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Colin Devonshire

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

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143 Stories

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Mates

The sound of a textbook slamming on a desktop silenced the class, even the two boys fighting in the corner. 'Pavlok and Jones, my office, now,' said the headmaster as he turned and stormed down the corridor. 'Idiot, now look what you've done,' said Ivan Pavlok. 'You started it, dickhead,' answered Paddy Jones. 'Because I got all the questions correct? That's what we are supposed to do.' The boys glared at each other, and the classmates sniggered as they dragged themselves off. 'You see the copse of trees over there? Your job is to rake all...

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Red Lipstick, Green Bananas

‘Leave me alone, please. I’ve had enough of you and this country,’ Micky said as he stormed to the garden and slumped onto a bench. ‘Oh, darling, come back and talk to me,’ Bell pleaded. Micky’s early retirement had not worked out as hoped. Before it started, his divorce in England had cost more than expected; a chunk of his stashed cash found its way to his ex-wife, who laughed all the way to “her” bank. Nevertheless, Micky had planned for a retired life at fifty, and he would come out on top. He thought his pension and savings would be ...

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Golden Boy

'Well, Sugar, it's your birthday soon. What do you want as a gift?' 'First, don't call me Sugar. It is not my name. It's the name you call all those bar sluts, when you can't recall their names.' 'Okay, okay, did you get out of bed on the wrong side this morning?' 'I was wrong getting in it at all.' 'Let's start again. Pim, I'm sorry if I've upset you. I mean it. Please tell me what you want for your birthday?' 'Look, Harry, what I want, you can't give me. So forget it.' 'How about dinner in the Landmark Hotel? You love it there.' 'I'm not g...

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My E-Type

I'm sitting, at the edge of a pedestrian crossing, thinking, wishing. The bench is uncomfortable, and the vandals have ripped off the names of the people who donated the seat. I remember it was grandparents who came and waited for their loved ones. But now splinters burst from the hole where the named plaque once hung proudly. It is sunny and chilly, but a good day to be outside unless you have nothing to do. The junior school bounced and rocked behind me, as it did in my day. The children are making a racket; okay, it is playtime, I supp...

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What A View

'Twenty-five years ago today, I stood here and marvelled at this view,' Mark said. 'Have you not been since that day?' Peggy asked. 'No, dear. That was the first and last time, until today, of course.' Mark pulled his flask from his backpack and slugged it back. He was not offering Peggy a taste of his Thai whisky. Mark did look her way; she shook her head. He shook the container; there was a little left. 'What now? Are we eating our picnic or walking?' asked Peggy. 'It would be a shame to bring you all this way if we didn't enjoy the sigh...

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Come To Bed

'I've got a plan,' Christy said to her mirror. She didn't expect an answer. Instead, her smile cheered her as the girl clambered into bed. She hunted for her mother's copy of Agatha Christie's "Ordeal Of Innocence". 'Here you are,' she pulled the well-thumbed copy from under her pillow. Like several of Christie's heroes, Christy wants to be a private investigator. But, before that, she would have to finish school, train as a police officer, and then as a detective. Christy huffed at the thought of years of training. But then, she fell aslee...

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Happy Pumpkin?

'It is Halloween. Why did you give the pumpkin a smile?' said Bert. His wife turned back to her sculpture, a grinning winter squash with a kitchen knife embedded in its eye. At least it was happy. 'That eye is smaller than that one,' said Bert. 'Yes, dear, but I haven't finished yet,' said Dorothy. Her back was to her husband. She dared to look at the ceiling. 'Hurry up. The children will be here soon. Next year buy at least two pumpkins; then, when you make a mess of one, you can try again.' He slammed his newspaper against the wall. Doroth...

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Did I Dream That?

The train rattled. The passengers didn’t. Those sitting were reading newspapers or playing with their phones. Those standing had thoughts of their own. No one talked. A briefcase tipped, ‘Shit’ said its owner, bending and standing it between his legs. No one cared or even looked, me included, my eyes were watching branches as we rushed by. My watch told me I’d be late for my appointment. “Must not keep the professor waiting” the nurse stressed. I turned my head remembering. ‘I shot an eighty, last time I played golf there,’ I whispered to my...

