MS: Tecifidera

I haven't written about my MS in a while, its mostly been flash fiction, but now have got an MS piece for you in regards to the MS medication.

After three months waiting for my new MS medication. I finally got it on Good Friday.  After the awful side effects of Avonex which I was on between August and December 2014.  I was hoping the new medication would be better for me.

I am now on Tecifidera which is not an injection this time, thank goodness, but tablets. I take two tablets a day. The most common side effects of this medication are hot flushing and stomach cramps/sickness.

I did not want any of these and was hoping to avoid side effects altogether and after a week with no issues at all I thought I might be clear of them, but unfortunately not. On the Thursday night 9th April I started to feel rotten and I spent the next couple of days in bed with what I thought was a stomach bug. This lasted til the Sunday, then on Monday & Tuesday I felt much better and had a weird energy boost. Which I was glad of as it was my birthday and I did not want to be ill on that day.

Then on the Wednesday I started to get bad stomach cramps which got worse on the Thursday. I felt like I was being kicked my a donkey and my whole insides were being torn apart.  This was the side effects kicking in big style.

I rang the MS nurse and he said to take pepto bismol, which I did but it didn't really work,  I am now on the 4th week of Tecifidera and 4th week of feeling ill. The cramps are lessening but the queasiness is not going away, and am still being sick.  I don't want to eat but know I have to, but when I do my body wants to reject the food. Its a horrible feeling.

The good thing is that I am losing weight but sometimes its hard to see because I am bloated at times as well.

I started on the low dosage of the drug as recommended for the first four weeks, but on the fifth week am moving up to the higher dosage so we will see how that effects me.

I have been feeling a little more energetic since beginning the tablets which is good, but am still not going to overdo things like run a marathon or anything stupid like that!!

Flash Fiction: In a heartbeat

Could life get any better? I have all I ever wanted, a homely house, a gorgeous husband and two strapping sons. I always had a smile on my face and life was always full of laughter and joy. But in one foul sweep it all went wrong, life changed in a heartbeat.  A horrible car crash left me a widow and a grieving mother, as my two sons and husband were killed outright.  And now I am in a coma, fighting for my life, but is there any point living, without family, dying was the least of my problems.

(99 words finishing with the line “dying was the least of my problems”)

Flash Fiction: A brand new day

It was a brand new day. No it was a brand new life, a time to start afresh after fifteen years in jail, locked up for a crime I did not commit.  I know people always say that but in my case it is true. I was set up for fraud by my corrupt father in law who hated me and hated the fact that his daughter ever married me.  But I was out now, things would be different. I will be reunited with my beautiful wife and daughters. And my father in law, he will be dead soon!

(99 words story starting with first line “It was a brand new day. No it was a brand new life”)

Flash Fiction: The search for the acorn

Challenge: Take a cartoon character and bring them into the real world, what would they think?

“Mummy, mummy, look at that funny squirrel”

“Come on Ellie, don’t go near that thing, he could be dangerous”

“Awww mummy, he’s not dangerous, he’s cute, and it’s not fair”

The squirrel in question, wasn't dangerous, he didn't even look dangerous and he wasn't any old squirrel, he was a little sabre-toothed squirrel called Scrat who was a little bit lost.  Scrat normally lived in a world which was covered in ice and where a mammoth, a tiger and a sloth were best friends, something you wouldn’t get in this new world he had ended up in, but somehow Scrat had made a leap from his strange world, to this new strange world.  

A world which was full of animals who had four legs but only walked on two of them, and they came in all shapes and sizes which really confused Scrat as he had never seen anything like this before.  The place Scrat had ended up in was a zoo, where the animals were all kept in cages and not allowed to roam free. They couldn't talk either, as he had tried talking to a Lion, but the Lion just roared back at him scaring Scrat to death.

In Scrats eyes this was all very weird but the one thing that was disconcerting more than anything – he couldn't find his acorn. He has been chasing it down the icy hill one moment, and the next moment it had disappeared and he was standing in the middle of the zoo.

After not getting any help from his fellow animal friends Scrat decided to go and explore more and found himself in the middle of a street where he encountered more funny looking animals, who were in fact called humans. Scrat did not like them because they kept kicking him, knocking him over and yelling at him, he felt sad and decided to go and try and is acorn.

