Published: 20/12/2011 17:15 -
Updated: 20/12/2011 17:21
Members of the Ross-shire Writers Group (left to right), Terry Williams, Janet Macdonald, Christine Rolffe-Budd, Reg Holder, Christina Macdonald, June Munro, Catriona Tawse, Sandra Bain, and Len Hollywood.
STARLIT night shadows across the Findhorn River.
In a fishing hut, a figure huddles in a corner, looking at the odd-shaped ice floating past, the broken doorway.
An empty bottle rolls across the floor, as she pulls her old Air Force coat around herself.
Her medals are gone.
Sold for drink.
She's alone as she looks at the River, while it flows away.
A branch from an old tree breaks and crashes into the river.
She finds her second bottle, drinks from it getting warm inside.
And never hears the bells ringing out for Christmas Day.
