Explore More #Pegman

Niobe took a deep breath and looked around, Turkey was not as she had imagined it to be. Then again, none of the other countries she had visited had been.

Tourists and the media only showed you a friction of a place. To really understand a country, you had to walk the poorest streets, look deep into the history and visit the lesser well known places.

Niobe would do all that then post it on the internet for all to see. Then perhaps, she could change the misconceptions about places and inspire others to explore more.

(Inspired by; https://whatpegmansaw.com/2018/06/16/what-pegman-saw-turkey/ with thanks).

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One Shot

When she picked up the email her heart leaped. This was her chance to prove she could do it and move on from being a plain old receptionist. This job interview was her ticket through a new door and only goodness lay at the other side.

She spent the rest of the day preparing; getting her clothes sorted, reminding herself of what she wrote in her job application, writing down questions and answers and even internet researching things. She felt so ready and like the job was her’s no matter what.

Laying in bed that night though, she couldn’t sleep. Her stomach churned like fish heads in a mincing machine, her back ached as if she was laying on a wooden board and her head swim like a whirlpool. She plucked thoughts out of the air as they whizzed passed; what if they asked a really weird question? what if she messed up a big answer? What if someone else was stronger then her?

She saw the job slipping away from her, like ice melting and trickling out of her hands. Sitting up in bed, she turned on the light and reached for one of the self-help books by her bed. She had recently shuffled them so the one about succeeding in interviews and a new job was at the top. Finding her place, she read for awhile. That give her some comfort.

Sleeping well afterwards, she arose in the morning and went about everything as normal. There were large, scratching butterflies in her stomach and her back was still twinging, but she got by. Then it was finally time to get ready and leave. Reminding herself that the job was as good as her’s already, She give it her all and walked out afterwards on a new path.

Dear Diary #30

Dear Diary,

I’m ill again. It’s another cold. How is it possible to get two colds within four weeks? I don’t know! I’m off work for another day and I’m all ready feeling bored. I can’t concentrate on reading my book as I’m coughing and sneezing too much and daytime TV shows are unexciting like a broken roller coaster. There’s nothing else I can do though!

My little furry dogs have taken to keeping my feet warm and nuzzling me after every cough or sneeze attack. So sweet of them but there’s nothing they can do to make me feel better. Just got to get over it again.

I wish I could stay on the sofa all day, dozing and mocking people on TV whilst collecting piles of soggy tissues and empty cup stacks on the table. But I have to attempted to go out later, have a shopping list of things to get and do. That parcel still needs collecting from last week, I’ve got letters to post, light bulbs and birthday cards to buy.

Why are so many people I know born in February? At least I don’t have to go and buy presents, did all that last night, thank God for the internet. Luckily, I’ve not been invited to any parties either. Hate going to them when I’m ill or just getting over things.

Maybe I should go look online and see if there’s any quick cures for colds. It’s doubtful but might be useful.

Post It Note #29

She studied her list and checked it twice. Who else did she need to buy Christmas presents for now? Circling the names, she went on the internet and searched for hours. However, she only manged to cross a few more people off. Shopping online had it’s draw backs too.

Creepy Clown (Part 2)

Heavenly paused at her bedroom window. Her room faced the back garden which was only a small square of short grass framed by tall dark brown fencing. Evening had all but turned to night, but enough of the neighbors’ house lights were on to see by.

Heavenly looked out, she saw a cat walking on a wall a few gardens down and the wind blowing harder through bushes and tall plants. Over her garden wall, she could just see the alleyway that ran between the rows of terraced houses then the next line of houses’ back gardens. Nothing else was moving , so she let the curtain fall and turned away.

She walked out of her room, cross the hallway, passed the bathroom and into her mum’s room. There she went to the window and drew in a deep breath before gently opening the gap in the middle of the drawn curtains. Peering out, her breath held as she looked down on the street. Nothing was moving, but the wind which she could just about hear.

‘There’s nothing out there,’ Heavenly spoke aloud, ‘it’s all in your mind. And that clown was just trying to scare you and nothing more.’

Letting the curtain slipped from her fingers, Heavenly closed the gap. Turning she, tightening her fists then releasing them. Trying to push the event out her mind, she let her mum’s room and went back to her own. She got changed out of her high school uniform into fluffy PJ’s.

Putting some other clothes away, she caught her reflection in the wardrobe mirror. Her long curly dark blonde hair was a mess. She took it down then re-put it up again. Her pale and freckled face was flushed deep pink with the cold and the run. She pushed her purple framed glasses further up her nose then closed the wardrobe door.

