a mug and then place it on the kitchen counter. It’s very important that you place it upside down, so that the opening is facing the counter. You should just be able to se...

He felt his stomach drop as he fell down from the fire escape into the alleyway. Instantly, he felt his knee pop. Without even looking he knew that the patella had shifted across the front of his leg and that he was in trouble. He looked up at the top of the fire escape and thought that he could see the beam of a torch playing across the roof. He whimpered quietly into his chest. In the films the hero would simply hammer the knee back into place and then pull himself to his feet with grit and...

He felt his stomach drop as he fell down from the fire escape into the alleyway. Instantly, he felt his knee pop. Without even looking he knew that the patella had shifted across the front of his leg and that he was in trouble. He looked up at the top of the fire escape and thought that he could see the beam of a torch playing across the roof. He whimpered quietly into his chest. In the films the hero would simply hammer the knee back into place and then pull himself to his feet with grit and...

The crew pulled on the thick, wet rope that clung to the side of the trawler. “Anything?” “Nothing!” Four faces peered into the black rising swells that pitched the boat up in the air. “Keep pulling.” “But…” “Keep pulling.” The captain stalked from the deck and the hands watched as his face reappeared in the murky window that overlooked the deck of the ship. He shouted something they couldn’t hear at them. Without a word they turned themselves back to the rope. The three hands’ eyes met as th...

The crew pulled on the thick, wet rope that clung to the side of the trawler. “Anything?” “Nothing!” Four faces peered into the black rising swells that pitched the boat up in the air. “Keep pulling.” “But…” “Keep pulling.” The captain stalked from the deck and the hands watched as his face reappeared in the murky window that overlooked the deck of the ship. He shouted something they couldn’t hear at them. Without a word they turned themselves back to the rope. The three hands’ eyes met as th...

It was only the size of a cricket ball, but in his hand it felt heavier, but at the same time oddly light. How could something so important not be heavier? Surely, if it had the power to take away life it should weigh as much as a human? He shook his head to clear away the illogicality of his thought process. It weighed what it weighed and not an ounce more. He tried to pull out the pin from the top of the grenade but it was stiff and it seemed misaligned from the holes that kept the lever pi...

It was only the size of a cricket ball, but in his hand it felt heavier, but at the same time oddly light. How could something so important not be heavier? Surely, if it had the power to take away life it should weigh as much as a human? He shook his head to clear away the illogicality of his thought process. It weighed what it weighed and not an ounce more. He tried to pull out the pin from the top of the grenade but it was stiff and it seemed misaligned from the holes that kept the lever pi...

Sasha turned her hand towards her face and inspected her nails. They were perfect. Four red cuticles looked back at her and she suppressed a tiny shudder of joy at the sight of them. She inspected her thumbs. Left – perfect. Right – perfect. But. But just to the right of the nail there was a tiny fleck of skin standing up ruining the picture. She took brushed it with her other thumb hoping that it was a crumb, or a piece of dust. The tiny flap of skin stayed resolutely in place. She bent down...

Sasha turned her hand towards her face and inspected her nails. They were perfect. Four red cuticles looked back at her and she suppressed a tiny shudder of joy at the sight of them. She inspected her thumbs. Left – perfect. Right – perfect. But. But just to the right of the nail there was a tiny fleck of skin standing up ruining the picture. She took brushed it with her other thumb hoping that it was a crumb, or a piece of dust. The tiny flap of skin stayed resolutely in place. She bent down...