Peter Hobbes

The Hill

When my brother William was about halfway through high school one of his classmates stuck the barrel of a revolver in his mouth and blew the back of his skull all across his mother’s beautiful white linen. The kid’s name was Oliver Kettering – a name easily forgotten. Aside from seeing Oliver once or twice on the school field I didn’t know him at all, and I don’t think my brother knew him any better. Still, when a kid who moves in the same circles as you offs himself, it’s inevitable that you’re going to feel a little grief. So, along with the rest of his classmates, William put on his neat...

My Ad-Vice

I liked this couple very much, and by the grace of good fortune they seemed to like me too. But then again, they seemed to like everyone. They were like a good-natured celebrity couple. I could see myself getting to know the two quite well in the short time that they were in town. I felt that a strong bond was on the verge of being forged. I imagined us developing our own very special inside jokes. Although geography would separate us, I could see a future where we'd write to each other often. I'd be the first to know about proposals and pregnancies before the rest of the world did. It woul...

Night Cap

I don’t consider myself to be a particularly seductive person, but before my world exploded into blood and chaos I thought things were going quite smoothly. Her name was Rachel, she’d said. She and I became acquainted when I found a gap at the bar and pressed myself in between her and another woman who was sipping on an orange cocktail. I am impressively adept at being avoided by bar staff, so I pushed myself up on my toes and turned my chest fully towards the bar, like a superhero posing for reporters, so that most of my surface area would be visible to the staff. I already had my bottle ...

Pros and Concierges

When I first met my concierge, I concluded that he was not long for this world. His sickly pallor and straggly hair gave the impression that he was a man slowly letting go of his earthly body. His hair hungered for a brush. His clothes longed for the laundry. The first time I laid eyes on him he struck me as a filthy man, and beyond that I gave him no thought at all. I simply made myself at home, and waited for him to die. But he did not die. A few weeks after I moved in, I came home one day and discovered that my concierge had obtained a haircut. The change in his appearance was so drasti...

Loose Ends

Just then, as if coming out of a trance, Kelly Kinkaid seemed to realize where she was. She moved as if to get off him, but then she hesitated, and reconsidered. She carefully moved her lips closer to his, waiting for him to object, trying to keep the moment unbroken. As her lips touched his, she felt them tense, and then relent, accepting this moment and not fighting it. She inched her tongue inside of his mouth, timidly at first, and then more forcefully once she realize that he would not fight her. Her hand meanwhile, moved from his collar to the front of his shirt, blindly undoing butto...

Baby Shoes

For sale: Baby shoes. Worn..once. Shoes fasten with metal buckles. Metal can get very hot. (I forget that sometimes. I tend to forget a lot of things). Some heat damage on the outside. Some dark staining within. Shoes are brown, faux leather, yet not completely leather-free. Shoes can be worn by a boy or a girl. (My baby was a girl, though). Shoes are fancy, for special occasions, or just everyday trips to the mall. Do not leave shoes in the car. Cars can get very hot. (I forget that sometimes. I tend to forget a lot of things).

Emma Stevens Dies Alone

Emma found herself walking through the rubble at the end of the world, surrounded by a sepia fog. Unable to carry on, she collapsed onto her bum, cupped her face into her hands and began to sob uncontrollably. After a time, a young man emerged out of nowhere, wearing a fine pressed suit and pulling on a cigarette. Emma looked up through her tears and regarded the man without surprise. “Am I dead?” she asked levelly. “Yep,” said the young man, gazing idly into the middle distance. “Am I a ghost?” “Some would say.” Another long pull on the cigarette. Emma surveyed her surroundings –...

A customer · 5.0 · September 2023

Peter is awesome! He made this project so enjoyable and I hope to work with him in the future! he is a 10!

A customer · 5.0 · July 2023

Outstanding writer!!!