Submissions by Lozzamus
POEMS AND SHORT STORIES
Poet Introduction
I compare poetry to painting, believing that I lack any drawing/painting skills but believing my imagination and training in writing has enabled me to transfer my love of visual art to the written word
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
29th Jan 2025 9:12pm
29th Jan 2025 9:12pm
Secrets - Creaking Floorboards
They say that you and I never went to Vince Macarthur's house, only Gordon did. But I did go, and so did you. I remember the three of us going and I remember the house well. The faded curtains. The musty smells. The shabby carpets. The elusive dancing shadows behind the loose banisters on the staircase. The torn settee by a pile of dusty newspapers. The purple vase in the corner with a fine wiry pattern etched in the glasswork. The metal guard around the gas fire. Model aeroplanes in the sitting room. Spitfires. Lancaster Bombers.
The whole place had a dark and gloomy...
The whole place had a dark and gloomy...
#fear
#friendship
#memories #mystery
#memories #mystery
42 reads
2 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
25th Jan 2025 9:56pm
25th Jan 2025 9:56pm
Secrets - The Email
Email to Robert Holmes
Sent Friday 14 September
Sender: Lana Holmes
Subject: Greetings from Mom
Message: Robert, how wonderful it was to receive your email and hear all your exciting news. I'm so pleased you're enjoying school and still writing those beautiful animal stories of yours. Your teacher Miss Lyons sounds lovely. I'm so pleased everything's working out between you and Mel. I'm in the South of France with a girlfriend, but we'll try to fix something up. Not a word to your dad.
Take care and see if you can find a quick moment to write to me...
Sent Friday 14 September
Sender: Lana Holmes
Subject: Greetings from Mom
Message: Robert, how wonderful it was to receive your email and hear all your exciting news. I'm so pleased you're enjoying school and still writing those beautiful animal stories of yours. Your teacher Miss Lyons sounds lovely. I'm so pleased everything's working out between you and Mel. I'm in the South of France with a girlfriend, but we'll try to fix something up. Not a word to your dad.
Take care and see if you can find a quick moment to write to me...
#deception
#mystery
#separation
48 reads
3 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
23rd Jan 2025 3:47pm
23rd Jan 2025 3:47pm
Secrets - Kerry
Can't you get a taxi?' Mel says when I phone to tell her that I'm too drunk to drive home.
'It will cost a bit,' I say.
'A few pounds.'
'I just feel I should sort this business out with Gordon while I have the chance.'
'Fine. Well, have a nice evening with your friend.'
She hangs up on me. Definitely cross. I join Gordon in the pub again. He's sitting with a large group of twenty-somethings, professional looking people, in the main room, talking about the gym. The receptionist with the henna coloured hair is there, playing...
'It will cost a bit,' I say.
'A few pounds.'
'I just feel I should sort this business out with Gordon while I have the chance.'
'Fine. Well, have a nice evening with your friend.'
She hangs up on me. Definitely cross. I join Gordon in the pub again. He's sitting with a large group of twenty-somethings, professional looking people, in the main room, talking about the gym. The receptionist with the henna coloured hair is there, playing...
#BestFriend
#friendship
#mystery
35 reads
0 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
17th Jan 2025 9:01pm
17th Jan 2025 9:01pm
Secrets - A Tense Conversation
We sit on the car park wall opposite Gordon's studio flat. The night air has a calming effect that leaves me exhausted, although perspiration continues to stream from my forehead and down my face, soaking my jumper and t-shirt. I take off my jacket, place it by my feet. Seeing this, Gordon gives a nervous laugh.
'Hey, peace man. No hard feelings. I hope you're not going to ask me to fight you.'
'No,' I say.
'That's good 'cos I don't fight mates.'
Tiny stars dance before my eyes. I feel dizzy, as if my blood pressure's dropped suddenly....
'Hey, peace man. No hard feelings. I hope you're not going to ask me to fight you.'
'No,' I say.
'That's good 'cos I don't fight mates.'
Tiny stars dance before my eyes. I feel dizzy, as if my blood pressure's dropped suddenly....
#friendship
#memories
#mystery #risk
#mystery #risk
48 reads
3 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
14th Jan 2025 2:18pm
14th Jan 2025 2:18pm
Secrets - The Pub Evening
When he goes to the bar, I ring Mel. Her line's busy.
'Hey,' Gordon says when he comes back with the drinks. 'Get this down you.'
The din in the next room gets louder. Music blares from the jukebox. A group of girls in their early or mid-twenties stream into the room where we are sitting, with bottles of wine. They call out hello, then make their way back out to the main area of the pub, giggling among themselves. One of the girls turns round and blows a kiss at Gordon.
Gordon starts to say something, but I'm no longer listening, just...
'Hey,' Gordon says when he comes back with the drinks. 'Get this down you.'
The din in the next room gets louder. Music blares from the jukebox. A group of girls in their early or mid-twenties stream into the room where we are sitting, with bottles of wine. They call out hello, then make their way back out to the main area of the pub, giggling among themselves. One of the girls turns round and blows a kiss at Gordon.
Gordon starts to say something, but I'm no longer listening, just...
#conflict
#friendship
#memories
41 reads
0 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
8th Jan 2025 1:36pm
8th Jan 2025 1:36pm
Secrets - The Pub Evening (1)
After supper, I make the journey to Gordon's, reaching Burrington at around eight thirty. I park by an apartment block opposite the town's main car park, near the river. Gordon lives in a first floor studio flat, he told me yesterday on the phone. I press the buzzer.