Scrat walked, walked and walked, until he found himself in a place covered in green which was full of brown things with green bushes on top of them, which were named trees, which Scrat thought was a funny word.  He walked through the park and ran up and down the trees where he was thrilled to discover more squirrels – yeah he had playmates.  He was having so much fun with his friends but he still missed his acorn. Suddenly his despair turned to hope when he finally found an acorn – he made a run for it but didn't manage to get it as another squirrel came along and stole it from him.  Scrat was in despair but he wasn't going to give up without a fight, and so began a long battle over who got this acorn.

After about what seemed like years, Scrat got the acorn, he grabbed it with both paws, did a wee jump in the air and found himself back in his home, the land full of ice.  Scrat was happy at being home, but something was missing – he had lost his acorn. Now a new search had begun. 

Flash Fiction: A County House

It was a beautiful country house with dark history, and here I was sitting alone in the bleakness. There were noises everywhere. Doors opening and closing, floorboards creaking and windows banging.  It sounded as if someone else was in the house, but I was alone. I was scared and surrounded by fear.

Where the stories correct, did the ghost of little Jimmy really exist? Did he walk the house looking for revenge? The room suddenly went cold, chills going up and down my back and there was a presence in the room. Pain hit me, my body went cold.

(99 words – It was a beautiful country house with a dark history) 

Flash Fiction: No love lost

I have always hated that woman, she made my life a misery since the day I was born. There was never any love lost in our relationship, her heart was made of stone.  It’s sad really when you think about it, because hating me caused more problems for her than it did for me, though it did hurt lots.

Yes, she ignored me, bypassed me when handing out chocolate, forgot my birthday and denied me any Christmas cheer.  But I am still here, she is gone.

She died hating me, but in my heart she is forgiven. What good does it do me to carry on hating her? It would just eat me up and make me bitter and twisted, essentially turning me into the snow queen she was.

That’s not who I want to be or how I want to live my life.  She never showed me love, never held my hand, never sang me lullabies and never kissed me goodnight. She denied me a childhood, but now I am going to stand up, be me and turn all that hate into love.  I want to be remembered for the good and not the bad like she is.

(199 word – I have always hated that woman…..)

Flash Fiction: The Waves

I lost her to the waves. It was dark and we were walking home from dinner, a lovely stroll along the beach to our apartment. The stars and the moon shone upon us and the waves were crashing the sea. Although the sea was rough, we decided to play with it, seeing how far we could go without the waves hitting us. She was laughing while trying to push me into the water.  She was so joyful and carefree.  Nothing would tear us apart, but we never considered the sea would be our enemy and take our love away.

99 word dare starting with the line "I lost her to the waves"

Flash Fiction: Family dinner times!

“Why can’t you just set the table properly?”

“I am, I am setting it my way”

“But your way is not the right way"

“Who says what is right or wrong?”

“Convention”

“Stick convention, who cares?”

“You never do anything for others, always me, me, and me”

“Look who is talking”

“What you mean by that?”

“Well we have to cook what you want to eat, stuff others.  And it has to be cooked in your way and no one else is allowed to interfere or do anything different”

“Well if I am cooking, I should cook what I want to eat, why would I cook something I didn't like?”

“To be nice to others”

“Whatever”

“Do you think Mum wanted to cook two separate dinner each night to please you?”

“No one asked her too”

“Well what else could she do when you moaned and complained and refused to eat proper food like vegetables etc?”

“But I didn't like them”

“No, all you would eat was burgers, chips, sausages and baked beans for dinner, all the time. Why haven’t you grown out of that yet?”

“Why haven’t you grown up at all?”

“Oh Mature”

“Whatever, you are the one that needs to grow up not me”

“Don’t whatever me. I am done with this”

Book Review: The Gospel of Ruth

I recently just read a, well in my opinion, fantastic book called The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God enough to break the rules by Carolyn Custis James.  This book is an expose of Ruth, which can is in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. 

I have read the book of Ruth before and heard many stories about her, Boaz and Naomi but have never really fully understood the meaning of the book until now. I always read it as a love story between Ruth and Boaz, which in a way it is, but there is way more to it than that.