Heavenly then picked up her shoulder bag and dug around in it. She took out her empty plastic lunchbox, school text books, notebooks and pencil case. Picking up the lunchbox, she weighed it in her hands and glanced over at the curtained window.

Just one more check…. she thought.

Slowly, she went to the window and slipped her fingers down the end of the curtain to peer around one side. The gap was too small. Heavenly pulled the corner back more and looked harder. The cat was now walking across her fence. The ginger moggy sure footed as it balanced its way across.

Heavenly looked down both sides as far as she could see.

‘There’s nothing there!’

She dropped the curtain and hurried out of her room and downstairs. She turned right into the kitchen and dumped her lunchbox next to the sink. She got and drink a glass of water then turning around spotted a scrap of paper on top of the cooker. Going over, she found and read a note from her mum;

Hi sweetie, pie and chips in the oven. Please take the washing out of the machine and I’ll see you in the morning. Love you, Mum x.      

For the first time in months, Heavenly wished her mum wasn’t working nights at the hospital. Right now, she didn’t want to be alone. Heavenly dropped the note on the work top and looked down at the oven. She could feel the slight heat coming off the glass still. With a sigh, she opened the door and took out her food.

Grabbing a can of cola, Heavenly went into the living room to eat. She turned on the TV and put on the news. She ate quickly, wanting to go to her bedroom, lock the bolt on her door and do her homework. Finishing up, she was about to turn the TV off when a news report stopped her.

‘The sightings of clowns throughout England continue to grew.’

The breathe caught in her throat and Heavenly became fixed on the TV screen. The male news reporter continued, ‘the craze which has been happening in America over the last few years every October has started here. People have reported seeing scarily dressed clowns outside of schools, shops and their homes. Police have stated they are looking into it and ask people to stay away and report all sightings to them.’

Heavenly swallowed and whispered, ‘clowns…’

She turned the TV off and flopped back against the sofa. Taking a few deep breaths, she shut her eyes. Straight away, she saw that clown sat silently on the swing and the red balloon tied to the bench.

Heavenly cried out and snapped open her eyes. Abandoning everything she fled upstairs and into her room. She slammed the bolt on the door home and took a few deep breaths. Going to her bed, she gathered her school things and sat down at her desk. Turning on her computer, she flipped through her homework diary and debated what to start work on.

However, as soon as the computer and the internet home page had loaded, Heavenly typed into the search engine; Clowns England News. 

Straight away millions of results appeared;

‘Killer Clown’ Craze.

‘Creepy Clowns’ Invade UK.

Girl aged 10 threaten by creepy clown outside school.

Creepy clowns sightings on the raise.

Seen a creepy clown? Here’s what you should do.

Clowns in outrage over misconduct by ‘creepy clowns’.

‘Wow,’ Heavenly breathed.

She clicked and opened up a few news pages and began reading. A dozen or so websites later, Heavenly had to stop, her mind was freaking out and all she could think about was what if the clown had caught her? What would he have done to her…

Heavenly felt the panic raising within her. She dived into her bed and buried herself under the duvets. She tried to collect herself, but she was crying already. Taking in big gulps of air which didn’t seem to help, she wiped her face and thought about calling the police. Just like most of the articles had stated. Calming herself and turning things over in her mind, she thought about other things for a few moments.

Shaking her head, Heavenly felt like laughing at herself. Reaching the conclusion that the clown had meant to do nothing but scare her and it was a Halloween prank, she dropped the whole thing.

‘This is just silly,’ she finally said aloud and threw the bedding off.

She got up and went boldly to the window. Yanking back the curtains she looked outside. It was totally dark out there now. Heavenly stared hard, trying to see anything at all.

A neighbor’s security light flashed on. Heavenly blinked away sudden blindness. Something moved on the other side of her fence. The ginger moggy? Heavenly pressed her face against the cold window and watch as a red balloon bobbed into view.

To Be Continued…

Date #2

Standing at the train station, I checked my phone for the hundredth time. Still no texts or calls even though the arrival board said his train was due in a few minutes. I tapped my phone to my lips and looked at the forever changing list of destinations and times. Then my phone pinged and I hurriedly checked it.

Here, the text message read.

I looked around, trying to recall his photos on the dating website. He had glasses and dark hair, I think. And a wonky smile, at least it had looked that way.

My phone pinged again. Where R U? 

Glancing around, I texted back, Outside W .S. Smith’s.

Then moving towards it, I lent against the window and looked hard at the people passing me by. It was hard to pick a single face out from the crowd as everyone was moving quickly. A man in  a business suit carrying a briefcase strolled by as if on some important mission. A tried looking middle aged woman dragged her crying child behind her whilst pulling a suitcase in the other hand. A group of chatting teenagers flapped by, their colourful clothes a nice difference amongst the normal blacks, whites, blues and greys of the workers.

