Never Done THAT

Try as she might, Jessica Ryder wasn’t feeling all that chipper. Earlier in the week, she’d been involved in a minor accident and the experience had brought her life into sudden sharp focus.

It had made her think about what she’d done and, more importantly, just what she hadn’t done.

She’d never, for instance, been drunk; she’d never been inside a nightclub; never been to the opera, nor to a football match. She’d never ridden a motorcycle nor flown in an aeroplane – and Anglesey was the farthest from home she’d ever been.

Now here she was, in the hospital, staring death in the face. Literally.

‘Nice scythe,’ she said.

‘For the reaping of souls, see?’ he said.

Another thing Jessica Ryder had never done was imagine the Grim Reaper with a Welsh accent.

‘I suppose that does come off.’ She pointed. ‘Or have you just been on a very severe diet?’

‘THE EXPERIENCE HAD BROUGHT HER LIFE INTO SUDDEN SHARP FOCUS’

‘What? Oh!’ A bony hand came up andand the other as the Doctor, Tom Baker era, with a long, multicoloured scarf and floppy hat. It was with a jolt that Jessica realised she’d never been to a fancy-dress party, either.