July

We had three stories with two votes each. Joan R, Jenny and myself .


My story was about an unexploded  bomb.

They didn't hear


I can hear it ticking mum Johhnny cried excitedly but somewhat nervously. What was to be an afternoon tidying the garden had been halted by Johnny finding what appeared to be a large piece of metal just under the ground of their recent dug-over new vegetable plot.

Susan hurried forward to listen but it was silent. Don't be silly she said, hiding her fright from her son.

I did hear it but it is stopped now Johnny protested.

Come away I'm going to phone the police let's go to the front of the house in case it is a bomb I'll feel safer if we have two walls between us and the bomb. It was a Victorian house with a new added bathroom then the kitchen at the back then a dining room with the front room leading from the stairway.

Susan quickly picked up the phone and dialled the police. A bored female voice asked what is your emergency is there anyone hurt. No one's hurt but I think I may have a bomb in the back garden. What makes you think you have a bomb said the voice. Because a fin is sticking out of the ground.

Is it a fin or just a piece of iron said the disbelieving voice. I don't know said Susan do you want me to dig it up?

No I'll put the call through to the UXB squad and they can have a look at it. Is that S Woodman of Obelisk Road she enquired.

Yes that's right, Susan realized that they had traced the call already.

Stay away from where the “bomb” is, her voice full of cynicism implied that it wasn't a bomb.

What did she say mum Johnny asked

She said keep away until the army get here to look at it.

When will they get here.

I don't know I didn't ask.

The police were the first to arrive in the form of the local constable Susan knew him as he belonged to the police band in which she played a trumpet although she was not in the force.

Hello Susan what's going on is that right you have a bomb in the garden.

Hello Malcolm It could be a fin of a bomb you can't tell unless you dig around it.

You stay there Johnny me and your mum will have a quick look to see what it is. It could be a bomb but we can't evacuate everybody until we are sure it. Can you stay away for a while until we know for sure Susan.

Yes I suppose I can stay with my sister she lives two blocks away.

It was hours later in her sister's house when the UXB officer a Captain Mannering rang her assuring her that they would be there in an hours time. She almost laughed aloud on hearing his name but he sounded a lot younger than the TV Dads' Army captain. Can you tell me anything about your bomb he said giving emphasis on her bomb.

My son found the bomb while we were clearing the garden.

He didn't strike the metal at all? he asked.

No I don't think so did you hit the bomb Johnny.

Well not hard but it made it tick.

Did you hear that Officer I didn't hear anything and the police who came they didn't hear either.

There was a pause when did you find the bomb?

This morning at about 9 oclock.

Well I don't want to alarm you but if your son triggered the delay mechanism it could explode any moment.



For those who like a finish – Boom!



Joan Read's story about a teen witch

 They Didn’t Hear

It was the night of All Hallows’ everyone was celebrating there was loud music fireworks rockets going off with loud bangs. Marcia and her friends were having great fun they had arrived at the fete that was being held in a field where a huge marquee had been erected inside there was food and drink and as was the custom in there village on this occasion it was free. Outside there was singing and dancing and of course everyone was in  costume so it was hard to recognise anyone. Marcia decided to come as a witch two of her friends ghosts and the last two skeletons the costumes were saved from year to year and just passed round to neighbours, friends and family. Marcias costume had been worn by her great great great grandmother so it was quite fragile. She like the others enjoyed the dancing and the drink and as the evening progressed the noise got louder so loud that they didn’t hear the siren.  It was not until the gun fire started that they realised that a band of robbers had arrived. There were six altogether all with weapons they took all the men to one side where they were told to remove any masks they had on it was obvious they were looking for someone or something in particular but who there was no one of importance in their village. The leader then spoke to the women who were ordered to remove any headgear they had on. As Marcia was taking her hat off she had a strange feeling it was as if someone was talking to her but there was no voice she realised it was in her head. The voice said I am your Great great great Grandmother and whilst you have my robe on you have powers. Marcia had been told that she was indeed related to an witch but she did not know anything else was she a witch who used her gift for good or evil. The leader was walking through the women and children sometimes pulling one out eventually he got to where Marcia was with her friends they were scared but Marcia was very calm. The leader stood in front of her he had a large scar on his face and a skull tattoo on his neck he was hideous. He went to grab Marcia but as he touched her robe he screamed and dropped the gun he had, he cradled his had which looked like it had been burnt. he yelled this is it. Two of the other men ran up they pushed her friends to one side so the she was isolated they then told her to remove her robe she replied no. One of them took hold of Elania her friend and held a knife to her throat “you know what happens next if you don’t do as you’re asked I slice her” Elania screamed but Marcia lifted both of her arms towards the sky and made circles with them all of a sudden a huge dust storm started then she raised her arms up and down and everyone was knocked of their feet by the gusts of wind. People did not realise what was happening but some of the men over powered the robbers and tied them up stacking all the guns to one side. When Marcia saw this she stopped what she was doing and fell to the ground. When she came to her friends were talking to her asking her how she did it but Marcia could not remember. When she reached home she told her mother what had happened. Her mother was not surprised she herself had worn the witches robe on occasion as had her mother but they felt nothing. It was related through stories that the ability to use the powers of the robe could miss one or two generations it looks as if Marcia was the descendent of a true witch.  Over the next weeks Marcia tested what she could do but always when she was alone. She knew if it became general knowledge there would be some people who would take advantage. She did not want this she had found out that two of her ancestors were burnt at the stake for witchcraft. She knew times had changed but nevertheless she carefully folded the robe and put it away she had a feeling that when the time came for her to use it she would know until then she would just try to live her life as a normal teenager with her friends.

Jenny's story about her childhood home.

‘They didn’t hear,’ by Jenny Day.

29/07/19

I think I’ve told you before that when I was growing up we lived in a three bedroom Victorian house but the front room downstairs was a bakers shop.

Consequently both our front door and back door were on the side of the house. The entrance to our house was by a double green, wooden picket gate with a latch fastening and a metal hoop that dropped over it.

The gravel sideway was just wide enough for a car to drive.

At the end of the drive, the garden opened up to an old double barn where the gentlemen who ran the newsagents shop opposite our house housed his car.

Next to the garage was an anderson shelter. I don’t know who built it, obviously someone at the beginning of the war before we moved into the house. I can only remember using it once during an air raid. It smelled damp and earthy, which of course it was, but in spring time it was covered in flowers- primroses, London pride and the like.

This old house had so much character inside and out that I loved living there, though maybe not the day I was persuaded to sit on the rickety stool which was balanced on a container full of oily grunge from an oil change! Being the youngest and most naïve you can of course imagine the obvious happened. I was all dressed up because my mother had friends coming to visit. To say she wasn’t happy was an understatement.

I wonder if my sister got a scolding for making me do it? I must ask her!

Well as I said, the house was full of character and over the years I did a lot of ‘pretending.’ I think we were very lucky that our entertainment wasn’t so easily come by! Like the modern day child! As my sister and I grew older we joined a youth club and partook in various activities and went to Saturday night dances, we had a curfew to abide by. My parents didn’t wait up for us but it was very difficult making sure they didn’t hear us open up that rattily gate and tip toe down that gravel sideway. There was no escape from that!