All posts filed under: Short Stories

It Requires Courage to Find Friendship in the Insane World

Published by Magda Olchawska

Fiona didn’t know what to do with herself when the lockdown began. Ever since she started working at 16, she kept busy. Her dedication, hard work and commitment were highly appreciated, and she rose through the company ranks becoming one of the top directors in charge of a team of fifty people. She always felt blessed with such a satisfying and rewarding career and never examined the hard choices she had to make to sustain her working life. However, since her last birthday, she began questioning her complete devotion to work. The fact that her son moved across the pond only added new cracks to her carefully constructed life that started to show signs of unavoidable collapse. The house wasn’t the same with Malcolm gone; it felt empty and cold. Every piece of furniture reminded her of him. Since Malcolm’s father disappeared somewhere in Asia when the boy wasn’t even one, it was always the two of them. Even this big, crazy country house was for Malcolm. Of course, as any mother would, Fiona was …

All I Can Think Of Are Stories…

Published by Magda Olchawska

After a boiling hot weekend (we don’t get many of those in the UK, so I’m not complaining) and a Monday spent in the British Museum, on trains, DLR and in Charlton House, none of the above with any air conditioning, I overheated my body. And I guess my brain, too. Why doesn’t the British Museum have AC I don’t know but the moment I walked in there I was already irritated and felt sick. Even though it was boiling, I didn’t sweat even one drop. Of course, I didn’t realise what was happening until Tuesday morning. At first, I couldn’t move, and I merely thought I was coming down with the flu (every time Little M. finishes school either for a half-term or any other break I seem to be getting sick), but my symptoms were getting more unusual with every passing minute. When I knew it wasn’t the flu, I consulted with my “best friend” Google to clarify my suspicions and yes; I turned out to have had a mild case of the …

Letters From the Future.

Published by Magda Olchawska

It is August 21st, 2055; I’m still alive, keeping quite well and pretty healthy taking into consideration our circumstances. I fucked up. I fucked up big. I was too greedy and too obsessed with having power, respect, admiration and money. I should have listened to the experts and people who were much more in sync with nature that I ever was, but I didn’t. I know that pondering upon the past won’t bring the Old World back to what it was. But if by any chance this letter is going to travel back to 1990 as they say it will please sit down, read it carefully and take notice of the story I’m about to tell you. **MY CLEVERNESS** I was educated in the most prestigious schools of my time.  However, my expensive education didn’t help me develop abstractive and creative thinking and using imagination to solve problems. Nevertheless, when the time was right, I became the Prime Minister. As a PM I was a strong advocate of the power of mind and progress at all …

Scary: Short Story by Magda Olchawska

Published by Magda Olchawska

“Scary”: Short Story by Magda Olchawska I hated when people say: you are young, you will make it. But I didn’t feel young. I felt old, and I had been trying so hard to make it for the past years that I didn’t even know what it meant, “to make it” any longer. I had a secret though, which I never shared with those „cheer me up, people“. It was so secret that I kept it for myself only. I discovered that everything I touched turns into some disaster. In no time at all, I became obsessed with this idea. To make sure I had my obsession under control I was carefully monitoring my moves and thoughts. This constant observation let my brain go nuts with sick pleasure. I couldn’t think clearly any longer, and I was losing the battle over my life to my mind. When the battle was over, at first, I stopped smiling because I didn’t feel happy. Then I stopped eating; I didn’t feel hungry. The psychiatrist was confident that I …

The Man and His Dragon: Short Story by Magda Olchawska

Published by Magda Olchawska

“The Man and His Dragon”: Short Story by Magda Olchawska Since Pat was a small child, he knew he was going to be a writer. On a regular basis, he used to throw “tell a story” parties. Everyone who came to the party had to bring a story to tell. His friends just loved it. Until Pat was 12 years old, he lived with his parents in London, which was his favourite place on earth. Unfortunately for Pat, his parents didn’t think so, and one day completely out of the blue they decided to leave London and go and find their happiness in the countryside. Pat’s life changed utterly. There was no more going to the cinema or theatre any time he wanted, no more “tell a story” parties. But the worst thing of all was to change schools. His new school turned out to be terrifying in every possible way. His narrow-minded teachers couldn’t understand his commitment to writing. He was never encouraged to pursue his passion. Often he was put down or humiliated …