Story — The Blank Page

Blog Sweet Blog Part 1 - One Small Step for Dan

Now is a time of crisis. In fact, as we move deeper into the 2020s, I think we can finally admit that now is a time of many crises. Many, many crises. It’s a tidal wave of crises. A crisis crisis. You can’t move around here for crises. They get under your feet. They get in your food. They get knotted in your hair.

If only we’d found some way to harness the speed with which they reproduce, then maybe we could’ve used them as a new power source. That would’ve sorted out the energy crisis. Or we could’ve rounded them on, kept them on farms, set them up as a new food group.

“What looks good, darling?”

“I hear the Cajun crisis sliders are to die for.”

Who's Who 19: About the Author

He’d watched too many versions of the same myth. He could spot the seams between the ad breaks now. The recognisable traits. The revolving carousel of non-threatening villains. The shiny fights. The interweaving soap operas. The cameos just for the true geeks, there to invest a marketing exercise with a little purchased history, borrowed as credit for credibility.

Story, Short story, Overthinking, Flash fictionChristopher Long12 April 2019Who's who, Story, Overthinking, WritingComment

Who's Who 15: Weathervane

I should be able to hear that old wind chime I picked up at the antique fair. The night this storm hit, I was worried I’d lost it. I couldn’t hear it. I figured the wind had wrecked it. Next morning, it was fine. Every single morning, it’s been fine. No pots blown over either. The bins where I left them too. Every fence panel intact. How is that possible? Listen to it out there. That wind sounds like it should be tearing off roof tiles with its teeth.

Story, Short story, Flash fictionChristopher Long15 March 2019Who's who, Story, Storm, Whispers, Horror, Ghost storiesComment

Who's Who 13: A Swing and a Ms

She sat beside his bed. A weak coffee clutched in her hand, when she liked it strong. She’d asked for it strong. Very strong. Incredibly strong. So strong it could’ve beaten her in an argument. Instead they’d handed her something milky enough to be mistaken for a late breakfast.

Story, Short story, Movies, Flash fictionChristopher Long1 March 2019Who's who, Story, Zombies, Pirates, Acting, OscarsComment

Who's Who 12: Copy Paste

It’d been an uphill battle from the start. The place was teeming dinosaurs. Large, lumbering lizards with sweat marks under their arms and last night’s ale lingering on their breath. They weren’t ready for someone to come in and tell them how to avoid going extinct.

Short story, Story, Everyday darknessChristopher Long22 February 2019Who's who, Story, Fresh start, Dinosaurs, Office politicsComment

Who's Who 10: A Matter of Scale

The scientists gathered that morning, as they always did. They parked their cars in their allotted spaces, after each battling their way through their own daily commute of roadworks, train delays or wrestling offspring into school uniforms. They made themselves a drink upon arrival. A few even had time to prepare a little breakfast. Nothing fancy. A slice of toast here. A bowl of porridge there. The occasional croissant or fad fruit sliced into yogurt.

Story, Short story, Flash fictionChristopher Long18 January 2019Who's who, Story, Lab ratsComment

Who's Who 9: Prologue

To look at him back then, you’d never have guessed his future. As with all babies, he was simply a writhing ball of potential. A seed person. His eyes furious with fascination. His fingers tricky to steer, occasionally managing to land a grab. He responded to the voice of his mother, to the shape of her. He would reach for her always.

Story, Short story, NostalgiaChristopher Long11 January 2019Who's who, Story, Childhood, Baby namesComment

Who's Who 7: Keepsake

He wasn’t paying attention. He’d just flicked the TV on as he’d sat down. A bit of noise to fill up the empty room. Christmas certainly wasn’t doing the job. It was stillborn this year. He’d tried his best to put the tree up, but the branches weren’t spread as nicely as they normal and the lights were a mess. It didn’t help that he had no idea where anything else went, so he’d left all the other decorations in their tired, old cardboard box. Although it wasn’t the fault of the season that the house seemed hollow. It’d felt this way since she’d died.

Story, Short story, GhostsChristopher Long21 December 2018Who's who, Story, Ghost stories, horror, ChristmasComment