DECEMBER 21 2013: Fragments

DECEMBER 21 2013: Fragments

NATIONAL SHORT STORY DAY

Debz Hobbs-Wyatt

and others …

When The Wind Changes

Robert scoops snow into his glove. He shapes it, pats it down and presses it into the face of the snowman. I’m not sure what it’s supposed to be, a nose perhaps, but everyone knows a carrot is best for that. He’s been building the snowman for twenty minutes, working systematically, rolling the body, then the head, placing twigs where its fingers are supposed to be. He only looked up once when the cat ran along the fence, Bill Broad’s big black cat. He steps back and I see his face. He’s remembering me. He’s remembering the last time we built a snowman and Dad took a photograph of us. Robert has the photograph now. He took it from my room. They tell one another that they never go in there, they can’t go in there. But they do. I’ve seen Mum with her face pressed into my dressing gown, as if she thinks she can fold herself into it and disappear. I’ve seen her running her fingers across my things, so lightly she’s afraid if she presses too hard something will break. Or maybe she’s afraid she will break…

About the Author(s)

This is an extract of a story by Debz Hobbs-Wyatt published in the collection You, Me & Bit of We published this year by Chuffed Buff Books and one of the excerpts published with some of the others on their website today in celebration of National Short Story Day!

I wanted to include this and hope that you will all follow the links to read some of the other extracts. It celebrates writing in the first and second person and is available on Amazon: BUY HERE

Read more of the excerpts here