It’s a redundant phrase. I’ve lived my entire life being careful, preserving myself in pursuit of reaching old age; I don’t need to be told. But the words are not a command, they are a reminder. There is danger. There are monsters lurking in the shadows. Every evening stroll and…

Unavoidable love: An apology Dear me, I know it’s been a while since we caught up. I hope you’ve been keeping okay, despite everything. Things have changed so much for me recently and I’d really love to get back in touch, if you’re ready. I know I’ve put you through…

I lay in bed, my teenage body exhausted from sporadic outbursts of anger and a constant state of crippling embarrassment. My eyes had fixed themselves onto the black flowers stencilled onto the walls of my childhood bedroom, a frequent focal point of mine on these Saturday mornings, as my mind…

Thirty minutes to go before we reach Trowell services and go our separate ways. Heading North for the festive period was always the plan, but the circumstances of the past year forced us to leave earlier, move out entirely, in a manic blur. It was the end of the world…

Cleo’s long slender fingers tore at the toast in front of her. The dexterity she’d gained from three years of piano-playing allowed her to break off bite size pieces with one hand, securing her baby with the other. The tips of her fingers had been painted somewhere between two and…

The Peak District is always beautiful, regardless of the weather. Even the dullest of days feels brighter when you watch the rain bouncing off the surface of the Ladybower reservoir, and in every pub there’s a glowing fire ready to defrost your bones as you sip a well-earned pint. From…

Aging Gerascophobia It’s coming. It doesn’t happen all at once, it creeps up on you; that’s what gives it power. It is the silent killer. First, you’ll catch yourself cancelling plans to spend all weekend weeding the garden. Next, you’ll be avoiding foods that have a high salt content. Before…

I have no idea how tall he was. In my mind’s eye he is tall, larger than life with excellent posture, but I could be remembering him the way we all saw him rather than as he really was. He was always dressed properly- it’s hard to imagine him slobbing…

She fought to hold the position, wishing for anything to distract her mind from the messages sprinting up from her shaking muscles, insisting there must have been a mistake, they belong inside a human and not a plank of wood. It was the longest 60 seconds of her day. Arms…