Sheela na gig
Not my confession, but a friend's - Buncton church sits in a beautiful spot outside Steyning, surrounded by fields, with a wonderful view of Chanctonbury...
The General Store
It's the only store open on Christmas Day. The sign says, 'The General Store' and you don't recall seeing it before, but it might save the day. You ask the...
The Thirteenth Reindeer
It's been a long time since Santa rode out with the thirteenth reindeer. It waits in a stall in the stables, a pelt wrapped around a pile of bones and twigs,...
Last Train to Kingsport
Kent's wife insisted he did not stay overnight in town for the Christmas party, so he didn't get as drunk as he might have done. Even so, on the last train...
It's Always Christmas in Brighton
I hold one end of the tinsel and you have the other as we run towards our target. We wrap it round their neck, and I duck under your end as we cross. The...
early evening ghosts
"I don't believe in loneliness," he told her. he had a lot of opinions about loneliness for someone who thought that it didn't exist. after two drinks he...
We've Already Had a Vote, and We Voted to Leave
The first scarecrow to attend Withdrop school didn't last long - they kicked the stuffing out of him at morning break. That Joe Smith and his gang were bad...
lucy faithful
Do You Want to Stop Being Lonely? the words are on a sticker on a lamppost, and lucy faithful does want to stop being lonely. she dares not photograph it, in...
Empty Stages
I’ve been called a groupie. It’s a nasty title, reducing me to nothing more than how I get my rocks off, and being a guy makes it worse. It’s hard to keep...
You Can't Make an Omlette with Faberge Eggs 🇸🇪🍕
I asked Anders if he wanted me to order our pizzas.“Best not,” he told me. “They won’t serve this to a stranger. Grab a seat, I’ll come to join you.”This...
When Dad got the Bomb
It was a Wednesday in late September when my dad came home and told us we'd got the bomb.“Can we see it?” I asked.“You’ll see it when it’s installed,” he...
Copthwaite's Amusement Park
The important thing about Copthwaite's amusement park is that it does not exist.During the 1980s, the CIA ran a series of experiments on synthetic memory....
Regular Order
The commuter's ghost was trapped in the coffee shop like a bluebottle in a box. Other customers came and went, but his order was never fulfilled. "What am I...
The Bleak Stag
Every weekend, pre-wedding parties come to Blackpool, men and women drinking themselves to senselessness, most in fancy dress. Among them stalks the Bleak...
Johnny Lemon
In its heyday, Blackpool catered for its visitor’s lusts and there was money to be made: from kiss-me-quick to strip pubs that opened at 7am, charging a...
A Shrine to Light Entertainment
Blackpool has the world’s only shrine to light entertainment. It sits towards the end of Central pier, behind a locked and chained doorway. It is only opened...
Kenny's New Job
The job was boring but easy to get - all Kenny had to do was send a copy of his driving license to a PO Box. Afterwards, a man with a dry, husky voice phoned...
How to Write Cosmic Horror
With all the uncertainties in the world, cosmic horror is on the rise. Booktok is buzzing about it, sales are rising, and prizes are being won, meaning now...
King Dirt
On Instagram, it’s masks and flower crowns, as people gather to celebrate King Dirt. City parks are like festivals, but with no need for fences, security...
Ghosts, driving ⚠️
Content warning: car accidentsSarah’s job, waitressing at the Harvester, was dull. She’d grown to hate the smell of the food they cooked as much as she hated...