Manchester

• Ruth Yohanns, Grade 5
• Short Story
• 2017

Sharon Connor had always loved hilly Manchester with its talented, tense tunnels. It was a place where she felt angry.

She was a peculiar, articulate, tea drinker with red toes and beautiful eyelashes. Her friends saw her as an aggressive, anxious academic. Once, she had even brought a frightened baby back from the brink of death. That's the sort of woman he was.

Sharon walked over to the window and reflected on her idyllic surroundings. The rain hammered like partying maggots.

Then she saw something in the distance, or rather someone. It was the figure of Tony Nolan. Tony was a spiteful lawyer with squat toes and pretty eyelashes.

Sharon gulped. She was not prepared for Tony.

As Sharon stepped outside and Tony came closer, she could see the plastic smile on his face.

"I am here because I want revenge," Tony bellowed, in a popular tone. He slammed his fist against Sharon's chest, with the force of 8811 bears. "I frigging love you, Sharon Connor."

Sharon looked back, even more sneezy and still fingering the ribbed hawk. "Tony, eat my shorts," she replied.

They looked at each other with puzzled feelings, like two keen, knotty kittens running at a very modest funeral, which had reggae music playing in the background and two energetic uncles gyrating to the beat.

Sharon regarded Tony's squat toes and pretty eyelashes. She held out her hand. "Let's not fight," she whispered, gently.

"Hmph," pondered Tony.

"Please?" begged Sharon with puppy dog eyes.

Tony looked calm, his body blushing like a slippery, squiggled sausage.

Then Tony came inside for a nice cup of tea.

THE END