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Just Dreaming

‘This can’t be bad can it?’ There was no answer from Mark’s girlfriend. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady. Why wouldn’t it be? Her legs were stretched, and her toes reached the gentle slap of baby waves trying to tickle her calves. A seagull screeched its presence above them. ‘He must be looking for food? Sorry bird, we have nothing for you.’ He wanted to adjust his seating but he didn’t want to disturb Lek. Mark was sitting with one arm buried in the sand supporting his upper body. His legs were straight with Lek’s head res...

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Where Do I Come From?

‘Where I come from, women are equal to men. Gays are accepted. What more do you want?’ 'Yeah, but that is not true. My mum is not equal to my dad.’ ‘Did your mum say that, or your dad?’ ‘Neither said it. I just know.’ ‘Really, how so?’ ‘Dad earns more.’ ‘Does that mean he is better?’ ‘No, but…’ ‘In your house is everyone equal?’ ‘No, if I want to watch something on tv, I can’t if football is on.’ ‘So, your dad is in charge of the telly?’ ‘He bought it, so, I suppose he is.’ ‘What if your mum wanted to watch a romance film, but the football i...

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The Handsome Man

‘Hello, handsome man, come inside, please. Oh, it’s you.’ Her fake smile was now a real snarl. A stooped figure ducking behind the bar opened the fire exit door. The back door closed soundlessly. ‘Yes, it is me.’ He nodded. ‘Where is he going?’ ‘Who knows? He is the boss, I don’t ask him what he is doing. Was he expecting you?’ ‘Get him.’ She fiddled with the shoulder strap of her bikini top and stepped down from the tall stool she had been perched. Without a word, she turned away and marched through the empty bar to the back door. Her cut-...

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Under The Roundabout

‘Leave my daughter alone. You filthy layabout.’ A young mother snatched the toddler away from Peggy the Bag. ‘She fell from the swing, I was helping her up.’ Peggy said cringing. The mother squared up to Peggy. The bag lady fell to the playground floor, and covered her head, expecting a kicking. The teenage mum spat and stormed to her daughter, who ran and was huddled and crying under the slide. Peggy turned her head, she saw something glinting under the roundabout. She spotted Old Gil laying on the grass next to his favourite bench di...

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Slim or No Chance

“We are running out of time,” said Stu. He upped the pace of his jog. His snub nose pistol was working its way loose in his waistband. “Relax, we’ve got ages,” answered Alex, “Watch you don’t drop the shooter.” Stu grabbed for his weapon as it cartwheeled towards the runway. The blast stunted Stu; it killed Alex. Stu collapsed next to his friend. He tried and failed to shake life back into him. The hole in the front of his face was not for talking or eating. The hole at the back of his head was bigger and splintered the skull. Stu wanted to ...

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I Can See Him

“I can see it now. It’s in my mind, there can’t you see?” “No, honey, I can’t see something you are imagining,” Brent said. He squirmed on his chair, holding his wife’s hand. A nurse popped her head in, “Everything alright with Julie?” “No change in her, I’m afraid. I must go, do you think she’ll notice?” “We do not know what she is thinking. But, at least she is usually smiling.” Brent collected his briefcase packed with his university’s papers. “Sorry, I have to read all this tonight. See you tomorrow?” “Yes, I’ll be here," sai...

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Bunkered

“What the? This is not my room. How did I get here?” Police Detective Jennings struggled to shake himself awake. Was he still dreaming? He shook the spiders from his gummed eyes. Peering through sand grains, he noticed his walls were light blue. “They are not that colour?” There was a strange electronic thing on his bedside table. His trusty alarm clock had disappeared, the electric box suddenly lit up, and the radio tuned. He knew it was seven o’clock. The wardrobe wasn’t his, the clothes inside wouldn’t fit. And there was only men’s stuff....

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