Everyday Terror
Everyday Terror
Michèle McGrath
Everyday Terror
Competition entry very short story
It was a routine Friday morning when terror came into my life. Alice and I were alone in the Careers Office, paying Social Security Benefit. On the old oak desk before us, a tin box held almost £1,000 in cash. We had over 250 young people signing on. Nothing separated us from our clients. Screens were years in the future. In 1971, no one considered that we were at risk and neither did we. We were wrong.
Most of our clients were harmless, although they would not thank me for saying so. But there were one or two who were evil. Certain families were notorious in the area, with very good reason. One family were the offspring of an American sailor and a Liverpool prostitute. Their eldest son was already in Walton Prison, serving time for Grievous Bodily Harm. Alvin and Peter, the two youngest, were unemployed and our clients.
Everyone had lined up, chatting and laughing as they waited for their turn. We had paid about a dozen when the line went silent. I looked up from the claim unit I was working on, to see Alvin strutting to the head of the queue, carrying a shotgun. Oh my God. Suddenly, with no warning, I wondered if I would survive. I was twenty-five, newly married and very happy. Did I have time to dive into the foot well beneath my desk before he opened fire? I started to shake but I could not move. Terror held me rigid.
Alice, who is so much braver than I, raised her hands and said, “Don’t shoot, Al. I’ll give you your £3.45.”
Alvin swung the gun towards her. Then he suddenly grinned.
“I’m selling the bloody thing, aren’t I?” he said and suddenly my life was given back to me.
Copyright © Michèle McGrath 2013
All rights reserved
No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written consent of the author.
The characters and events in this publication are real. Names have been changed to protect individuals.
Written in English (UK)
Published by Riverscourt Publishing
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About Michèle McGrath
Award winning author, Michele McGrath, was born on the beautiful Isle of Man in the middle of the Irish Sea. She has lived in California, Liverpool, France and Lancashire before returning home. Living in Paris and Grenoble taught her to make a mean ratatouille and she learned the hula in Hawaii.
Michele is a qualified swimming teacher and manager, writing self help books on these subjects. Although she writes in many genres, her real loves are historical romance and fantasy. She has won numerous writing competitions, had second places and been short-listed many times. She has had tens of thousands of sales and downloads.
**Visit her blog at www.michelemcgrath.co.uk
**Follow Michele on Facebook at www.Facebook.com//michele.mcgrath.10. She loves to chat with readers.
**Follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/benvoirrey
What others are saying about Michele's books:
"From the very first and magical sentence, I was hooked on this novel."
Eddie on Kindle, reviewing Manannan's Magic.
“Set in post-revolutionary France, Duval and the Infernal Machine captures the atmosphere of suspicion and intrigue that reigned in Paris at the time. The author does a splendid job of immersing the reader into the darker corners of the city." Simon on Kindle reviewing Duval and the Infernal Machine.
“I have been terrified of the water ever since nearly drowning in Lake Michigan. My wife has tried to teach me to float - with no success - for 40 years. The techniques outlined in this book are easy to follow. Maybe finally, after all these years, I'll be able to swim and NOT be afraid of the water. Thanks Michele, wish you lived in the States so I could get private lessons." Steven on Kindle reviewing Learn to Swim, even if you are terrified."
“An intriguing and haunting short story, which the author says is based upon a real wartime experience. The fitting and satisfying ending will stay with me for a long time. An excellent story."
Gunnar on Kindle reviewing Five Lamps.
“Beautiful! Just 12 short pages, but it left me in tears. The author has such a delicate, lovely way with words that the sentences and sentiments were whispered over the pages. I will save this on my kindle to read again."
Tina on Kindle reviewing The Carpenter's Bench.
Books by Michèle McGrath
Easy Business Skills:
Easy Business Skills Box set
Easy Self Confidence
Easy Time Management
Easy Assertiveness
Easy Communication Skills
Easy Presentation Skills
Swimming:
Learn to Swim even if you are Terrified
*Amazon Bestseller*
Teach your Child to Swim: The Easy Way.
*Amazon International Bestseller*
Novels:
The Manannan Series (Historical Fantasy)
Manannan’s Magic: Manannan McLir flees from a blood feud in Ireland and finds a tragic love with a young Celtic girl, Renny. Betrayal, a Viking invasion and a narrow escape all feature in this novel.
*Amazon International Bestseller*
Niamh of the Golden Hair: Niamh is captured by Viking raiders and unexpectedly falls in love with her captor. When he is badly injured, she must find her father, Manannan, who may be able to cure his wound.
*Amazon Bestseller*
Emer’s Quest: Emer, Manannan’s granddaughter, dreams that her father will be shipwrecked. She rides after him to prevent him leaving but she is too late. She persuades friends to follow him. On her journey she meets Atli, a trader who offers to rescue her father if she will marry one of his sons. Unfortunately his son Hari does not want her.
Manannan Trilogy:Box Set
*Amazon International Bestseller*
Ghost Diaries Series (Paranormal Romance)
Gigi’s Guardian: A romp through an unusual sort of Heaven and Swinging Sixties London. Ariane helps Gigi choose the right man to marry, after many trials and tribulations. A comedy romance with serious overtones.
Duval Series (Napoleon’s Police)
Duval and the Infernal Machine 1800: Rookie police agent, Alain Duval investigates the attempted assassination on Napoleon Bonaparte. The book features romance, terror and an unexpected ending.
Duval and the Empress’s Crown 1804: Police Agent Alain Duval is tasked with finding the crown but time is very short and his suspects many. Present when the crown disappeared are Napoleon's sisters, Princess Elisa, Princess Pauline and Princess Caroline. Are they involved or merely witnesses? Aided by his wife Eugenie and his friends Lefebvre and Fournier, Duval sets out to unravel the mystery.
Duval and the Italian Opera Singer 1805(Coming shortly)
Duval at Waterloo 1815: The last Duval book. Duval travels to Paris and gets caught up in the preparations for Napoleon’s last battle.
Napoleon’s Police: Box set of the first three Duval books published.
*Amazon Bestseller*
Regency Belles & Beaux (Coming Shortly)
Lady Alice’s Dilemma: Lady Alice is enjoying her first London Season until her disgraced brother appears in disguise.
Books for Children:
A Night at the Manx Museum: Meet Manannan, a Manx cat, the great deer and many more characters.
Stories for Seven Year Olds: Three stories in one. A magical harp takes Shannon far away to a land of magic carpets and evil viziers. Rory is sca
red of heights, which is a problem because he is a robin who needs to learn to fly. Sun Sun Lau is a Chinese dragon who wakes up to find himself in the British Museum and has to escape from those who want to put him in a zoo.
*Amazon Bestseller*
Short Story Collections
Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen short stories in a range of genres including romance, fantasy, crime and history.
Bible Women: Four short stories of women in the New Testament, starting from the birth of Christ until his death.
*Amazon Bestseller*
Look out for free days and promotional offers on my website.
Gigi’s Guardian, A Night in the Manx Museum and Manannan’s Magic are available in paperback through Amazon and booksellers on the Isle of Man.
Find out more on:
http://www.michelemcgrath.co.uk
I would love to hear from you:
email: riverscourt@gmail.com
Michele McGrath, Everyday Terror
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