'Hey, Al,' he says, grinning back at me when he appears in the ground floor lobby, more padded out than the last time we met. His hair's shorter and the blue t-shirt he has on shows off loads of muscle, more than before. His eyes are smiling too. I get the feeling he's dying to throw a punch at me just...
'Hey, Al,' he says, grinning back at me when he appears in the ground floor lobby, more padded out than the last time we met. His hair's shorter and the blue t-shirt he has on shows off loads of muscle, more than before. His eyes are smiling too. I get the feeling he's dying to throw a punch at me just...
#conflict
#friendship
#memories
68 reads
2 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
6th Jan 2025 9:09am
6th Jan 2025 9:09am
Secrets - Disagreement
What's up?' Mel says as I make a start of the supper. 'Is it about that bloke downstairs offering to teach Robert the harmonica?'
She's chosen her moment well. Robert's in the shower. 'Well,' I say. 'You saw how he was with Freddy.'
'He was just intrigued, that's all.'
'Yeah, I know. But I'm his dad.'
'Yes, and you’re a good dad.'
'Really?'
'Course you are.'
'Look, he doesn't speak to me. He blanks me all the time.'
'Me too,' Mel says. 'Listen, I've been thinking about it a lot...
She's chosen her moment well. Robert's in the shower. 'Well,' I say. 'You saw how he was with Freddy.'
'He was just intrigued, that's all.'
'Yeah, I know. But I'm his dad.'
'Yes, and you’re a good dad.'
'Really?'
'Course you are.'
'Look, he doesn't speak to me. He blanks me all the time.'
'Me too,' Mel says. 'Listen, I've been thinking about it a lot...
#childhood
#family
#memories
62 reads
3 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
27th Dec 2024 12:13pm
27th Dec 2024 12:13pm
Secrets - Freddy
The gym in Burrington draws me back and I go to see Gordon Day again. We arrange to get together for a drink at the weekend. Mel's far from happy when I tell her, especially as I promised her I wouldn't. Hoping to calm things, I take her and Robert out for dinner on Friday evening, sticking to soft drinks so she can enjoy a glass or two of wine with her pasta dish, but I can see she's concerned (and annoyed too) over my renewed contact with Gordon.
Saturday, we spend most of the day rambling near the hilly mill town of Hebden Bridge. The weather's warm and windy. Sunlight trickles...
Saturday, we spend most of the day rambling near the hilly mill town of Hebden Bridge. The weather's warm and windy. Sunlight trickles...
#friendship
#mystery
#risk
40 reads
0 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
20th Dec 2024 5:06pm
20th Dec 2024 5:06pm
Secrets - The Contact
Yeah, I have a secret journal. Case notes relating to you. After the crowbar attack, Lana asked me to let the past go – which I did. Maybe not entirely, though. When Lana left during the summer, I created the secret journal, encrypting the content for privacy.
The visit to your mother has got me thinking again.
The police, the possibility that they didn't follow through a crucial lead (according to your mother), and my own involvement with the police as an adult when I did something that I suppose would be against the law – technically, at least.
...
The visit to your mother has got me thinking again.
The police, the possibility that they didn't follow through a crucial lead (according to your mother), and my own involvement with the police as an adult when I did something that I suppose would be against the law – technically, at least.
...
#memories
#mystery
51 reads
0 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
14th Dec 2024 11:55am
14th Dec 2024 11:55am
Secrets - Haunted
I sleep badly, coming to often in the dark to the sound of banging pipes behind the walls and the night wind. Your mum's words to me at the house on Headersleigh Bridge replay each time I drift off, disturbing me again. You know perfectly well why the police came to see us, Alan. They had news for us. I wander over to the sink for a glass of water and switch on the television, leaving the volume on silent to avoid disturbing Robert. I sit wrapped in an old jacket, shivering. I wish Lana were here. I'm too tired to sleep, too tired to concentrate. I feel old.
I drift off again....
I drift off again....
#memories
#mystery
#risk
87 reads
3 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
9th Dec 2024 8:41am
9th Dec 2024 8:41am
Silent - Samantha
By the time I return to The Factory, the hall lights have come back on. I find Mel by the lift, fiddling with a fuse box, but there's no sign of Robert. I'm about to ask why Robert's upstairs on his own when Mel hears my footsteps, turns round and smiles. I nearly take a step back. The woman isn't Mel, just someone who resembles her, more in height than anything else. The girl, about my sister's age, maybe younger, has long dark brown hair and wears a blue top and pair of tight jeans. She has no shoes on. I would imagine she must be freezing.
'Hi there. You're new, aren't you?'...
'Hi there. You're new, aren't you?'...
#mystery
#risk
63 reads
5 Comments
FICTIONAL PROSE
Published
2nd Dec 2024 2:22pm
2nd Dec 2024 2:22pm
Secrets - Vow Of Silence
They say the bike race was my idea, that you and the others would have preferred to stay indoors that August Bank Holiday Monday. In the shade where it was nice and cool. But your mum agreed with me. It's a lovely day, she said, why don't you go out and play in the park before school starts again?
Except I lied, according to the evidence. I suggested the local park; that's true. But once we got out, I came up with the idea of going in the opposite direction, to Whaley Hill. Our parents didn't like us going to Whaley Hill, especially the reservoir at the top. They thought the hill...
Except I lied, according to the evidence. I suggested the local park; that's true. But once we got out, I came up with the idea of going in the opposite direction, to Whaley Hill. Our parents didn't like us going to Whaley Hill, especially the reservoir at the top. They thought the hill...
#childhood
#memories
#mystery #risk
#mystery #risk
68 reads
0 Comments
DU Poetry : Submissions by Lozzamus
