pair of glasses for correcting defective vision Collins dictionary The tale of a short-sighted badger There once was a badger who wore a tiny hat, he loved to stroll through the forest and let the sun warm his soft fur. One day he leaned against an oak tree to eat his lunch and heard a ringing bell, he scanned the treetops and saw a light twinkle. He climbed the tree with his claws, looked down, gulped and dug his claws deeper into the trunk. Once he reached the branch, he hu

A peacock is a large bird. The male has a very large tail covered with blue and green spots, which it can spread out like a fan. Collins dictionary The village Peacock Our village is situated on the cliffs over-looking the Devonshire coast; the clear waters and white sands make it an ideal setting for tourists. They seek a retreat away from their polluting cities; swapping tower blocks for cottages with flowered paths. Our village is not famous for its scenery, it’s famous fo

She laid face up; rain diluted the blood-stained pavement beneath her head. Detective Laura Finkel arrived at Valley park, ducked under the yellow tape, and entered the tent. Inside Dr Gary examines the body of a middle-aged Caucasian woman; Laura applies vapour rub under her nose. She crouches. ‘What have you found out?’ ‘Our victim, Ms Corsham was killed by a blow to the head as she struggled with the perpetrator; she hit her head on this concrete post.’ He points to a bloo

Pumpernickel is a dark, brown, heavy bread, which is eaten especially in Germany. Collins dictionary A Pumpernickel Tale Nicholas Pumpernickel was a baker from Hoffleton; daily he baked pumpernickel bread for the King, because it was his wife’s favourite. He had a crush on the Princess because he once heard her laugh at a maid’s joke, and her voice was delicate and pure. She visited the village once a month, but locals had to vacate their shops, because the King had forbidden

Armageddon is a terrible battle or war that some people think will lead to the total destruction of the world or the human race. Collins dictionary What if a parallel world had an Armageddon? I get up and go on my regular run through the park, across the bridge, ending up at the water fountain. A marble monstrosity of the warrior, Genghis Khan with his hands on his hips, quenched the thirst of many runners. It was hideous, some local artists joke on modern heroes. I take a si

An intruder is a person who goes into a place where they are not supposed to be. Collins Dictionary A collection of Intruders My bipolar beast You’re a constant presence, who’s always near, who likes to cling to me. I try to fight you off, escape, but you grip tighter, digging your claws into me. Sometimes I can lose you, even shut the door in your face. Yet, you stand outside my window peering in, misting up my glass. We have a staring match, but you always win with those ho