Tag: Daniel Selwood

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BACK TO SCHOOL: The New One

Words by Daniel Selwood

I’d forgotten what it was like to be The New One.

True, I’m not new, I was at Hive College last year too, on the Traineeship programme, which I think is safe to say, I did brilliantly.

But there is that feeling of newness. That crisp, first day feel, that twist as your stomach Cha-cha Slides somewhere in your chest. The sheen of sweat coating your palms. Avoiding eye contact.

I was at the same school for fifteen years, which, in many ways, makes me feel ancient, despite having just turned nineteen. I now feel like a stranger, knowing that not everyone knows me yet – as lovely as everybody is – and the handful of familiar faces that have cropped up along the way is comforting.

It is comparable to starting a good video game, shooting all the bad guys, finding some plucky young girl out in the middle of nowhere, and then switching it off because your mum is calling you to ask where the potato peeler went.

But when you get back on it – you have to shoot all the bad guys again. It’s not a perfect world. We have to start again.

But it’s a chance to be the best you, starting a new place. You can set yourself new goals and try to be the person you know you can be.

My tips – regardless of starting a new place or not – or if you want – starting afresh, turning over a new leaf – are these: What do you want to do? Talk to the mysterious new person? Go do it – or squeak ‘hi’ at them like I did.

Want to impress the One in Charge? Don’t bootlick. Be you. You’re where you are for a reason.

Set yourself a goal outside of the workaday world. Even if it’s to learn to make potato salad, it gives you something to talk about.

Also, you know that thing you keep thinking about? The thing that you hold close like a fur coat? Drop it. Chances are that was ages ago. Move on, smile, and press ‘New Game.’

It’s your turn to be The New One.

Daniel Selwood is a student at The Hive College who is involved in our LOCAL AMBASSADORS, GET WRITING GET WORKING, and BACK TO SCHOOL programmes – providing him a platform to support and develop his writing. 

For more on The Hive College visit: www.hivecollege.org.uk  

The Hive College is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

If your school would like to know more about going BACK TO SCHOOL with Erdington Local please email: [email protected]

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BACK TO SCHOOL: Caligo – a short story by Daniel Selwood

Daniel Selwood is a student at The Hive College who has been involved in our LOCAL AMBASSADORS programme, as well as contributing to our BACK TO SCHOOL pages for his college.

A gifted prose writer and a veracious reader, Erdington Local is proud to help support and develop Daniel’s writing.

She was beautiful. She had long dark hair, a dress of midnight blue, and high heels that added inches onto her already formidable height.

Domnic Darkly felt underdressed, even in his best shirt. He hadn’t combed his hair in weeks and as a result it looked like something left in a spin dryer too long. His glasses were round, and he was becoming more and more aware of how dirty they were.

“Domnic?” she asked. Her accent was unplaceable, like every voice in the world stewed up and served.

“Yes,” said Domnic, in his West Country drawl, marred and bitten at for living in Birmingham for so long.

She stepped back. Domnic stepped in. The hall smelt familiar – like childhoods and happiness. As Domnic admired the collection of leather-bound books, her soft but strong hands grabbed his cheekbones with their death-pale fingers.

“You look just like your photos, darling, like a tough ‘n’ teak mountain man…” she whispered, and ran her tongue like a red slug over her purple lips.

“You didn’t send any pictures,” said Domnic, nervous then calm. “And I don’t know why – because you’re…” his eyes lingered on her chest, “you’re beautiful…”

“Thank you, my liebchen,” she said, and walked like a film star into her cavernous kitchen. “Would you like water, or wine?” she asked.

“Erm, water,” said Domnic. Stone statues of unrecognised Greek gods were visible through the kitchen window – dressed in real cowls. He thought he recognised some of them from a news report, something to do with back packers who were acting stupid and vanished.

“Erm, Caligo?” he asked – her name, an unusual name, one that sounded like a wine. “Where did you say you were from, again, sorry?”

She winced, then slid back into herself. “All o’fer, really mois fleur,” she said. “I, er, ‘ow-dja-say, treaded the boards…”

“You were an actress?” asked Domnic.

Water thundered into a glass. Caligo looked at him, “Pardon? Oh yes – actress, yes…” She put the glass of water into Domnic’s hand, and whilst he wasn’t looking mixed a fine line of powder into his drink.

“You look good for fifty,” said Domnic, feeling more assured. He was forty-five and obvious with it; a mix of alcohol in the ‘80s, ciggies and drugs in the ‘90s, and an attempt to settle down in the ‘00s. Caligo was charismatic. Caligo was cool. All he had was the look of a humanised gorilla, a twenty something daughter who ran off to Malaga with her girlfriend, and a wife who set fire to his clothes before chucking him out. The words, “you can stay with Calligraphy or whatever her name is…” echoed round his memories, that, and the smell of charred cotton.

“I have the kiss of life,” she laughed. “Now drink up my love… and we’ll see my garden.” She smiled without out showing teeth.

It was the last thing he remembered.

Domnic woke up outside. Cold. Naked. He couldn’t place where he was or when he’d arrived… just a jump, like a dream. But he’d seen those statues before – the one with chiselled cheekbones, the thin seedy one, the round one, too.

“Nice, isn’t it?” she asked. It was. Wherever it was. He couldn’t remember his name.

“I love this place,” she drooled. “I bought it in 1920…”

“19… but it’s 2024!” cried Domnic.

“Oh, mon chéri. I have long life. I am – er, ‘ow you say it? Vampire,” cackled Caligo, as Domnic placed his hand over his neck.

Caligo looked at him and laughed so hard a dog barked a few streets away, then went quiet. “I don’t suck blood, I kiss… and drain the life from my darling, wunderbar boyfriends.”

She leaned in and placed her lips firmly on his. It felt dangerous, yet pleasant. He didn’t fight. Her breath tasted sweet, and rich, like the zest of orange on a dense, dark cake.

Domnic turned to stone. His face was wonderfully wistful. Caligo lifted Domnic and placed him in line. She draped him in a toga before going inside – the sun was rising…

For more on The Hive College visit: www.hivecollege.org.uk

The Hive College is part of the Erdington Local BACK TO SCHOOL programme, working together to celebrate school life from staffroom to classroom.

To find out more about going BACK TO SCHOOL WITH Erdington Local please email: [email protected]