The sharp cold wind slicing like a knife was what brought Ryan back to consciousness. He didn’t open his eyes straight away, not because his tears had frozen his eyelashes into unbreakable ice zippers, but rather because consciousness takes its time to come back and remind the mind and body of what happened before. So the return was slow, and the man’s baffled brain couldn’t tell what was reality ...

Emily eyed her mother fixedly as she poured some sugar in her tea. She noticed how unusually fast Mrs Bennett mixed it, spilling a few drops on the table, usually a sign that her mother was uneasy or even angry. But Emily didn’t care. For the first time she didn’t care. The decision was made even if the whole world came down with Joyce Bennett’s rage.

‘Is that really what you want, Emily?’ she s...

I heard their buzz far away even though those people were right there next to me. They were fighting for my life, unaware that I didn’t want to fight for it. I couldn’t tell which was worse: my body pain or my soul pain. All I knew was that I didn’t want to survive because I’d never again be able to trust people.

———-

Just a year before I had been handed to the local kennel. I was a nice Christm...

I have always been told I give people some comfort in their last moments. But I’ve never really seen it that way. In my mind I am a liar. I tell them something I know isn’t going to happen. I am an ICU nurse so death is constantly around. Reminding me how powerful and ruthless it is. When I see people coming, in I know that unless a miracle happens - and by the way, I don’t believe in miracles - m...

I had finished my degree so, like so many other post-graduates, I was struggling to find my first job. When Mrs Harris called me for an interview at her place, I jumped for joy. The job spec required someone who could take care of her daughter, Lisa, a girl in her early teens, who suffered from a mental disorder. No previous experience required.

Mrs Harris was a very friendly lady, in her early t...

“I want the divorce, Robert. I can’t live like this anymore.” Sarah moaned painfully. They had been married for 25 years. It was her hardest decision ever, but after realising the old Robert wouldn’t come back, Sarah had no choice.

“It’s ok, Sarah, I’ll sign all the papers. I won’t make a fuss.” Robert said, his eyes glued to the computer screen. Sarah’s heart ached further as tears filled up her...

“Please sign this form.” the assistant told Frank, giving him a pen. “We cannot be held responsible for whatever happens to you if this experiment fails.”

Frank shrugged his shoulders and accepted the pen. He had always been a nobody for the government even though he had paid a terrible price in the war in Iraq. He had served his country and for what? To come back to a wife who immediately asked ...

After a very pleasant gondola trip, my wife and I decided to go have a drink at one of those crowded restaurants sweltering with the excitement of the millions of tourists that regularly visit Venice.

“Please just get me a coke for now, hun. I need to go to the toilet.” my wife said as she dropped her handbag with me and walked away.

The waitress gave me the menu and as I babbled an awkward ‘Gra...

Melody caressed the cold, smooth steel with both hands, tears in her eyes. Dr Morris smiled at her, equally moved. Melody had been her patient for twenty years since that fateful day when she suffered the accident that would throw her to a wheelchair. It was hard, so hard at the beginning when they both realised the only thing left to do was to amputate her both legs that had been smashed by that ...

“I’ll do mouth to mouth, go get the oxygen mask.” I asked my team, approaching the man running short of breath on the floor. I started my task but a few seconds later I declared the man dead. His time had arrived and nobody really knew it was me.

“I am really sorry. I will inform the family, don’t worry.” I said covering the dead body with a white sheet. Calling the families was always something...