Author: Lauren Thomas

“A picnic? It’s ten degrees outside!” She looked at her daughter and briefly considered putting her in front of her favourite cartoon. But then she thought of her parents. Gone too soon after a hurried childhood. “Go and get your favourite teddies.” She gathered up as many blankets as her arms could carry. Heated soup…

“Fairies exist.” She coughed against her coffee. A latte with a hazelnut shot. The same every day. “Don’t be ridiculous. People would see them.” “People do.” “What people?” “Children.” A memory flickered at the edge of her mind but her eye roll pushed it away. “Why children?” “They haven’t developed cynicism yet. It’s the barrier…

“Would you like a croissant?” “A what?” “A croissant?” “Why are you saying it like that?” “Like what?” “With that weird accent?” “I’m not saying it with an accent. It’s just a French word.” “You have literally put on an accent. You don’t say spaghetti bolognese with an Italian accent.” “Well no, because that would…

He watched them with a beatific smile on his face. The smile that some people thought they saw and that others pretended to see, squinting up with furrowed brows. He didn’t care if they saw him, didn’t care if they believed in him or not. He only cared that they lived good lives, that they…

He never said I love you. He never needed to. He said it in the way he pushed a heart shape into her bread before he toasted it. He said it in the way he posted a photo of their garden at dawn every Monday, tagging her and telling her to have the best week.…

Once upon a time there was a princess. Oh, and did we mention she was a cat? Perhaps we should have started with that. Once upon a time there was a cat, and she happened to be a princess. That’s better. Her father, the King, was on his deathbed. His final wish was for her…

“Catch!” The voice came from nowhere. Her hands instinctively went up, putting her palms outwards the way she always did, more concerned with protection than success. She felt something cold and hard against her skin and curled her fingers inwards. She had actually caught it. She grinned. When it started to pulse in her hands,…

“You know what you’re like?” She looked around, desperate for inspiration.“You’re like that dog over there.” “Are you calling me a bitch?” She could feel her frustration growing at this friend who for years only called her when she needed a shoulder to cry on. “What? That dog isn’t even female. What is it doing?”…

“Welcome to hell.” “Wait, what? No. No! There must be some mistake.” A sigh so heavy he heard it land on the table. An eyeroll so impressive he saw the greens of their eyes which he didn’t know existed. “Did you believe in heaven and hell?” “Well no, but…” “Then why do you believe a…

Out of the woods and onto the pathAvoid the witch with the wicked laugh She remembered the rhyme from her childhood whenever she found herself alone in the woods. Despite never feeling even a tap on her shoulder among the trees she still held her breath, still felt her pulse quicken along with her steps.…