Stories

She chewed her biro, and read the evaluation form. “On a scale of one to five, five being highest, how much did you enjoy this activity?” One. ...More

Get your daily dose of words for those who can’t live without them or who don’t usually have time to read. Find a QR code on a bus, scan it ...More

The baby’s finally asleep. The father is home from work. I haven’t been alone in days. This is it…. “She’s asleep”…”I’m ...More

Meet her in the forest You’ll find her fascinating She may not welcome you but she has no choice in this The tree which she is forever linked t ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Haruko Furukawa Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/775 The sun settled as it d ...More

It’s what I could do to help Fleur out. Family is family. The last Friday each month, we’d drive into the city from opposite directions, and in the motel ...More

Flowers. There are a lot of flowers. Every day someone crouches by me, one hand on their heart and the other holding a bunch of flowers. Lilies, l ...More

Walking across the multi-story car park, her heels clicked and echoed amongst the few silent vehicles. The sound vanished into the dark exit ramps ...More

Hazel leaned over, brushing her lips against her sister’s forehead. “Goodbye.” She fumbled with the window, shoving it open, greeted by a gu ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Jacob Yikes Artwork location, details and photo credit: https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/454   Construction, the t ...More

“Come on, Moon, it’s time to hunt.” Sunrise went first to check if there was any danger. Moon tried to go before Sunrise had said the coast was ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Berst Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/456 A strange creature followed me. E ...More

One by one he turns the pages of the book. The paper rustles against his dry fingers and I swallow in anticipation. He reads the words and his face ...More

Ozmond had a round head; he was floating, dreamed he was on a wave with other round heads. When his head fell off, his eyes sprang open. A group of people stoo ...More

Inspiration: High Pressure/Low Pressure by Josh O’Rourke Artwork location, details and photo credits https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/799 ...More

Large brown seals dot the craggy flat like giant cigars spilled from a box. They roll and scratch against the rough rock, big blobs blending in with br ...More

Help us build a map!  This is a crowdsource platform ideal for writers, publishers, but also passionate readers and map enthusiasts. Upload a boo ...More

Google maps you take me though the underpass fast on my bike in the night my lights flash on the shapes of down and outs the louts, layabouts who sh ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Owen Dippie Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/386 Can you recognise other ar ...More

  Prefabricated tilt-slab with steel reinforcing shipped from a Guangzhou factory a city street long. Delivered by a bevy of cranes criss-crossing a ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Berst Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/456   Picture this ……. Ca ...More

This isn’t the beginning, but somewhere in the middle; she’s clambering the leftover scaffold like the flying fox on YouTube she saw scaling a ...More

Zzzzz ….. zzzz ……. An annoying noise was causing hindrance to my much desired afternoon nap. I somehow manage to open my eyes partially, and with ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by D Side Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/757 Cluck, cluck, cluck, A pirate ...More

Stories on the Go is expanding and you can now get your daily dose of literature at these locations. Scan the QR code to read a short story while you wait! #S ...More

She lay in bed, eyes tight shut against the grey light, trying not to notice it as it becomes paler and paler through her eyelids. “Concentrate” she w ...More

Inspiration: Kaitaki by Fin Dac Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/612   Ōtautahi I am the gua ...More

Being the middle child of five girls and three boys in 1940’s and 50’s in my native Ireland, I never had the chance to actually own a ...More

Miraculously the Yellow dagger Somehow appeared on the Table next to the Elevating bottle Really, this was all very strange Yet, started making s ...More

We rode with the wind at our backs. Cut across Mr Sandbird’s yard even as he yelled at us to get off his property. Gave him the finger and laugh ...More

Find the hidden sequence of words: the first letter of each makes the puzzle answer. e.g. he offers trust = HOT Sometimes fresh air feels like waking ...More

Today, my feelings are too big for my body They catch and hold fast in my throat They stream down my face And burn on my skin May they emerge as ...More

Inspiration: The Hector Dive by Telmo and Miel Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/393   Tak ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Cracked Ink Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/625   Cluttered clouds bri ...More

This line is the marriage line. It’s open-ended. This line is the intellect. It’s a circle inside a circle. This line is the heart line. Like the water. L ...More

His hatred of cordyline australis was spawned in his ancestry. When the council planted them along the coastal path he couldn’t sleep, so strong was his loath ...More

Inspiration: Kaitaki by Fin Dac Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/612 Feathers rising high above the clou ...More

I ate my brother. I was always fond of him, looked up to him. He was older than me. I measured myself against him. We stood back to back. At firs ...More

knitted scarves wrap around her neck while legs freeze beneath leopard-                                print legg ...More

Inspiration: High Pressure/Low Pressure by Josh O’Rourke Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/799 ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Richard “Pops” Baker Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/477 Don’t ...More

The trick is to hear the voices in the rain but not to listen. What’s the phrase? Feel the fear and do it anyway. Well not only can I feel the fear bu ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Anne McDonald Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/770 Scratching on a hairy post. ...More

Inspiration: She came from the stars by Vexta Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/375 Cracks in calm c ...More

Inspiration: Artwork by Jacob Yikes Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/416   The afternoon ...More

Inspiration: Forces by Dr. Suits Artwork location, details and photo credit https://watchthisspace.org.nz/artwork/800   Geometry at odds And conne ...More