Sarah barged through the door, just in time for morning tea, although I don’t think that was intentional. “We have a problem.” “Oh?” You remember how, ages ago, Ben and I were here, and we made a treasure map of the garden?” “Yes. It was quite a good map, although I’m not sure the pond …
I’ve had reports over the past few days of a mysterious, antlered figure in the woods. Normally I’d not pay it much mind. We do have deer about the place. But all the reports say this figure walks on two legs, not four, and vanishes into the green as soon as it’s spotted. It’s a …
Delauney watched Melenique stalk towards the lift, designer suitcase trundling behind her. "Where did you reassign her to?" David looked up from his phone. "Anywhere there's a problem with performance, she's our roving troubleshooter." "I bet she's good at that." Her husband smirked. "Half the time all I need to do is mention her, and …
Maia swiped her access card, beep, green light, open door, phew. It hadn’t been a sure thing by any stretch, but they were in, and the real work could start. Janya slipped past her, a pat to the shoulder his only sign of approval. Approval for her months of grind to get into the company, …
Merrisa had loved the summer weekends when she was sent down to Grandma’s. In that pretty cottage on the edge of a postcard village, she felt more seen, more heard, than at any time in the showpiece London house her parents called home. Not that they were home much, hence the constant need for Merrisa …
He was easy enough to ignore on the train, sitting near enough to keep an eye on me, but not encroaching. If I'd had a good book, I daresay I could have blocked thought of him entirely. Unfortunately, all I had was the 'improving stories' Aunt Diddy had pressed into my hand that morning, and …
“Well, since I’ve been so … inconvenienced … I think I should be entitled to a little … compensation.” The customer’s oily smirk made Jessia want to heave. She gave him her most patently fake, pinch-lipped smile. “Certainly, sir, would you prefer a sample pack of our top-selling perfume, or a five-dollar gift certificate?” He …
"So I've decided to promote Rupert instead of Johanna." Aaron wound up with a plastic smile. Lee didn't smile back. They sat, stone-faced, as the silence stretched and Aaron began to squirm. Then they said. "You decided. Perhaps you'd like to begin with explaining how that is your decision to make." Aaron spluttered, but Lee …
“He said he didn’t know how to skate.” Becky glared into her chai latte as her friends stared. “He’s from, where, Norway?” “Denmark.” Justine shrugged. “Same difference. I can’t believe he came out with such an obvious lie, and I even more can’t believe you fell for it.” That was unfair, and Becky retorted. “You’re …
Shanthi looked across the table at the two people interviewing her. Both a good ten years younger than her, probably closer to fifteen, both looking confused by her answer. The one who'd introduced themselves as Yan, with they/them pronouns, asked. "Why, if you're coming in as a strategist, would you be spending time on the …
The DNA of Stories 