Voices from beyond.
Imaginary friends.
Unsettling sights.
New houses.
Dead dogs.
The scares go on and on.
Off the Radio
‘I haven’t seen this for years,’ Mum said. ‘I used to record music off the radio with it.’
We were in the attic. I didn’t know what it was. Mum saw I was confused.
‘It’s my old cassette player.’
Mum picked up something else from the tin. It was a small box with two wheels on it. There was some writing on it. Mum read it out loud.
‘Top of the Charts, May 1982.’
She showed me the player.
‘You push this button.’
A door in the top popped up.
‘You put the cassette inside.’
Mum pushed the small box into the slot. She put the lid down. There was a clear plastic window. There was also a row of buttons along the bottom. One said ‘Rec.’ Another said ‘Play.’ Mum pushed down the ‘Play’ button.’
I looked through the plastic window. The two wheels started turning. Mum was all excited. She was smiling. This made me excited too. I smiled at her. She hugged me.
‘This makes me feel like a teenager again.’
A wobbly voice came out of the recorder. It was strange and angry.
BARNABY TAYLOR: Curiosity is Currency 