Songs from Spider Street by Mark Howard Jones - Screaming Dreams

Songs from Spider Street
by Mark Howard Jones

Spider Street is a particular place in an abandoned future Paris where the secrets of tomorrow, yesterday and all the times lost in-between are revealed to those who are strong enough to listen. Short story collection.

Extract

The memories still pursue me, calliope-music choreographed and sawdust-scented. The stench of the mangy animals let loose from their cages clings to me, night and day; with every move I make, they pad heavily behind me. The dreams I race through in my sweat-soaked bed inevitably leave my pillow greasepaint-smeared every morning; yet I haven't put the make-up on for years. Years, now. But not long enough, it seems.

From the top deck of the bus each morning, the department store windows reflect back the bright-faced loon in the seat where I am sitting.

On the stairs at work, I trip incessantly over giant invisible shoes. My colleagues burst out laughing before a brief, unconvincing show of mock concern. Am I OK? I nod dumbly, an unseen hat several sizes too big waggling back and forth on my head.

In a bid to destroy the circus inside me, I had even taken the box with my old costume and paints out into the garden one Sunday afternoon. I smiled as the greasepaint pots cracked in the heat, chuckling even when my neighbour complained about the smoke and threatened to call the fire brigade. If I'd been wearing my revolving dickie bow, I'd have had it going round like a demented windmill trying to take off.

About the Author

Mark Howard Jones lives in Cardiff. He has had work published in magazines, books and on the web on both sides of the Atlantic. His novella The Garden of Doubt on the Island of Shadows is available from ISMs Press.


About the Cover Artist

Steve Upham enjoys all things creative, including drawing, painting, digital art, photography and much more. He is also the editor/publisher at Screaming Dreams of course! Please get in touch if you are interested in commissioning cover artwork.