No Grass in No Man’s Land

November 11, 2013November 11, 2013 / Steve Lakey / 5 Comments

(Christmas Day, 1914. No Man’s Land, The Western Front.)

Benson skilfully kicked the heavy leather football past his man, but an outstretched German boot caught his khaki shin. He fell onto the hard ground.

“Oi, Fritz!”

“Entschuldigung, Tommy!”

The laughing corporal helped Benson back to his feet, then offered him a swig from his hip flask. Not strictly within the rules, but well within the spirit of this impromptu kick about.

This England v Germany game was friendlier than most, helped along by the shared cake and alcohol. Helmets for goalposts. Men on both sides sang Christmas Carols…

Then officers barked orders. A bigger game was about to restart.

This is my contribution to 100 Word Challenge – Week 113, Hosted at Julia’s Place. Click the logo for more details. Click here to read the other stories.

Sail Away

November 10, 2013November 10, 2013 / Steve Lakey / 7 Comments

Photo: Copyright Al Forbes

Looking back, I hardly knew John Stimson. But he made me a little boat, and it will stay with me forever.

I remember him as an old, thin man with grey hair and a slight limp. He’d look down on me with a smile and ruffle my hair. John could often be loud and funny, but sometimes he would sit very quiet, or go and lock himself in his little garden shed. Sometimes we could hear him singing wartime songs to himself, as he made his model boats. He’d come out again when he was ready.

John was wounded in France in the retreat of 1940, and evacuated from the beach at Dunkirk. A small pleasure craft took him to a Royal Navy Destroyer, and then to safety in England. The physical battle with his wounds was soon won, but his mental war was never completely over.

I didn’t know his story until after he had gone. To me he was just Grandpa, but I’m proud to have known him.

(This story is fictional but is intended as a tribute to the men and women of the British Armed Forces who have given their lives to keep our country safe.)

Lest We Forget

This is my contribution to Sunday Photo Fiction, hosted by Alastair Forbes. Click the logo for more details.

Click the link here to read the other stories.

Shady Hades

November 6, 2013November 6, 2013 / Steve Lakey / 22 Comments

Photo: Copyright Alastair Forbes 2013

Location: The Pavement, outside a particularly shady building in a really shady part of Shady Town. You get the idea…

“Hey Sarge!”

“Afternoon, P.C. Copper.”

“It’s Cooper, Sarge. You heard about that anonymous letter that Crime Lord ‘Shady’ Hades sent to Headquarters?”

“Oh yes. But it’s not anonymous if he puts his name on it, Lad.”

“But he didn’t put his address on it did he?”

“No, Son he was taunting us. Saying we’d never find the base of his Evil Operations.”

“Will we Sarge?’

“Dunno, Boy. We sent an undercover Officer, Detective Hermes, in. But Hades says he got the cop plastered and hung him out to dry.”

“Sounds Scary!”

“Chin up Kid, and keep them eyes open!”

This is my contribution to Friday Fictioneers 100 word Challenge, based on a photo prompt, and hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields. Click the link for more details.

Please view the other stories by clicking the blue frog.

Meet the New Boss…

November 3, 2013 / Steve Lakey / 5 Comments

Photo: Copyright Alastair Forbes

That night was spectacular! The Revolutionary Guard crashed the Palace Masquerade Ball at midnight and arrested all the Royals. We ran from room to room. Such opulence, we never even dreamed of! What we couldn’t carry away, we destroyed. I kept two masks as a souvenir of the night we stormed to power.

Our leader, Vladimir, was magnificent. He told us that we were all free, and how everyone was equal. He said that as one of his trusted lieutenants, I could personally put the nooses around every Royal neck. After their ‘fair’ trial of course.

We drank wine from the Palace cellars and chanted his name until dawn.

But how quickly Vladimir changed! He began having private meetings with the Royals, and started talking about “Power sharing” and “necessary compromises”. I was no longer in his inner circle and couldn’t even get to see him.

Of course, I still had influence with high ranking Party members. We had our own private meetings and we all agreed…

Vladimir’s fatal accident was a tragedy for the Revolution, but we will move forward.

I will say more later. But for now, I have a trial to preside over.

This is my contribution for Sunday Photo Fiction, hosted by Alastair Forbes. The idea is to write a story of around 100-200 words based on the photo. Click the link for more details. You can view the other stories by clicking here.

Twist and Shout!

November 2, 2013November 2, 2013 / Steve Lakey / 11 Comments

Photo: Skull by George Hodan

In The Scorpio Races, author Maggie Stiefvater writes, “It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.” Give us the next thirty-three words of this story, as you imagine it. Take it wherever you like, but make it original and make it 33 words exactly.

It is the first day of November and so, today, someone will die.

“But I’m hearing in my earpiece that this week there’s a twist: ‘Miss November’ – through to the next round! The High Priest is ‘Sacrifice of the Month’!

Welcome to this week’s HEX FACTOR!”

This is my entry for the Trifextra Challenge. Click for more details, and to read the other stories.