The Written Word Group

  Next Meeting: Friday 4th December 2026 Location: Hostal Meson Time 10.30-1pm 500 word subject: “Strouth" Everybody who has an interest in writing or the written word is welcome to our meetup at:  Hostal Meson Arboleas, Almeria, Spain. Back Room.

  I have never… been anonymous I have a shower almost every day Part of the ritual that marks my morning I wash the night and the smells away But this morning it came with a dreadful dawning I have never had sex with a stranger. Never “hooked up” on a one night stand Never copped off with one of the band Never had a go after a scone with cream and jam With someone I didn’t know.  Never drank till off my head I awoke next day in an unfamiliar bed. In truth I don’t like sex any less than any other man It’s always been a part, the heart, the apex of the plan, But I’ve never had sex with a stranger. It’s not that I’m a little bit prudish Or rule-bound, hide-bound,  Or even egg-bound  I’ve always liked to be a little bit rudish  But even in my youth I hardly slept around  And I never had sex with a stranger.  And, it is true, and rather lamentable While I’ve had sex in beds, cars, forests and on the kitchen table In every room in...

Yours Ever - Anonymous Carmen thought she heard a knock at the door. It was bank holiday Monday so it couldn't have been the post man. She peeped out of the window to see who it was but all she could see was a box left on the bottom step. She went downstairs and opened the door. A whimpering sound was coming from the box. Curiously, she picked it up, it was slightly heavy, brought it indoors, and the whimpering continued.  There was no name of the sender, just a typed up note: “Enjoy the puppy,  in celebration of ‘All Saints’.  Yours ever x” “Who could it be?” she wondered, and began to open the box. Out popped a  fluffy white puppy with dark brown eyes, shiny black nose and pointy ears.  She was surprised and happy at the same time to see this beautiful creature in front of her. She had wanted a puppy for a long while, but hadn't wanted to betray the wonderful memories she had of Max. Now she was ready. "How did the person who sent the dog know?" St...

  I didn't kill children, but everything else was fair game. It worked this way. I received my virtual brown envelope target instructions, to my online Dropbox: a half payment went to my bank account. I then completed the task and received the final payment. Job done; no need to speak or meet anyone. It was an automatic process. Until now. They made contact via Telegram. Wanted a Zoom call. Insisted. Triple payment was on offer. My Zoom server connection was secure, as it was bounced around the world. I wore my white anonymous mask. I felt pretty safe, and could cut the connection at any time, if needed. There was four men in suits and masks. They said they needed this job done in a hurry. Which is why they insisted on a Zoom connection. Time it seemed was of the essence.   "We've had an anonymous complaint against our company, and we want you to deal with it." "Sure," I replied, "you do know who made the complaint. A whistleblower I presume?" “Exa...

They were outside the court building, police with sub-machine guns and rifles surrounded and were on top of the building and were on high alert as the van drew to a stop at the front of the court building, and the side door slid open.   The Mafia boss, dressed in a suit which cost as much as his armed guard’s monthly wage and shoes which cost as much as the average car, stepped out, smiling, into the early morning sun.   The gold rings on his fingers and thirty thousand dollar watch glinted as the sun struck them.   It had taken the Inspector five years of hard work to track him down and eventually catch him, this time red handed with his hands in the till, or should that be weapon in hand. Everything happened so fast after that.   No one heard anything, but the back of the Mafia bosses head disappeared in a fountain of blood and brains, as he dropped to the ground.   Everyone within a ten foot radius behind him was spattered with gore, blood ran down the si...

  A      A.A. Churchill used to call it his ‘Black dog,’ his depression.   He also used to drink quite a lot all through the day.   I just drank in the evening at first, but after an accident at work where a battery blew up in my face and covered me in boiling acid and liquid lead, I turned to drink, hard drink; and I didn’t have the odd glass full, I had the bottle and started drinking as soon as the alarm sounded in the morning and carried on until I went to bed at midnight.   I would take three or four hip flasks with me to work and drank them during the day; every time I wanted, no, craved a drink I would sneak away to the toilets and have a drink.   After a while I didn’t always get drunk, I just wanted to taste the liquid as it swirled around my mouth and went down my throat.   I couldn’t stop it; I simply craved the taste. Then I met her; I had been drinking non-stop for a week solid, as usual, and didn’t know where I was, this w...

Next Meeting: Friday 6th November 2026 Location: Hostal Meson Time 10.30-1pm 500 word subject: “Anonymous" Everybody who has an interest in writing or the written word is welcome to our meetup at:  Hostal Meson Arboleas, Almeria, Spain. Back Room. ---------------- Extra!! Extra!!! Special meeting!!!   30th October Bring something you wrote and are proud of, and something by someone else which inspired you. The venue is Jeremy’s Compound in Los Carrascos. It will be a bit less formal and will involve cake! 

“How is that possible?” Ana-Maria’s eyes widened in surprise looking at a school-gathering photo, taken ten years ago.    “Another gathering is well overdue.” She told herself and began planning the second reunion.   She reached for her phone and phoned her best school friend she kept in touch with after she left her homeland.  “Hi Matilde, I was looking at some photos earlier of our school reunion. I'd like to organise another one in six months’ time, at the same place we used ten years ago.”  “Oh lord, is that how long it was? That's a brilliant idea. I can help you gather the contact addresses of most of our class mates, some have moved, you know?” “Oh, have they? Sure thing. And try to get their phone number too, if you can please. I'm a bit of a geek when it comes to social media platforms. I can set up a group on WhatsApp Group Chat and send the invite there as well. That way, we won't rely entirely on the post.”  “Yeah, I agree.” ...

  “Well Mr Sandhurst failure, what can we do for you.” The Colonel was lounging behind his desk, his lackey hovering in the corner waiting for a sign from his lord and master. To all intense and purposes, it reminded me of a scene from Blackadder, that twisted TV show from long ago. Which had given the British Army a good arse kicking. “I was told to report direct to you Sir,“ I said, all ramrod stiff and proper. “Of course you were, of course you were. You’re a fuck-up like all the rest of the scum in this Re-D Division. Why don't you resign like a good chap. It would make life a lot simpler.” “Have I new orders,” I said, just ignoring the expected tirade. Jonesy had been quite correct in what to expect. “He is a fucked over bitter bastard, and he will rip into you Sir.” I was lucky to have had a chat with Sergent Major John Jones before I was thrown to the wolves. “You see he is trapped in this here Re-D, and he knows he will never get out, unless something exce...