The main person in the story is not Ruth herself, but her mother in law Naomi. Everything Ruth does is for Naomi and not for herself. Her love for Naomi is beyond remarkable and not usual between daughter in law and mother in law. But they have both loved and lost, Naomi more than Ruth.

Naomi lost her husband and two sons while Ruth lost her husband, but was barren so was childless, which in those days was something to be ashamed off. This also meant no heir for Naomi’s family – no one to carry the name on.

Naomi decided to leave Moab and go back to Bethlehem which was her home place.  Ruth decided to go with her and in doing so ‘discards cultural protocol, her own hopes of happiness and even plain reason when she embraces Naomi’s terrifying God and binds herself for life to her mother in law”.

Basically Ruth is a “shaft of light across the empty blackness of a broken life -a woman’s radical faith that refuses to say, so much for your God”. Her faith in God is grounded.

Naomi is likened to Job as they both suffered and both remind us that we all struggle in life, but in these struggles we need to cling to God, because even when there is nothing left, but rubble, God is mysteriously at work in the mess.

I can testify to this as in my struggles.  In my mess God has been there working even though at the time it did not feel like it.  And it is an amazing feeling to know God is working for you, so if he is for us who can be against us.

When in Bethlehem, the home of Naomi, Ruth goes to glean in the fields where she meets Boaz.  It is Naomi’s mission to get Ruth and Boaz to marry as it would make Ruth happy but it would also be an advantageous for Naomi herself. As it turns out that Boaz is part of Naomi’s clan and is second in line for the land which belonged to them.  God had nudged Ruth in the direction of Boaz’s field because he meant for them to meet. God does this all the time, again something that has happened to me as I have friends who God definitely put in my path and meant for us to meet.

Ruth is a rule breaker, she didn’t want to pick up left over scraps of barley for Naomi, she asked to ‘glean and gather among the sheaves behind the harvesters” (Ruth 2 v 7) – to go where gleaners were not permitted.

This intrigued Boaz as did her remarkable sacrifice of leaving her home to go with Naomi.  Boaz lets Ruth glean where she wants too and makes sure she is protected, as it says is Ruth 2 v 9 “I have told the men not to touch you”. This action left Ruth feeling overwhelmed by the kindness of Boaz.

After more rule breaking on Ruth’s part, Boaz and Ruth get married and they end up of having a child (she was not barren after all as she thought she was). However the child is not brought up by his parents, he is brought up by Naomi, his grandmother, which again was all part of God’s plan.  As it turns out Naomi raised a child who just happened to be the grandfather of the future King of Israel, King David.

Naomi’s ‘son’ was Obed. God used Naomi’s suffering for his greater good, like he does with us as well. He always has our interests in heart.

In this book, these three lives - Boaz, Naomi and Ruth – are all intersecting in what is truly a historic moment for God’s Kingdom: a wounded soldier (Naomi), a fresh recruit (Ruth) and a man of valour (Boaz), coming together as part of God’s plan.

This book also shows that woman are important in God’s eyes and he uses them in bringing about his plans. He takes women seriously and is so ‘intensely interested in the cry of a woman’s heart’

So as well as being a love story showing the love between daughter in law and mother in law as well as the love between a man and a woman, Ruth has other themes:

• Naomi’s sufferings
• Ruth’s radical sacrifices
• Boaz’s advocacy
• And God’s large vision for his everyone

The birth of Obed is a picture of the gospel – suffering and sacrifice, the joy of renewed life and hope for the future all mingled together. This is the gospel of Ruth. 

Flash Fiction: Why can’t killing someone always be that easy?

I didn't want this meeting to end the way it did, but he went too far one time to many and what was I supposed to do, sit there and take it? No, it was time I took a stand and defended myself.

We hadn't seen each other in years, and the meeting was not wanted by me, because there was no love lost between me and him any more, he was a nightmare and I was glad we never saw each other. And up until now he didn't want anything to do with our kids, but I suppose things change when someone dies.

Our youngest son, Luke who was five years old had just died and I had to meet his father, my dreaded ex-husband to discuss the funeral arrangements. Why he was having a say so in things was beyond me since he left our family as soon as Luke was born and had never had a desire to know him when he was alive. But being rich and having good lawyers got him practically anything he wanted.