I saw him. Or at least it seemed to be him. Standing outside another shop, looking confused and checking his phone. He did have short black hair and large glasses on. I debated going over and ran though what I’d say if it wasn’t him in my head. Pulling a face, I risked it and walked over.

‘Ben?’ I said.

He looked up, ‘yes?’

‘Harriet. Nice to meet you,’

‘Yeah, erm you too,’ he uttered.

‘Let’s go. I thought we’d take the free bus some of the way and the rest is only a short walk to the art gallery,’ I explained.

‘Sure.’

I paused, having heard his tone of voice.

‘Or we can do something else if you want? There’s lots to do in Manchester,’ I added with a smile.

He shook his head and rubbed his fingers over the screen of his phone, ‘It’s fine, whatever you want to do.’

‘Are you sure?’

He looked at me properly for the first time and sighed deeply, ‘To be honest I thought you were going to be a man.’

‘Huh?

He shrugged then ran a hand through his hair.

‘Why would you…?’ I trailed, not sure what to even think.

‘You know what the internet is like. Anyway, I’m glad you’re not.’

‘Erm…thanks, I guess, mmmm,’ I spoke then we fell into silence.

Around us everyone still seemed to be in a hurry to either get to a train or get out off the station. It remind me of the sea and waves rolling back and forth. I saw more business people, groups of young people and families each locked in their own world with only their destination on their minds.

‘I’m just glad that’s all,’ Ben suddenly said.

‘What?’ I asked turning back to him.

‘About not being a man…I’m glad you turned out to be you.’

I shook my head slightly, still feeling confused about this whole conversation.

‘So…’ he muttered.

‘Oh, yeah, the bus. Come on,’ I gushed.

Turning, I walked out of the station and he had to double step to keep my pace. A part of me wonder if I should ditch him right now. Could I make up some story he’d believe on the spot? I had a headache? I felt sick? My gran was locked out of her house and I was the only one close with a spare key?

The bus was at the stop awaiting us and I just couldn’t say anything to him. We joined the three people queuing to get on. I held my hands together, toying with my ring. There was something comforting about the feel of the ring against my skin.

I looked at him and realised he was a head shorter then me. He was wearing a plain green polar shirt and jeans. He was also playing with his phone again and it looked like was texting someone. He was probably telling whoever it was the good news that I wasn’t a man!

We got on the bus and sat awkwardly down together. I thought about grilling him about his past girlfriends or if he’d meet up with anyone else from the dating website yet. I tossed my wheat coloured hair back off my shoulder and looked down at him. Ben was still looking at his phone, now checking a social media site.

‘So, is this your first time in Manchester?’ I asked.

He nodded, but didn’t looked up.

‘And…did you get here okay? Was the train busy?’ I  added.

He shrugged, ‘it was okay, I guess.’

I pressed my lips together and waited for him to ask me something. When he didn’t, I looked out of the window and watched the city centre going by. The stop we wanted couldn’t come soon enough. We got off the bus and I led the way to the roman temple style building. He seemed totally uninterested.

I opened the door of the art galley and walked in. The gentle smell of old paint, dust and cleaning stuff chased away the air pollution. I didn’t stop at the reception desk, but went right up the grand stone staircase. The walls were lined with a large 1800’s paintings, depicting all kind of things. I carried on going, right to the top and into the rooms that were marked 1600’s.

Not bothering to see if he had followed me, I started looking at the paintings. Moving from each in turn after a few moments of taking them in, I sensed he was following me and I wondered if trying to engage him in talk about the paintings would work. I stole a few glances at him and saw he was still looking at his phone. What’s with this guy?

‘What do you think of this one?’ I asked nodding my head to a scene from the Bible.

He looked up at the painting and at me, ‘I don’t believe in any of that,’ he said.

‘Even if you don’t, it’s still interesting to look at,’ I pointed out.

‘I guess…’

‘What art do you actually like?’

He frowned as he thought, ‘any, I don’t mind.’

‘Really?’ I drawled.

He nodded and looked around the room, ‘Maybe not these though…’

I stared at him through narrowed eyes then turning, walked away. I wondered through the other rooms then went downstairs. We walked through some more galleries then I guess he must have found something that interested him. I looked around, not spotting him. Then I checked the room I had just left and he wasn’t there either.

Shrugging, I went to sat down a low wooden bench then decided I needed the bathroom. I looked towards the doorway again and he really wasn’t there. I thought about backtracking and going to find him to tell him. The hell with it. I walked out of the room, into another where there was a sign showing the way to the toilets.

