The Clarence was still mostly silver. A thin strip of sunlight had reached the far bank. Purple flowers lay across the footpath. “Beautiful,” said Kate. “Slippery,” said Jo. They slowed beside the river. Somewhere behind them a ute started, reconsidered, then started properly. “Australia’s batting, eh,” said Kate. “I was having a nice morning.” “Yes,… Continue reading Sprung
Tag: absurdism
Wizards
The morning had started with the sort of optimism that generally accompanies men who have purchased expensive fishing equipment and have not yet attempted to use it. Early spring had arrived in Norway, although nobody had informed the mountains. Snow still filled the gullies above the fjord, and a cool breeze came down through the… Continue reading Wizards
സ്ഥിരീകരണം
The wind had finally dropped, which was a considerable relief to everyone except Tony, who had spent most of the afternoon complaining there wasn't enough of it. They were sitting behind a low wall of coral stone at the edge of a beach near Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka, where someone had assembled a bar out of… Continue reading സ്ഥിരീകരണം
All good things are three
Kristin arrived already annoyed, which was useful because the rest of them had been drifting toward optimism. “The whole thing is most appalling,” she said, putting down her glass. Adam looked up. “That’s very English.” “I’m Norwegian.” “Then we’re in real trouble.” She ignored him. “We are degrading the conditions of continuity to optimise the… Continue reading All good things are three
Bang.
They were halfway through the second jug when Marcin said truth was not a social agreement, and Tony told him that was exactly the sort of sentence that made people want to remove funding from universities. Anna was leaning against the wall, wine in hand, watching the pub do its usual slow collapse into warmth… Continue reading Bang.
Truth IV
Anna put her pint down with the careful violence of someone who had just found the problem hiding in plain sight. “Right,” she said. “We’ve been saying this wrong.” Adam looked up from his crisps. “Always a good sign when a sentence starts like a workplace investigation.” “No,” Anna said. “We keep talking about AI… Continue reading Truth IV
Bored games
Same pub, but later.The kind of evening where the light’s gone yellow and the wind’s picked up just enough to move rubbish along the footpath like it’s got somewhere important to be. A chip packet skitters past the window, followed by a receipt, then half a betting slip that refuses to lie flat. Inside, it… Continue reading Bored games
Missing Summer
Adelaide Oval, Day 2, sun sharp enough to peel paint.Plastic pints everywhere, Barmy Army already half-feral. Adam, Marcin, Anna and Isobel parked under the scoreboard, pretending the heat is “character-building.” England ticking along nicely, which everyone knows is a bad omen. Adam:Look at that—England have a bat. Every Pom in the ground acting like we’re… Continue reading Missing Summer
Ch.7
Loose stools, rings on the table, similar universe as before. summer, cicadas, shower an hour or so ago, some drips, heat of the day fading Adam was already a few drinks in when Marcin said it. “I still think you’re smuggling time in through the back door,” Marcin said, staring into his glass like it… Continue reading Ch.7
Filtering
We were told to choose a sideso we built two cliffsand argued about the colour of the fall. Left waved a flag,Right waved a mirror,both fell equally fast. Someone shouted save the unborn,someone else shouted save the women,the hospital burned quietlywhile they debated metaphors. War arrived dressed as necessity,said it hated violence,asked politely for our… Continue reading Filtering