As I walked into the room, Andrew, could never been civilised to anyone who stood in his way didn't even say hello how are you or how our other boys were doing, no he started berating me for being a bad mother. A bad mother, I tell you, that was rich coming from the ‘I'm not interested in this family any more’ man! He was querying the way Luke died. He was putting all the blame on me.

It was a hard day for me when Luke died. We were in the park together walking the dog, and Luke being a typical young boy was running around chasing after Buster who was heading towards the pond. I shouted at Luke to stop chasing Buster and don’t go too close to the pond, but he pretended he didn't hear me. He was right beside the pond edge, I walked quickly towards him to get him away, but he ran on, then all of a sudden he slipped and fell into the water, hitting his head on a large rock on the way.

All I could see was the blood mixing with the water and Luke disappearing from me.  I managed to drag him out of the water, but he wasn't breathing. I didn't really know what to do, I was beside myself but I managed to get him lifted up, carried to the car and drove him straight to the hospital, where unfortunately it was too late, my wee baby was dead. I blamed myself, because he was my son and I should have been looking after him but the nurses told me that I had done all I could.

However, Andrew did not see it this way and accused me of all sorts. First of all he accused me of taking my eyes of Luke, then he accused me of allowing him to fall in, then he accused me of not moving fast enough to rescue him, but I moved as fast as I could. However Andrew was so nasty, he would probably accuse me of pushing Luke in next, and I wouldn’t put it past him, but I would never do that to my flesh and blood, my boys were everything to me.

I was furious at the way Andrew was talking, and I was already grieving for my son, so I did the only thing I could at that time to keep me sane which was run at him with all fists flying. He was yelling at me to calm down and stop over reacting. That made me even worse. 

Andrew has made me mad many a times before but I never had the confidence or the will to stand up for myself and defend myself. But here and now I had to, I had to defend my character and my love for my child.

Andrew tried to stop me by grabbing my hands, but I just kept punching him until I managed to get control of him. He made me so angry, I do not know what I ever saw in him or why I ever married him in the first place. Oh yes, because he got me pregnant and it was the right thing to do at the time, well so my parents said anyway.  They never listened to my protests, they thought Andrew was a charming man, little did they know! And they like the fact he was rich too!

The night Andrew got me pregnant, was only the third time we had been on a date together, and I ended that date with bruised ribs.  His idea of sex was abusive, forcing himself upon me and beating me up.  I blamed myself, thought it was my fault it happened, well that’s because that’s what he told me and I believed him. As I mentioned before my parents didn't believe me, and the fact he never left me with bruises on my face meant his treatment towards me wasn't noticeable to outsiders.

We were married nine years of marriage and three sons together.  I ended up in hospital a few times after the beatings, and though Andrew also told the nurses I fell down the stairs or something like that, the nurses weren't stupid. They knew what he was doing to me.  They tried to help me stand up to myself but I never was able to before, was too scared he would move off abusing me and start on the kids. He never touched them.  And he never hit me in front of the kids, always just when they were not around, but the oldest boys, they knew what was going on as they saw my bruises and heard my tears. 

The nurses informed the police but Andrew denied it, telling them I was lying and of course I he beat me up after this, saying I was useless, a liar and an unfit person. This made me again believe I deserved everything I had been getting. However since the split, I have been receiving help and attending support groups and now believed I was not to blame. It wasn't my fault, nothing I ever did or would ever do deserved behaviour like Andrew’s.

However, now I had decided I had, had enough of everything and this would be the last time Andrew would try and get control over me.  It was not only was he physical abusive I suffered from, but mental and emotional as well.  He knew how to get into my head and what buttons to press.  I was now a much stronger, more confident person and I don’t think Andrew actually expected the strength I had gained since he left us.

I kept hitting Andrew, and thought I had control over him, but he started fighting back at me using his old tricks. He came at me from behind and pushed me to the ground, getting on top of me and taking control of my hands bringing them behind my back. I kept fighting back, and managed to get one arm free from his control.

Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a brick which being used as a door stop. I grabbed it with my free hand and hit Andrew on the side of the head with it.  He collapsed on top of me and I managed to push him off me, where he lay on the floor completely still.  I couldn't hear him breathing, I think I had just killed him. Of course I wasn't going to let on, so I let a scream out of me, someone came running and when they saw Andrew on the floor I said he slipped and fell.  

