Short Story

Short Story: Snookered

“You’ve just got to play the long game”, he said to me, while on a break from his short game.

Short Story: If Bruce Springsteen Wrote Wichita Lineman

Well, Billy was a lineman working for the man down in Darlington County And he’d drive the main road, heart in his mouth, chrome wheeled, fuel injected, Searchin’ in the sun for another overload and steppin’ out over the line One day, he heard Mary singin’, yeah she was singin’ in the wire, All about […]

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September 5, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: 7 Reasons I’d Never Get Tricked by A Con-Artist

1. I don’t date. 2. I don’t relate. 3. I’ve watched a lot of true-crime TV. And now podcasts… 4. I know my onions. 5. It’s just something that happens to other people. 6. You’d have to be dumb-as-fuck! 7. I’m broke-as-fuck!

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June 11, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Shift Arrow Down

He was 44 when he was diagnosed. Column Cancel. Dormant at first. But after 2nd, 3rd and 545th readings the growth was now thriving. It was too late. Yes, he would ask to have it removed. His editor would assist. Digitally. And though that process was painless, shift cells left, shift cells right, the column would never […]

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April 22, 2019 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Two Lessons

The self proclaimed itself to be best, self-aware, of course and so much better than the rest. The rest stood back so as not to be self-ish.

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November 12, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Sit Down Young Stranger

(aka: If You Could Read My Mind…I Wouldn’t Have Needed to Write This…) Some endings are too hard to take, he said, right at the start.

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July 11, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Neighbourhood Fragments # 8

The man down the road stops me to talk of his cancer – sore throat, blocked ears; three separate trips to the doctor. You’re fine. You’re not fine. Strep-throat. Take a sick day. A few months on – it’s throat cancer; sorry. But he’s on the mend and he’s – massively – on the meds. […]

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May 23, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Exit Music (For A Hotel)

They’d had their chat. And that was that. He lifted the bag up over his shoulder and steadied himself, taking with him a far heavier load. “You should go now”, she encouraged. “I’m about to take my clothes off”. He stopped. They each took a turn to stare at one another. No words. Nothing for […]

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April 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Starting My Bucket List…

Digging Bucket Rock Bucket V Bucket Cleanup Bucket Hardpan Bucket Skeleton Bucket Standard Water-carrying Bucket Situla Loader Buckets…

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March 18, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: A Novel Idea…

Two novellas got into a fight…

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March 13, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: Downhill # 2

We met at the Winter Olympics. Well, it was all downhill from there…

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March 12, 2018 by Simon Sweetman

Short Story: The Trope You Spoke

Confirmation bias – you should try it. You’ve ‘liked’ it on Facebook already. Take a look. Have a feel. Check that it’s real. It’s on your side. It is your side. It’s your ideal. It’s very nearly your idea. That’s the scary part. That’s the subtle art. We’ve hyper-targeted you. We’re there in your ads, […]