A GUTTERING CANDLE by Dianne Bown-Wilson (1st Place, June25)

Mrs Mulhern's telephone rings at her bedside at 11.37 pm. She registers the time as she snaps on the light, glad she wasn't asleep. These days, it takes her a while to collect her thoughts when she wakes, and whoever's calling could ring off— although that might be no bad thing. 'Hello?' She speaks cautiously. … Continue reading A GUTTERING CANDLE by Dianne Bown-Wilson (1st Place, June25)

BEGINNERS PLEASE by B W Frimston (2nd Place, June25)

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is your half-hour call. You have thirty minutes until curtain up, thank you.” As the announcement was made by the theatre manager over the tannoy, the company stage manager Gerry scoured backstage, just the slightest hint of concern starting to edge into her consciousness. “Has anybody seen Derek? Derek’s missing.” A … Continue reading BEGINNERS PLEASE by B W Frimston (2nd Place, June25)

LEAVE TO REMAIN by Ros Levenson (3rd Place, June25)

My first thought when I woke up was that I was cold. Freezing cold, colder than I had ever been before. You know how the mind tries to make sense of situations that you don’t understand? I spent a long time, or so it seemed, trying to figure out why I felt so bone-chillingly frozen … Continue reading LEAVE TO REMAIN by Ros Levenson (3rd Place, June25)

NOW AND THEN by Matt Oliver (1st place, Flash May25)

I’ve never told anyone this before. I’m not sure why I’m telling you now, to be honest. I suppose I feel I’ve got nothing to lose anymore. What with - you know - the diagnosis. It happened exactly forty years ago. I was walking along the corridor to my form room, to teach my next … Continue reading NOW AND THEN by Matt Oliver (1st place, Flash May25)

THE DARE by Kathy Goddard (2nd place, Flash May25)

‘You know the rules, Billy. If you want to be one of us, you’ve gotta go to the witch’s house.’ ‘Yeah, but you gotta go inside as well.’ I stared round at them. ‘Inside?’ ‘Yeah, like wot ‘e said. Properly inside. You’ve gotta wave at us through a window – an upstairs one.’ ‘Aye, that’s … Continue reading THE DARE by Kathy Goddard (2nd place, Flash May25)

RITE OF PASSAGE by Margaret Magee (1st place, Flash, Feb25)

The woman walked around the ruin of the house she had fled years back; its secrets sandwiched between the loose mortar of the old walls. It was a perfect June day, laced with the smell of cut grass and the five-note call of a wood pigeon. She slipped out of her court shoes and walked … Continue reading RITE OF PASSAGE by Margaret Magee (1st place, Flash, Feb25)

THE NIGHT DEATH ALMOST GAVE UP by Margaret Davis (2nd place, Flash, Feb25)

Sometimes, Death only whispers from the other side, promising escape and peace, and the soul comes dashing. Often, Death slouches down slightly in the armchair, with a bacon sandwich in one hand and feet up on the stool, grabbing with the other hand, to whip life away too abruptly for it to resist. But this … Continue reading THE NIGHT DEATH ALMOST GAVE UP by Margaret Davis (2nd place, Flash, Feb25)

PAS DE DEUX by Chris Cottom (1st place, Flash, Nov24)

Suzie’s a snowflake in our nursery school Christmas Gala, petticoat-frothy, with her hair pinned tight. I bash my cymbal when Miss nods from the piano, although I’d wanted to be the King of the Mice. She’s fourteen and back from ballet school for the summer. At the youth club dance, sweaty after Reet Petite, we … Continue reading PAS DE DEUX by Chris Cottom (1st place, Flash, Nov24)