Flash Fiction: Language Learning

‘Oh I'm finding this language learning so hard”

“I know but it has to be done”

“Why couldn't I have gone to an English speaking country?”

“Because God sent you here to Peru”

“I know, he has a great sense of humour!.  He knew I had no Spanish”

“Well isn't he giving you the opportunity to learn a new skill?”

“Ha ha yeah, I wish I’d learned a language when I was younger, my 30-year old brain not doing too good”

“You will be good, just go out and use the language, don’t be scared”

“I am trying to. You are a natural though”

“Well I have a language brain.  I speak French already and Spanish is of the same family, so it’s not as hard, but still tough as I get French and Spanish words mixed up, and when I am tired I end up throwing some English words in”

“I do that as well with English words. Apparently I am fluent in Spanglish”

“Ha ha, so does that mean I talk Frenspanish, a mix of French, Spanish and English”

“Yeah, that’s a cool word”

“You know I understand and can read Spanish better than I can speak it.  I get nervous when am out and about and having to speak to people. I am worried they won’t understand me or if they will laugh at me”

 “But going out and speaking it is how you learn, and if people laugh, laugh with them.  Just think how they would be if they came to England knowing no English. Just by trying to learn the language shows them that you are wanting to engage with them. They appreciate it”

“Yeah I suppose you are right”

“I have seen you have conversations with people, which is good. And if they correct you then don’t get annoyed or think you are a failure, correction is good, see it as them helping you and not as criticism”

“Yeah you are right and as my primary school teacher once said, ‘practice makes perfect’ and ‘if at first you don’t succeed, try and try again’”

“OK, well let’s take that advice and go down to the market and practice our Spanish as well as getting some of that delish Peruvian food”

“Great idea. Thanks”

Story dare – write an enthusiastic heart to heart between two characters who are learning a second language”

Flash Fiction: Free-falling

“Let me go, he said”

“Why did he say that?”

“I was holding on tight to him”

“Yes but were you not meant to be, after all you had just jumped from the plane together, and free-falling as one”

“I know, we were meant to be falling together”

“So why try and let go?”

“No idea but I held on tighter than ever.  He wriggled and wriggled to get out of my grasp”

“Why did you not let him go?”

“Because I didn't want to fall and hit the ground”

“Why would that happen?”

“Because he had the parachute”

99-word story dare starting with the first line “Let me go, he said”

Flash Fiction: One by One

I wanted to make them suffer so I lined them up and told them they had to stand there until I decided how they should die.  They were not allowed to move not even sneeze, though they couldn't do that even if they tried. I pointed at them one by one, saying it could be you or it might be you. I couldn't help but giggle, it was funny. Then my sister came in.

“What are you doing?”

“I am about to commit murder”

“Oh, can I join it, it looks fun”

“Yeah sure. I have told them not to move as I want to make them suffer”

“OK. So how are you going to decide who dies first?”

“They are going to die one by one”

“Good idea, best way to do it”

“You start at one end and I will start at the other end, then we will meet in the middle”

“Cool, I am going to start with their heads, it’s the best way”

“I know me too, we are evil!!”

One by one the men went down, it was fun, first their heads, their feet, then the torso. The beat way to eat Jelly Babies”

(199 words)

199-word story dare with the first line being “I wanted to make them suffer”

Flash Fiction: Stranded

“I am so hungry, I haven’t eaten anything for days”

“I know me too, is there absolutely no food left?”

“No, we have eaten everything that we found on the plane, all the nuts, sandwiches, drinks etc. all gone”

“What about the luggage, have we checked it all?”

“Yes, we have been through every bag, found all the food and it has been eaten”

“How can we be out of food already, It’s only been two weeks?”

“We have been here for two months”

“Really?”

“Yes, to me it feels like longer. Every day is getting harder and harder, all the fighting between everyone is getting to me”

“What do you expect when there are so many people, most of us strangers, stranded on a remote Island with no food and no hope of rescue. It’s hardly going to be all rosy”

“I know, but we are here and should be in this together to help one another”

“That should be the case but it isn’t. About the food shortage, what shall we do?”

“Have all the bodies been disposed of?”

“Not yet”

“Well there is only one thing for it”

“What?”

