Up Round at the Tavern by the River’s Edge

A neat row of bottles stood proudly on their display shelf behind the bar of Dorrily river tavern.Locals who gossip in forever rounding circles of weather and fading memories, invariably wander towards the realm of drunken speculation as the night grows tired. What was the actual difference between a king’s pint and a double half-pint, … Continue reading Up Round at the Tavern by the River’s Edge →

Up Round the Chamber of Damned Souls

‘There are snakes in his blood my dear!’ Miska the alchemist danced through the room with a flurry of unexpected jerks and shudders. ‘I see them under the skin, twisting in the veins of this poor lad; Kara om shi-la-la, they simply must be removed’ Her wild eyes widened with unfocused intensity, looking to almost … Continue reading Up Round the Chamber of Damned Souls →

Up round where barrels are made

Angus Craddic was in a barrel. He hadn’t always been in a barrel but now, in this moment, he was vividly aware that he was, without a shadow of a doubt, sitting in something that very much resembled a barrel. A cooper, or barrel maker by another name, Angus moved with the enthusiasm of a … Continue reading Up round where barrels are made →

Up round where things start and end- A Horse’s Story

… And, a horse was foaled, one windy day late into winter. Of this day, a frightened mare, thought only of the wind: the strong gale that rattled her wooden barn and kicked up small cuts of hay into the air like dust lost in dance. She will remember this wind not for its strength … Continue reading Up round where things start and end- A Horse’s Story →

Up round by the farm on the hill

George Halthorpe heaved against the still weight of his broken wagon. This simple cart had survived nearly 10 years of pottering to and from the farm, and although the left wheel had a bit of a wobble about it, George was rather attached to the old thing. With a thunk, and a twinge in his … Continue reading Up round by the farm on the hill →