The Bus – Unicorn Challenge

Copyright Ayr/Gray

The Unicorn Challenge.

A magical new weekly writing opportunity from her – Jenne Gray – and me.
Visit her blog every Friday to see the photo prompt, and post your amazing story in her comments section.
Or on your own blog, and stick the link down in her comments.
The rules are:
Maximum of 250 words.
Based on photo prompt.
That’s it.

To hear me read my story, just click here:

The Bus

They get on the bus in Port Grimaud.
Two pretty girls in short skirts and hooded tops.
Pretty enough for me to notice them but, at around sixteen years old, far too young to hold my attention.
I might not be perfect, but children, or near-children, are not among my vices.
In any case, I have other things on my mind, a story I’m working on, the fourth book in my (not very) acclaimed trilogy of post-apocalypse Scotland.
I don’t think about my plot problem, instead I remember the time I visited an acupuncturist and got home to find my voodoo doll dead.
Now I let my eyes drift out the window, enjoy the view of the beaches of the Côte d’Azur.
Across the Gulf of St Tropez is the little town celebrated as the home of legendary French actress Brigitte Bardot.
But I’m aware that something is not quite right, and feel a growing sense of unease, a vague gnawing inside.
A few miles along the coast, just before St Maxime, the girls stand, ding the bell.
As they move to the door they pull up hoods.
I get that familiar prickle on the back of my neck.
I realise that they are the source of my disquiet.
But they get off without incident, walk along the side of the bus.
As they pass below me, on impulse, I rap the window with a coin.
They pause, look up.
I stare down at two ancient, wizened faces.


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About ceayr

A Scot who has discovered peace in a small town he calls Medville on the Côte Vermeille, C.E. Ayr has spent a large part of his life in the West of Scotland and a large part elsewhere. His first job was selling programmes at his local football club and he has since tried 73 other career paths, the longest being in IT, with varying degrees of success. He is somewhat nomadic, fairly irresponsible and, according to his darling daughter, a bit random. So, nobody’s perfect.
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10 Responses to The Bus – Unicorn Challenge

  1. Pingback: Monsieur Keller – Tales from Glasgow

  2. Something was not at all right! I was surprised as you must have been when I discovered what you saw. Nice one.

  3. Chris Hall's avatar Chris Hall says:


    Oh, that was good. Definitely not expecting that!!

  4. jenne49's avatar jenne49 says:

    Your smiley recording made me smile too.
    You certainly know how to build up tension, right from the acupuncturist killing the voodoo doll, and on…
    Until…
    Not smiling now, spooked.

    (And you even managed to seamlessly fit in publicity for your (yes, it will be) acclaimed trilogy in four parts – AND Brigitte Bardot!)

  5. Pingback: The Bendy Bus – Tales from Glasgow

  6. Violet Lentz's avatar Violet Lentz says:

    This was a really deep write. That last line slays- wise beyond their years- wiser than they should ever have to be at that age. Brilliant writing.

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