The Written Word Group

"Morning mum, are we still going to the amusement park later?" "Of course, son. And we will get a ride on the Roller Coaster and an ice-cream after." Mauricio's excitement was short-lived. After getting his ice-cream he suddenly collapsed. Inés ran to his rescue and was shocked to see his lifeless body lying on the floor. "Somebody, call an ambulance," she pleaded. After a few weeks and many tests, doctor Hector diagnosed Mauricio with leukemia. He needed a bone marrow transplant. After many attempts to become parents, Inés and Cesar opted to undergo embryo transplant in a private clinic, and Mauricio was born, the cherished son Inés longed for. Mauricio was close to his mum. The relationship with his dad, however, was distant. Sadly, the demands of his job put too much strain on their marriage, and it led to their divorce; custody was given to Mauricio's mum. Inés' mum, Lisa, was a pillar of strength. She was there with her on ever...

 https://www.juntadeandalucia.es/organismos/ema/areas/incendios-forestales/prevencion/interfase/normas-autoproteccion.html ****This isn't meant as a substitute for following the instructions of the emergency services during an incident.**** This guidance is issued by the **Regional Government of Andalusia (Junta de Andalucía)** for properties located in the **Wildland–Urban Interface (WUI)**—areas where homes are situated close to forests, woodland, or scrubland. It is intended to reduce the likelihood of homes igniting from radiant heat or wind-blown embers during a wildfire. PREVENTATIVE MEASURES FOR RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENTS. * Construct and maintain a firebreak around the development that is free of shrubs and tall grass, with a minimum width of **15 metres**. Trees may be retained, provided they are sparsely distributed and their canopies do not touch each other. * Remove vegetation and dry plant debris from all undeveloped areas, including abandoned plots, roadsides, and gulli...

 When the cuckoo comes to the bare thorn, sell your cow and buy your corn." - Old proverb. I couldn't stop thinking about those stones, what the oldies called Shepard's crowns. Could they exist, and could they protect me from the strange? It was a heavy night, close with mug. Petrichoral aromas wafted strong from outside as I heard the first angry rumblings at sundown. The heat clung to me and the air closed in, a great crack sounded and a bright flash lit the bedroom. The storm grew rapidly in an impressive display, it was right overhead, seemed to wait there, deliberately striking around the village and surrounding silver hills, and though aware these were the conditions needed for the stones to appear, I wouldn't allow meself to believe. That would've been ridiculous. The storm stopped suddenly but moisture hung on the atmosphere like a wet towel. Must've dozed off... Thinking back, I remember that in me halfsleep, I'd a notion there was someone outside....

I was born in  Chile,  bred  in the UK, and retired to Spain. But to understand who I am today, you have to go back, all the way back to where the itch began. In September 1973 Salvador Allende was overthrown by the Chilean military financed and  supported by the USA. Overnight our world collapsed.  Mum, my two sisters and I fled to Argentina leaving  our house, our  belongings, our relatives, and our friends  behind us, in search of our father who had crossed the Andes by foot to Argentina a few months before.  Dad was on the military's hit list for being an active supporter of Allende. He would've been killed if found, as was the fate of many. My middle sister and I had no option but to live in the shadows moving from one safe house to another, while  mum contacted friends to borrow money for the train tickets to cross the border to Argentina. We were NOT living, we were hiding. We settled in San Juan, Argentina for about a...