Dave Hop

A little conversation at supper between Jesus and a few flawed saints. ‘No we don’t.’ Thomas looks at him, straightening himself a little as he speaks, his eyes on fire. …

This body, walking, running, stumbling, limping, so diverse At times one step forward, sometimes two steps in reverse This body, old and young, tired, inspired, weak and strong This body, …

A few of us had gathered in the church there. Not quite sure what we were doing, but we all seemed to have landed on the same idea. Get down …

This week has seen the passing of at least three well known people, Victoria Wood, Prince, and Guy Hamilton – the man who directed four James Bond movies, including the …

With the release of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (yes – really) it set me wondering whether there was anything in the notion of The Bible and Zombies. I know it …

This week’s midweek moment… We make our plans but God has the last word Life so often surprises me We make our plans but God has the last word I …

Click here for part 45. Mr Quintius surveyed the eight cadets of Q1. Tiberius Sky shifted restlessly from foot to foot, everything about him larger than life and larger than …

Click here for part 44. They followed Mr Quintius out towards the sport fields. Normal and Tiberius were the last and as they followed Podium and Wagget stepped out of …

Click here for part 43. ‘So, there was this little girl, and she was massive, I mean absolutely massive. Like a huge monster.’ ‘How could she be massive if she …

For part 42 click here. The headmaster reached into the safe and pulled out a key. It shimmered and kept changing colour as he held it up. ‘This my dear Mr …

For part 41 click here. Normal just nodded. ‘How on earth did you get to… well… earth?’ asked the headmaster. Normal told him about diving into the Silver Lake and …

For part 40 click here. Normal shrugged. The headmaster snapped his fingers and the music came to a stop. Two red leather armchairs were crouching beside a roaring log fire. …

Click here for part 39. Gabriel nodded towards the headmaster and took a step back. ‘Well,’ said the head, ‘that was most inspiring. Now anyone got any questions?’ Ararnia put …

For part 38 click here. Gabriel continued, his voice still sounding like three people blended together. ‘Now, you might think there is nothing unusual with humans having babies, they do …

For part 37 click here. The other figure stood up. He towered above everyone, even Professor Bagriel. His face shone a little as if someone had put a light bulb …

Click here for part 36. The school was lined up in the main hall for assembly. All the staff were present. Mr Quintius led his class of new cadets in then …

Click here for part 35. The wolves glanced sideways at one another, then, at the dip of the leader’s head they tensed their grey bodies and started to run towards …

Click here for part 34. ‘Now,’ said Mr Quintius, ‘anyone like animals?’ Petrona’s hand went up. Ararnia put hers half up then retracted it. ‘Good, Petrona, Ararnia and Normal come …

For part 33 click here. They spun round and saw old Rafe standing there. ‘You two rascals again!’ he muttered. ‘I caught you before. And now I see you’ve got …

For part 32 click here. ‘What happened to you?’ she said, wringing water from her hair. ‘We found a tunnel,’ said Normal. ‘Yea, and humans!’ said Tiberius. ‘They were well …

For part 31 click here. Normal was there in the bedroom, standing looking down the back of the radiator. ‘Where did you get to?’ asked Tiberius. ‘Look,’ said Normal, with …

For part 30 click here. The tunnel was dark and Tiberius swam with all his might, his large body only just fit and he kept scuffing the sides. He was …

For part 29 click here. Tiberius looked at Normal. Normal looked at Ocacia. They all shrugged in unison. There came another ear battering thunderclap and they turned and fled onto …

Click here for part 28. ‘I can hear something,’ said Ararnia, standing upright on the water again. She ran towards them across the silver surface, sending up ghostly splashes as …

For part 27 click here. ‘I did hear a rumour that one of the humans could walk on water,’ said Tiberius. ‘I heard that two people once did. But one …

 For part 26 click here. ‘They can walk through walls and make things disappear,‘ said Ararnia, her eyes wide and her red hair shuddering as she spoke. ‘And they can …

For part 25 click here. ‘You mean we have to hold our breath to stay invisible, miss?’ said Ararnia, putting her hand up after she’d spoken. ‘Invisibility is vital to …

Click here for part 24. ‘Right! Let’s try number 37, you rabble,’ Professor Bagriel said to the rest of the class and he strummed the harp again. ‘Everyone – together …

For part 23 click here. ‘No good attempting to look invisible Mr S,’ Professor Bagriel said, ‘I know for a fact that Miss Astonishing has not yet put you through …

Click here for part 22. ‘Now, young flyers, who knows anything cherubim and seraphim?’ asked Wing Commander Hygbald. Petrona Punch stared out of the window. Ararnia put both hands in …

Click here for part 21. The creatures at the fence took one look at the travelling storm cloud and turned and fled. Zenufius and Zenobius sighed, wiped their brows and …

For part 20 click here. ‘What do you think about all that stuff hairy Hygbald was telling us,’ Tiberius asked as they hid outside in the dark, late that night. …

Click here for part 19. Ambrose put his hand up. ‘I think they shave a lot,’ he said. ‘They do Mr Grey,’ said Wing Commander Hygbald. ‘Indeed they do.’ He …

Click here for part 18. Wing Commander Hygbald had white tufts of hair sticking out of the sides of his head.  He looked like a favourite grandfather. ‘Now there young …

For part 17 click here. ‘They call me Venus Flytrap,’ the girl with thin green lips said. ‘Why?’ She gave a sly grin. ‘Because I can do this trick.’ She …

Click here for part 16. Ararnia headed off. Tiberius, Normal and Ocacia just watched her. ‘We can’t just turn up,’ said Normal. ‘You did yesterday,’ said Tiberius. ‘They might not be …

For part 15 click here. ‘I will also be taking you for communication this year and communication is vitally important here. It’s the centre of everything we do. It’s the …

For part 14 click here. The first lesson the following morning, in fact the first lesson ever for the eight new intakes at Guardian Grange, was Communication Skills. Mr Quintius, …