“They will provide the food we need”

(199 words)

199-Word dare, write a story that takes place on a remote desert island near a downed aeroplane.

Flash Fiction: The Target

With aplomb Sean threw himself into the work he was doing. He did not really like the job but it has to be done, he was new in this position because he had been a naughty boy in his last job and had to be reposted.

Sean didn’t mind really, he just fit in with any situation that he came across. He was a glower – meaning he glowed anywhere.  It was because of his Irish charm, people warmed to him, they did not find him boorish like some lawyers can be seen to be. No he was not a talker or a jabber, he got the job done.

In this new place he was told to protect the prey, no matter how tough his fellow colleagues were, the prey was precious. Sean was pragmatic and knew the score. He knew he had to be switched on and looking over his shoulder. As always there would be people about to step in his way and try and trip him up. For reasons he could not fathom, some people just had it in for lawyers, possibly did not realise their potential.  But was Sean just a lawyer?

It was a mercurial situation to be in, people thinking you were something you aren’t and trying to be something else, like a white man pretending to be a black man playing a white man just like Robert Downey Jr did in the movie Tropic Thunder. What a talent it took to play many parts.

But it’s all just a job to Sean, he has his orders and he was not going to let anyone down this time. It was his dynasty to complete this job. He came from a family of lawyers and protectors.

Yes he had taken advantage in his previous role but greed can do that to you sometimes. Who wouldn’t try and take a few million pounds when it was being thrown at you. But he did not want the money for himself, he was trying to rescue some of his colleagues who had been captured at gun point and had a bounty on their head. And a few million pounds would have helped them

.

He was found out and had to give the money back, but thankfully after explaining why he was doing it, the money was paid and his colleagues were released and safe back at home.  He was assured that it would have happened anyway even if he hadn’t of put up a petition for them.  We all need to look after our own. 

So even though what Sean did was for a good reason, he was still disciplined. And he was given the new job to prove his trust, his worth and his commitment to the cause.  Sean thought he was trustworthy, and had he not shown loyalty to his colleagues? Ok, ok, he tried to steal so maybe he did need to prove himself again.

Sean threw himself into the new job with abandon, he needed to prove people right this time, show he cared and was committed.

An email just arrived into Sean’s inbox telling him to go to the agreed place. So Sean left the building he was currently in and went to the agreed place. He walked slowly, this was going to be a tough job, he had to be positioned right, needed to get the target in his eyes and not let them disappear.

Sean got to agreed place, went up to the roof and positioned himself setting his gun down. He lay on the ground, got himself and his gun in the correct place and waited.

They were told it would happen at 3pm that day when the President was making his speech and it was Sean’s job to take out the target, he wasn’t sure what they looked like, no one did, as the tip off about the assassination was anonymous. But most killers have the same look especially in their eyes, the look of determination. But Sean was also scared he would get the wrong person and also wondered if how real the tip off was and would the hit of the President actually take place. It wouldn’t be the first time that the information they had received was wrong, in attempt to distract the Secret Service, the FBI and the CIA.

Sean remembered another time when they had received a tip off that a bomb was going to go off in the middle of  Times Square, and all the services were there and the area was cleared at the time they were given, but the bomb never went off. Well it didn’t go of in Times Square, but a bomb did go off, at the Pentagon.  No one had cleared the Pentagon, no one had secured the area and a lot of people had died that day. Some information they are given cannot be trusted but they have to follow every lead and tip offs that they get.

The time was coming, it was 2.55 and the crowd was a big one, so many people and Sean could not find anyone who stood out. Well anyone who stood out more than anyone else anyway.

Sean’s eye skirted around and finally he saw him, he was standing in the crowd with a clear view of where the President will be. The President arrived on the stage and Sean kept his eyes locked on his target to see when he would pull the trigger.

Sean made sure he was in the right position and his fun was pointed at the target.  He had his finger on the trigger ready to shoot. His target moved and Sean thought this is it, it’s time, so before his target could aim and shoot at the President, Sean went for his shot. He had just pulled the trigger when something sharp got him right on the neck and again in the head. Sean had been shot at. Thoughts were running through his head in his final moments, when did I become the target?

