Urban Assault

Noddy was at the bar, deep in conversation with Janine, when the music on the hi-fi twanged off and out. Dirk had been trying to butt into the conversation, which Noddy thought was extremely rude. His comments of “Oi! Go outside if you’re going to do that!” and “You dirty sod! There’s people trying to drink in here!” were quite distracting. He had even flicked a towel at Noddy while he was innocently trying to clear a space on the end of the bar so they could be more comfortable. So much for German hospitality.

A cloud of smoke billowed from under the stage. The lights dimmed. The main act of the evening was about to make its appearance. Sure enough, there came the familiar rumble as Dirk strummed his bass. Heads turned. Seats were pushed back from tables. Noddy climbed off the bar and straightened his shirt, making sure his fly was zipped. Janine sat up, shook her hair back into place and handed him his mug. She took a swig of the Bacardi concoction she’d been drinking, quite comfortable sitting on the end of the bar. She leaned forward, a sparkle in her eyes, and was about to say something deep and meaningful when the howl of a guitar cut through the smoke-filled air.

Before the second chord had been struck Noddy was heading for the stage, jostled by the rest of the club as they leaped to their feet and joined the lemming run. Because that howl could mean only one thing. Urban Assault was here. And they were heading straight into “Breaking the Law.”

As Noddy hit the front of the crowd, throwing his left foot up to brace against the knee-high stage, Cliff launched himself from behind Sven’s drum kit, microphone in hand.

To keep people entertained while we all struggle to find our feet in a world suddenly flipped upside down – I’m still releasing Dancing in Valhalla in weekly installments.

Read them each week on FaceBook or WordPress. Receive notifications via Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, GoodReads, or Amazon.

No charge. No obligation. Read for free. Share with your friends.

Cheers.

Physical paperback copies are available from BookDealers of Rivonia – 40 Wessel Road, Rivonia, Sandton.

From Curiosity in Pretoria.

And from Snow Lion in 7th Street, Melville.

Also available in Melville – Shorty’s Poems are now in Book Circle Capital, in 27 Boxes. Pop in and take a look at the selection of books available from this local store.

Another South African author – Bill James – has just released his first book, Big Day Out, and is giving it away free on Amazon today, 6 July (Amazon time).

In Bill’s own words – “This book has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Set in Johannesburg in the near future, Big Day Out is a mad mercenary romp through the dystopian nightmare that Covid-19 might have become. Might still become, if we don’t keep our self-appointed leaders on a very short leash.

Good old-fashioned don’t-give-a-toss action. You don’t like it, don’t buy it.”

Go grab a free copy. You can burn it if you like. Or if you don’t like.

Finally, the Smashwords July Summer/Winter sale is still on. All my books (and Shorty’s) are heavily discounted, some of them even free. Along with thousands of others. Go stock up for Xmas.

Cheers.