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Blog & Shorts – Scott Butler
By Scott Butler / January 3, 2022 / / COMMENTS OFF

Rain.

There are days on Waihotahe Beach when the rain never stops falling. It hits the dark sand, which is sometimes the colour of caramel. Though not today. It looks brown and grey, like the rust on the pole that holds up our letterbox. The rain puts tiny dents in it. The sand, I mean. It…

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By Scott Butler / July 2, 2021 / / COMMENTS OFF

The Swimmer

It was a cold day by the beach. Piha’s black sand was empty, calm -” a rare day when only the smallest of ripples made it into shore. No hint of the usual south wester’s that came roaring in from across the Tasman. Matt reached into a backpack and pulled out a set of white…

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By Scott Butler / December 5, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

Johnny Boy

Johnny boy!’ cried Uncle Ray. His arms outstretched, pulling me in, body enveloping mine, his belt buckle close to bursting, holding nonetheless. He wore a purple shirt with an open neck. A large hei matau pounamu on his chest, buttons are straining against his stomach in their private battle to keep it covered. His grey…

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By Scott Butler / October 8, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

Microfiction – Journey Back.

Ship’s log: Captain Julia Stanton of Drake X236. Day 380; 2042; deep space. The team have woken from three months of supported sleep. The crew are healthy, excited, having woken to see an unknown planet on our horizon. It’s similar in size to earth, has no orbiting moons, only a small belt of asteroids. Its…

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By Scott Butler / October 8, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

Microfiction – The Bachelor.

It’s a bright morning outside. I’ve slept through most of it. Head hurts from light seeping in through curtains, though more likely from the night I’ve all but forgotten. Where did I go? The other side of the bed is empty. It smells of someone else. The house is silent. My phone woke me. Did…

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By Scott Butler / October 8, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

Microfiction – A Good Man.

Billy wiped tears from his eyes while driving his father’s grey ute into the cemetery. He hadn’t been an easy man to live with, though he’d do the right thing by him-”no matter what they said. The night was dark, no moon. Light came from the corner plot they planned to bury him in. The…

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By Scott Butler / September 11, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

Moonlight.

I inhale the night air, a deep draught fills my lungs. I hold it for as long as I can to savour its flavour, then ever so softly, let it leak out of me. Vapour forms then gradually dissipates in the air overhead. It tastes good up here. Not like the city with all of…

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By Scott Butler / September 10, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

Narrative.

I went and saw Chris Nolan’s -˜Tenet’ the other day. It’s fair to say that he’s my favourite director right now. He’s had a string of hits including the trilogy for the Batman Origin series, (which for this fan of the caped crusader was a huge breath of fresh air after seeing it being massacred…

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By Scott Butler / July 28, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

COVID-19 Journal – NZ Edition #4

It’s been a little over seven weeks since NZ dropped to alert level one. What that means is that with the exception of our borders and a few sporadic cinemas, everything is open. We were praised by the world for a masterclass of elimination of COVID by our PM and our Director-General of Health. I…

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By Scott Butler / May 22, 2020 / / COMMENTS OFF

COVID-19 Journal – NZ Edition #3

We hit Alert Level 2 last week which has meant that a lot of business has reopened. Hairdressers, retail and more importantly schools. I’m not sure the kids were as excited as I was about going back. Six weeks on has taken its toll. While I think the girls, (maybe just the youngest), has loved…

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