Flash Fiction:: Restricted Parking

“You are not allowed to park here, it is a restricted area”

“There isn’t anything to say it’s restricted, and I have the right to park here if I want”

“Actually sir you don’t, it is illegal to park in a restricted area. And there is a yellow box painted on the ground which shows it is restricted”

“Why is it restricted?”

“Well, do you know where you are?”

“Yes, I am in the area of Lambeth in London”

“Yes but where in Lambeth, what is the building you ae in front of?”

“It’s MI5, is it not?”

“Well strictly speaking I should not reveal the identity of the building, but please move your car”

 “What if I don’t want to?”

“I will have it towed away as it is now being treated as suspicious and a threat, and it will need to be searched”

“Fine then, I will go and park it somewhere else”

“No, now you are here we will need to search it”

“Ok, if you must then go ahead and search it”

“I will just go get another security guard who will come and help me search, wait here”

“Ok, no problem”

The security guard left to get is colleague and then they both came back, the driver of the car had disappeared but left the car behind.  The door of the car had been left open which was suspicious to the two guards. 

“We will need to report this to the police”

“Ok, you go and do it, and I will stay here, and while you are at it get the buildings evacuated as this could be serious”

So the second security guard left to go and inform the police and get the buildings evacuated.  Within three minutes people started piling out of the building in which the car was parked in front of and also the other buildings situated on Millbank. Everyone went to the allocated areas for when fire or bomb alerts are sounded.

The second security guard came back to the car and told his colleague that the police a couple of minutes before he called the police, they had already been contacted and told there was a bomb outside MI5 which was due to go off at 2pm.

By now it was 1.25pm so there was another 35 minutes to go and the police were arriving in their vans to make sure everywhere was evacuated and that the car bomb was isolated and no one would get hurt. The bomb squad were also coming to work at diffusing the bomb.

There is one terrorist organisation that called ahead of bombs and that was the Irish Republican Army (IRA) However they were also known for giving false information so the police were on alert for other suspicious behaviour. 

And they were right to be wary because when the bomb squad got to the car there was no bomb. This put the scare on the police and it meant two things, either the IRA were lying or else it was a prank hoax by someone. But the police weren’t taking any risk and no one was allowed back into the building and the car had to be dealt with. Either they could tow it away but just to be 100 per cent careful there was definitely no bomb in the car they decided to safely blow the car up themselves.

While the car was being dealt with, police officers and bomb disposal experts were looking around the area to see if there was another potential bomb threat.

They were told the bomb would go off at 2pm and it was now 1.55pm so they had five minutes to find something. It could be anywhere, the IRA usually went for the car bomb but they were capable of doing anything to be honest.

Everyone had now been evacuated from the buildings and some were gathered in St John’s Gardens, behind Millbank and others were in Victoria Tower Gardens but nearer the Houses of Parliament end rather than the Millbank end.

The time was slowly going and 2pm was looming in on them, and still no bomb had been found so the Police thought they may be in the clear but they were not banking on it because as they knew sometimes the IRA could be unpredictable.

The car had been dealt with now and had been blown up in a controlled explosion. The two security guards from the beginning were still around since they were the ones who dealt with the incident from the beginning and one of them had spoken to the car driver, whom they were now calling a terrorist.  He was able to describe the man in great detail so the police could try and identify him. The security guard did say that the man definitely didn’t have an Irish accent which now in the scheme of things is a bit strange. But then that was probably another decoy.

It was now 2pm and no explosion had gone off so the police thought that it was all over and it was just a hoax prank call. But they still were a bit suspicious and didn’t bring everyone back to the buildings yet. At 2.10pm it was still quiet so they decided to start bringing everyone back to the buildings, office by office.

By 2.30pm everyone was back in their offices with just a few stragglers coming up behind. Arrangements had been made to remove the debris of the car, statements had been taken by the security guard and other witnesses, so everything was in order. It was now 2.40pm. Everyone was satisfied that nothing was going to happen so the police and the bomb squad were just packing up to go when all of a sudden there was a huge explosion, and the ground was rumbling. It was 2.45pm and the bomb had gone off.

The police and the bomb squad were perplexed, as the building on front of them was still intact so where did the bomb go off. One look to the right, and across the river at Vauxhall they could see the smoke rising. It was MI6 that had been targeted and not MI5.