A *trip* Down Memory Lane

I just popped over to Duncan’s blog to read why he had made a prat of himself, and after reading, I decided to share my experience.

It was 1987, Christmas. Well a few days before. I had just finished my training to be a welder for the year and was heading home. I was 20, had just won £45 at poker (in 1987 that was a LOT of money) which was a game I had never played. We were supposed to be playing for pennies and two pennies but one of the guys was a hard core and started putting the notes in. And I was duly winning. So we got drunk as well. I headed up the road to the digs I was living in as I was in Gillingham, Kent at the time but home was in Hythe, Kent.  I picked some of my bits up to take back with me and made my way to the train station. I was 20, drunk, smoking a cigarette, so naturally when I asked for a half fare, they said … yes.

I staggered up the train to the smoking carriage and took the journey home feeling slightly queasy a couple of times due to the fact that the train was a “chudder-chudder” train that you couldn’t see straight when it was moving. I did try and read my Dick Francis book, but wasn’t sure if it was the world spinning or the train juddering that out paid to that.

Now, the trains back then were ones were you put your arm out and opened the door. These were later deemed dangerous because they could be opened when the train was moving. As the train was pulling into the station, I did what other people had done many times before and were doing further down the train. I opened the door and got off before the train had stopped. Bearing in mind, these others had done it before and were not drunk.

I stacked it.

I landed on my kisser and my backs went sprawling. I didn’t wait to see if the laughter was aimed at me. I got to my feet, picked up my bags and walked off.

 

A Photo A Day … May 01 2013

Been in extreme pain today, so I only managed a quick photo. This ship was turning to “park” in Dover Docks or turning leave. If you look at the larger image, you can see blurry images of people on the front of the ship and one on the bridge.

 

Friday Fictioneers: The Past

Friday Fictioneers is where people try their hands at Flash Fiction – short stories. Rochelle provides us with a photo as prompt that she has borrowed from somewhere (with permission) and then you write a story of around about 100 words.

My story this week is a part of an ongoing saga that I am writing along with Jules. We both do the same story from two different angles. My side is that of a Vampire – Raynard, and Jules’ side is that if his prey – Saskia.

You can find the history of the story so far here with my story and here with Jules.

In last week’s story, Raynard was pulled into a supernatural tree with a branch starting to press against his chest beside his heart. This week’s story gives a brief look back at where Raynard came from and why he is obsessed with Saskia.

*I have updated this after receiving advice on dropping the word count as it was 120

Copyright –Kent Bonham

The Past

The branch presses close to his unbeating heart. Raynard closes his eyes and lets his mind drift back 130 years.

He celebrates his 31^st birthday. He dances in sunbeams with his sister. She and her new friend say there is someone he must meet, and drag him laughing upstairs into a dark room. They giggle and slam the door. Raynard has a moment of fear. Then she walks out of the shadows and sinks her teeth into his neck.

He yells and twists, escaping the branch. He will not die whilst the woman who looks like his sire lives.