Room 2D

Story from Februs 31.   Colin Weaver’s sequel to  The Institute Girl The stretch of pavement in front of the Birley Institute is about fifty yards long. Lucinda Horton had walked along it twice, and was in the middle of her third preoccupied perambulation when she became aware that someone had fallen into step beside her. She turned her head and looked into the pale, plump, bespectacled face of a fiftyish man with the general appearance of an undertaker’s chief clerk. ‘I was wondering’,’ said the man, with a grimace meant for a smile, ‘if you were — er — looking for business, love?’ After a moment’s stunned surprise, understanding came to her, and the expression on her face was obviously an adequate answer. The man backed away hastily ‘Sorry!’ he said. ‘My mistake! No offence meant!’ He was almost running as he turned away and crossed the road. Staring after him, Lucinda uttered two explicit words which would have...

From Blushes 55 with Wendy Collings Arlene looked idly at the shelves, the books. Mr Filchard had an awful lot of books. Or more accurately a lot of awful books she thought, picking out a title here and there and frowning as she did so. Nothing remotely readable, not what you’d enjoy reading. All dry as withered old bones. The books you’d expect a tutor to have in fact; probably Mr Filchard himself was like a withered old bone himself.  Why did she have to be here?  To have some of these awful old books drilled into her was the answer. English, French, Eng. Lit. Oh Christ. What she needed instead of that was to see Mark. Her boyfriend. See him and get some action. But her mother said… Arlene turned, frowning still, sauntering over to the large window. Outside there was Mr Filchard’s garden bright in the afternoon sunshine. ----//---- Arnold Filchard observing her through a little spyhole made for this purpose at con...