Lawrence Harding

Of Crosswords and Eternity

“Must you do that now, Brainbox?” Witsith didn’t look up from the book of crosswords they were puzzling over. “It keeps me sharp.” Feodore scoffed. “Well, in that case you’d better be sharp now. Perse is pretty sure we’ve found the last puzzle.” Witsith heaved themselves to their feet and pocketed their crosswords. It wasContinue reading “Of Crosswords and Eternity”

Clocking Off on the Mortal Coil

Keith Tompkins, ReAP Representative and Psychompomp Third Class, watched his latest client walk away. They walked slowly and carefully, peering about as if in a fog. The Avenue unfolded before them, all grey cobblestones and slate stone walls. Whoever had designed the road to the afterlife up in Head Office had a severe lack ofContinue reading “Clocking Off on the Mortal Coil”

A Special Kind of Map

“You know what this means?” Greamas looked seriously at their two companions. “We have to go into Chaos.” They paused for effect, but Siopha and Lemmant didn’t react much so they continued on. “It won’t be easy. The Chaos Realm is utterly directionless. One step forward and you could be lost forever.” “Oh? So howContinue reading “A Special Kind of Map”

Unfinished Business

Drip. Drip. Drip. That’s all I can hear. All I’ve heard, for so long. All I might ever hear. Drip. Drip. Drip. The sound that killed me. I lay there for days before they found me, at the bottom of the stairs in the cellar. All the while, the tap in the corner drip-drip-dripped. MockingContinue reading “Unfinished Business”

An Empty Vision

What could one see in the vast beyond through the veil, when even reality itself tore open in an explosion of quantum? Nebulae of colours known to no one of our own universe. Rainbows of darkness, spinning constellations, planets living, dead and worse. Endless possibilities, limitless wonders, eternal and exquisite boredoms. And of course, theContinue reading “An Empty Vision”

Paradise Found v. 2.3.7

Bastian tore off her headset with a growl. She had no idea why it wasn’t working. Since the launch of Sword and Sidhe, the war effort had gone from strength to strength. The recruitment of human warriors through the guise of a multiplayer role-playing game had proven more effective than expected, and the enemy hadContinue reading “Paradise Found v. 2.3.7”

A Private Viewing

Welcome, sir, welcome. Thank you, especially, for coming to your slot on time. It does make things so much easier for us. Let me just scan your ticket… there we are. Welcome to your private viewing of Of Death and Hell; A Triptych, Artist Unknown, painted in oil on wood circa 1675. Now, to beginContinue reading “A Private Viewing”

The Approach to the Archifex’s Palace

The Palace of the Archifex had never looked so resplendent, thought Rafaen, as his carriage brought him up the broad drive towards it. The great façade of the Palace was an impressive sight at its very least. Once a fellow ambassador had described it to Rafaen as an altar frontispiece writ large, and the imageContinue reading “The Approach to the Archifex’s Palace”

After the Revolution, a Warning

When I see you standing up there, in your shiny armour with your shiny sword and your shiny smile, I am sure as hell of one thing. You have no idea how to win a revolution. Sure, you might have won it. You, nominally, led us to victory. They needed a figurehead and you fittedContinue reading “After the Revolution, a Warning”

In the Cave of St Combachta

Down was not always the wrong direction. It was through falling downwards that Combachta had first truly felt the embrace of the Parents. Granted, that was because he’d been thrown, but that was martyrdom for you. Why do we fear to go down into the depths of the earth? Is it because of the darkContinue reading “In the Cave of St Combachta”