Stranger Stories

Mam and I have lived alone ever since Da died. I remember that day almost twenty five years ago as it were yesterday; there was a terrible storm and Da was outside fixing the tarpaulins covering the hay bales when a freak gust of wind uprooted the ancient oak tree beside the barn. Da was crushed under timbers from the barn and died a few hours later in hospital from his internal injuries. No one knew how old the oak tree...

The silence is what I hear every dayUnbroken sounds of whispers being heard from a distanceVoices of those I long to hear, yet are always so far awayA sound, a smash, or even a hello from a stranger to make the pain go awayYet each day returns to the beginningLike a never ending circle of unforgiving torment 

When I return from my work, Tired and exhausted, I see her standing, smiling, waiting for no one. I wave, excited, make familiar gestures, Oblivious to my gestures, she just stares. As though challenging me for a game, With a smile on my face, I partake in, Challenging her, staring right into her eyes, Within few seconds, I blink and I lose. Enlightened, you can’t win over her cuteness. She never smiles when I look at her...

My worst fear came true My daughter talked with a strangerDoes she really not have a clueI told her endlessly about danger All people are not considered niceSome would love to hurt youThis would be the ultimate priceI pray I have gotten through A stranger can be good lookingAnd want to be your friendThey will steal you for hookingOr kill you in the end She told a stranger 'hi'I saw her do this yesterdayThank God he was no...

The stranger came just as Giuseppe had finished spraying down the lab. The tables along three walls had become hazy green blurs, barely catching the light from the single bulb he had left lit. The dulled grey cabinets peering down at the tables stretched toward the ceiling in rows that quickly, almost unnoticeably, slipped out from sight. And no wonder, for high above him the walls drew together and created a lightless co...

Philip entered the airport café and slowly slid his gaze toward the people sitting at the tables. At first he didn’t notice anything interesting but just as he thought luck would abandon him this time, he caught a glimpse of an interesting object — quite interesting from the viewpoint of an experienced macho in search of a woman. The girl was sitting alone at one of the corner tables and was smoking nervously. She was in...

I pulled out the note from my pocket and looked at the address my colleague had jotted down. It turned out that I’m about twenty meters from the place. The building was old, with crumbling stucco walls and a richly graffitied entrance. It was obvious though that it had once looked beautiful and memorable, probably sixty or seventy years ago. The entrance door creaked pitifully as I pressed the handle. I was about to start...