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Doors opened and the group of producers flew out, darting into different directions. Charlie hovered near the door, his face set in a goofy smile. I scowl at him and his smile drops a little, ‘Nathan?’ Marching past him into his office, I threw the script on his desk, ‘What is this?’ ‘Ah,’ he closes the door behind him, resting against it. ‘Why do you want to cut his character?’ I demand. ‘I know he

It’s been a few months and everything has settled, I enjoy my new friendship with Charlie, I speak with Oli on daily basis and I eat much healthy now, I run every week and lift weights. I start swimming too. Alex doesn’t own the waters so I gain confidence in myself. I look like a normal man now. On one weekend, I visit Father Tom at his church, my dad and I offer volunteering for the day. We arrive and there are other people there. I laugh, f

Another convention. I look out into the crowd while we sit at the table on stage, Piper sits next to me writing away and the actors answers some questions on their character. Grant had asked me if I was ready to do this, and I replied that I was. Well, ready as I ever would be. It was a small tour this time, and Piper could only do a few before her operation, and the others crew members wanted time with their family. We all felt at ease w

Walking along the carpet floor, I make it to the writing desk. I nod at the other people as I walk past, the familiar scent of the office is kicking in. Taking my laptop out of my bag, I put it on the table and sit down. There are chatters of people going past in groups. Doesn’t feel like a Tuesday. ‘Hi, Mr. Greystone?’ I look up to the voice. A young man looks down at me. He must be about twenty-one, his

Oli came around with David a few times, last time they came with cake and we finally celebrated a late birthday from months ago, and I even got Oli a new fancy tablet for his work. He rolled his eyes at me wasting my money but I punched him in the arm for it and David laughs. Now Oli is here by himself. I was completely honest with Oli was when I broke up with Jake. Now here I am again, delivering brutal honesty. He never gets upset; he just lis

It has been a few days. Dad explained I had to stay with him until I got better and that I would be able to leave the hospital from tomorrow. ‘Hey,’ a light knock on the door grabs my attention. Charlie. He comes in, peering in, little nervous. I smile, ‘It’s just me in here.’ I smile back, my head still a little low. ‘I am sorry,’ he says, coming in and sh

Alex steps in nervous. His hair isn’t smooth as it usually is; there’s a wild tilt in it as if he had been running his fingers through it, pulling at it. His face has a five o’clock shadow, patches of uneven beard around his jaws. His eyes look heavy as if he has not slept. His skin looks darker, rougher. His shirt hasn’t been buttoned up well. He pauses before he rushes to me. Nodding at the nurse, he says, ‘Good morning.’ His vo

PRESENT DAY A steadfast of smooth beeps. I wake a little, my eyelids are heavy. Everything is a little blurry and white in here, the walls are white, the floor is white. There is a small window. I look down at my feet covered with a thin blue blanket. There is a chart hanging at the end. Okay, so I am in a bed. My arms are resting at each side of me. I stare at them as if they were prosthetics and not my real arms. They loo

‘Hello!’ Someone was shaking me. I blinked. I was in a tree. It was still bitter cold, and I was curled up so tight I could barely feel my legs. ‘You okay, there?’ The voice was a rough male, an older man’s voice. I blinked again and looked up at the blurred face. ‘Um,’ is all my voice could croak out. I took a look at the man’s face. His face was aged, the grey thick beard and a floppy hat.

Alex wasn’t happy when he found out Charlie was back. He just frowned and said no more about it but the silence was so uncomfortable. Last few days he had been very touchy with me, always holding my hand, pulling me to him, even in bed he wanted my hand. He wanted to be intimate with me. I was just numb. I told him I was tired and I turned over. He made little remarks, saying he felt bad, he just wanted me and I turned back over, letting him do whatever he wanted. Like a good p

‘It wasn’t rape because you deserved it. Alex is great, Alex is great, you are bad you are bad,’ chanted Jake. Walking through the door, I let out the nervous breath and pushed my backpack more onto my shoulder. ‘Nathanial!’ I looked over to Sharon and gave a small smile. She cocked an eyebrow as I walked over, giving her a little wave of the hand, ‘Hey, Sharon. Everything, okay?’ She tilted her head, giving a

He said nothing to me when I dropped his suitcase off. Still heavy eyed, still wearing the same clothes as yesterday. He stared at me, picked the suitcase up and closed the door. He didn’t say anything. I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t face seeing Alex that night. After getting in, I rang him and told him I was sick. I couldn’t sit with him, him being so handsome and amazing, innocent. What was wrong with me?

The little barks echoed through the house; there was a rushed patting of small paws along the kitchen floor. I smiled, bending down to stroke the pup. But I was shocked to see he was much bigger. ‘Hey buddy,’ I rubbed his head. ‘Glad you remember me.’ ‘You’ve not been gone that long, you know,’ my dad scoffed, standing up from the table, closing his laptop lid down. ‘Dogs have decent memories.’ I carried on stroking John’s head

The months were a blur, in between still script writing for the comedy show, Charlie and I had been on the sets of our show, watching the scenes and acts all over and over. I had no idea how slow it all was. Watching scenes to repeat over and over. I was almost silent on the show, invisible, but I wrote down extra notes and passed them down. The actors had felt more comfortable talking to the director, Sammy, than me. Sammy, who I had barely talked to for five minutes. When I wa

It had been three days and we were both just shadows walking around the house. When I first got there my dad came to the door before I even stepped out the car. We just looked at each other, tired black eyes, blotched faces, clothes slugged on us, we both looked as crap as the other. Like father, like son. It had been strange sleeping in my old bedroom, well, not a bedroom anymore. A guest room, all my old things taken down and my desk and my be