I followed it around the corner, down some steps and into another corner. Just as I had sat down, my phone rang. I dug it out of my bag and looked. He was phoning me! I went to answer, my phone flashed no signal and the call was cut off.

He called again, my phone rang loudly. However, as I went to answer it the same thing happened. I tried to send him a text, but it wasn’t liking that either. Putting my phone in my bag, I went to wash my hands. The phone started ringing again, but I ignored it. my ring tone cut out again.

I walked out of the bathroom and back into the gallery I was in before. He standing in the middle, looking wildly about like a child that had lost his parent.

‘Hi, sorry. Had to nip to the-‘

‘Where did you go? Why didn’t you tell me? I thought you’d left,’ he shouted.

‘It’s okay. I couldn’t find you and I had to got to the loo. I’m sorry,’ I said in a low voice, aware that an older couple were staring and so was a young Japanese woman.

‘You didn’t even bother to find me did you? You could have text me or something. I really thought you’d gone and I told you I don’t know Manchester. Why would you do that?’ he rushed loudly.

‘I had to pee,’ I hissed at him, I grabbed his wrist and tried to led him out of the room.

We were now getting very disapproving looks.

‘Let me go!’ he cried and snatched his arm back, ‘I’ve changed my mind. I want to leave!’

‘Okay, okay,’ I said, ‘that way then,’

I turned and walked out, down the stairs and through the double doors. Standing on the doorstep, the sounds and smells of the city came back to us. I took a few deep breaths and felt the calm of the art gallery leaving me.

‘Which way’s the train station?’ he asked.

‘That way,’ I pointed down the long road which ended in a three way crossing.

‘You’ll have to take me,’ he puffed.

Growling under my breath, I stalked off. Ben followed in my wake. I took him back to the train station, which was just as busy as when we had arrived. Pushing through people, I led him to the timetable board. He looked up, muttering under his breath.

‘See you then,’ I said.

‘Okay,’

‘Get home safe,’ I added.

He mumbled something then said louder, ‘bye’ and walked off into a crowed of school children.

I watched for a few seconds as the world of the train station moved around me. I shut my eyes, took a few deep breaths then headed outside again, glad that it was over.

Getting Away

The weather was getting warmer, the kids were playing outside more and nature was almost fully changed into her summer colors. Passion felt the urge get away for a couple of weeks. Somewhere hot, sunny and a good spot for cute boys. She scrolled through the listings on the internet, not feeling drawn to any holiday place.

Clicking on the next page, she saw an ad for a Mediterranean cruise. Interested, she tapped on it and watched the page load. Perhaps, her mind began to think, that was what she needed, but would there be any single boys? She frowned, puzzling over that thought. Though having a summer fling on a cruise ship would be interesting. What deals do they have?  

Dear Diary #21

Dear Diary, why am I so fascinated by the Suicide Forest in Japan?

I watched another online video today of four young men exploring the place. It was raining and you could hear the rain dripping off the trees. There seemed to be no birds or any other animals in the background, just the men walking and talking to the camera. The forest was mega wild and they said the ground was made of fallen trees, roots and undergrown plants. It looked almost like an evil fantasy forest.

They found three broken umbrellas then a camping spot where two light green single person tents were still intact. Off to the side, were the remains of a small camping fire, badly damped by the heavy rain. An empty rucksack lay beside the first tent, the zips all undone. A white baseball cap was behind the second tent and there was a scattering of Japanese sweet packets.

They looked into the tents and I held my breath believing they were about to discover someone, but there was only litter and water. They even searched the area, though they claimed the video wasn’t about them looking for bodies…but I guess if you came across an abandoned tent in the middle of a forest will known for suicides then you’d want to know what happened to the person.

I sort of want to know too, but I think it’s clear what happened…

I want to go, more desperately then before. I want to know why people are driven there and why they decide they don’t want to live. Plus, there are all these claims about it being haunted and not just by the souls of those poor people, but by evil spirits that lure people in. Okay, maybe I’ve seen too many movies, but there must have been something that started the stories, there always is. Maybe, it would be a good thing for my PhD? And it’d give me a reason to go…Though this would be the third ‘haunted’ place I’ve submitted in my applications. But from a psychologic point of view, it’s just super interesting.

Hopefully, my fascination will die down soon enough, but right now I’m going to start a new application and see what the universities think about it. Maybe, there’s a reason why I’m so attracted to these creepy place? Perhaps, I need to do some mind testing on myself!

Weaving Hearts

She liked the photos on the internet,

So she went and found a pattern

Then she began making them and couldn’t stop.

**********

If you want to make these you can find them here : http://craftsanity.com/2011/02/craftsanity-on-tv-woven-felt-heart-basket-tutorial/

Postcard #11