“A flock of small birds took off from the wall of the fort. They moved like a length of dark silk caught by the breeze as they headed out to sea. Behind them, the sky was the colour of forget-me-nots. The sun blazed.”

Sara Sheridan is a British journalist and author of the 1990s and 2000s. She is known for her sharp, witty essays on modern life, particularly in *The Guardian*, where she covered culture and society with a keen, often irreverent eye. Her work often blends social commentary with personal observation, offering a distinctive perspective on contemporary issues.