Winning Stories – CRANKED ANVIL PRESS

Flash Fiction…

WASHING DAY by Richard Hooton (1st place, Flash Aug21)

Andy glared at the damp sock in his hand as if it was the root of all problems. His other grey socks, along with his white vests and shirts, pleated…

Flash Fiction…

THE BRIANS by Hilary Coyne (2nd place, Flash Aug21)

The Brians came back last night. I didn’t notice until my son said, “Mummy, there’s a Brian in a box at the end of my bed. I don’t like him.…

Short Stories…

WHO AM I? by Denny Jace (1st place, Jul21)

My name is Lauren. I’m from Birmingham. I’m married. I have a daughter. I wave my husband Ed off, as he leaves to catch the 8.47 train to work. Please…

Short Stories…

PIPE DREAM by Will Griffin (2nd place, Jul21)

George Sprung turned his key carefully in the lock. He stepped into the house as if he expected a booby trap, closed the door softly, put his briefcase on the…

Short Stories…

THE TRAIN TO BRIGHTON by Caroline Ross Tajasque (3rd place, Jul21)

Salim was supposed to go on the tube. But he doesn't do the tube, not since he had a panic attack at Mile End station. The buses were all packed,…

Flash Fiction…

SOAKING THE JARS by Bernadette Stott (1st place, Flash May21)

Jem liked those posh yogurts. The ones that came in real glass jars with proper twisty lids. Every jar kept, label picked off, soaked in warm suddy water. Some jars…

Flash Fiction…

THE UNSAYABLE by Alison Wassell (2nd place, Flash May21)

Three o’clock. In fifteen minutes, Jen can release thirty children into the custody of their parents. Today they are, so far, all unmaimed. She begins to relax. Too soon. Tilly…

Short Stories…

SHINDIG by Letty Butler (1st place, Apr21)

11 Jun 202117 Jun 2021

Ursula is in her usual fireside spot languishing in her own flesh, whilst reading an old Argos catalogue aloud to Boggo. He can’t hear her because he’s in the galley…

Short Stories…

THROUGH THE RUSTING GATE by Rosie Morris (2nd place, Apr21)

11 Jun 202117 Jun 2021

Jake’s mammy always wove the most wondrous tales, carrying him on the magic carpet of her imagination to kaleidoscopic worlds far beyond the everyday. Through her, he became an intrepid…

Short Stories…

THE COUNTER by Chris Cottom (3rd place, Apr21)

11 Jun 202117 Jun 2021

You love clacking the abacus beads across their frame, counting off the nights until Father Christmas comes. You like the red ones best, the top row. The enemy are the…

Flash Fiction…

THE MOST FASCINATING WOMAN IN THE WORLD by Andrew Boulton (1st Place, Flash Feb21)

11 Apr 202117 Jun 2021

When it became clear she truly was the most fascinating woman in the world, everybody wanted to be near her. And, because she genuinely was a fascinating woman, and hadn’t…

Flash Fiction…

LET’S NOT by Colette Coen (2nd place, Flash Feb21)

11 Apr 202117 Jun 2021

‘There have been times,’ she stopped reading the magazine article, ‘when I’ve thought about it.’ ‘Of course,’ he said, and she’s glad he understands. ‘Me too.’ ‘Oh,’ came out of…

Short Stories…

NIGHT TERRORS by John Biglands (1st place, Jan21)

15 Mar 202117 Jun 2021

I push my head around the edge of the door. It’s eleven o’clock but he isn’t asleep. He’s lying on his bed, ramrod straight, staring up at the ceiling. His…

Short Stories…

THE RESPITE by Barbara Kuessner Hughes (2nd place, Jan21)

15 Mar 202117 Jun 2021

We had no choice but to ram in the front door of Flat 27. Our procedure is that one person enters first in case of an ambush. I’m thankful it…

Short Stories…

HIGH HOPES ON THE HIGHWAY by Caroline Drew (3rd place Jan21)

15 Mar 202117 Jun 2021

Moments before he slammed the door behind him, Charles could hear the sound of his wife’s loud laughter rolling in his head. She’d describe it as having her giggle-mug on,…

Flash Fiction…

WARM MILK by Hannah Sutherland (1st place, Flash Nov20)

18 Jan 202116 Jun 2021

He’s drinking the glass of warm milk as he’s always done before bed, a ritualistic habit, born from his childhood. Slurps it down, wipes his lips with the back of…

Flash Fiction…

SOUP KITCHEN by Rose Walker-Taylor (2nd place, Flash Nov20)

18 Jan 202126 Jan 2021

I had my fiftieth birthday at the end of April. I look around me now and struggle to believe that at fifty years old, I now sit here. The path…

Short Stories…

SOLDIER BOY by Tesni Jenkins (1st place, Oct20)

12 Dec 202017 May 2021

Soldier-boy sat on the bottom step, his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. He watched his father tie his shoelaces with care, pulling them tight against…

Short Stories…

WINNING by Rachel Robbins (2nd place, Oct20)

12 Dec 202027 Jan 2021

Dermot at 15 When people described Dermot, they started with the stutter. He knew that when he walked into the classroom late one morning, that Chas had been doing an…

Short Stories…

A SUMMER CAROL by Guilherme Ribeiro (3rd place, Oct20)

12 Dec 202026 Jan 2021

Dawn slaps him around a little. I'm awake! He shouts at the sun, accepting sweet numb nothing ain't returning. I'm awake, he mumbles to himself as he slides off the…

Short Stories…

MOTH WOMAN by Sharon Boyle (1st place, Jul20)

11 Sep 202027 Jan 2021

The mirrors are back-chatting again, sliding in unwanted comments while reflecting for all they’re worth. ‘Give it a rest,’ I say to one over the mantelpiece as I pin the…

Short Stories…

THE WELL by Andrew Stott (2nd place, Jul20)

11 Sep 202017 Jun 2021

The swallows fly into and out of the well. There must be a nest down there. Whyever else would they fly down into it? I have looked down over the…

Short Stories…

HOW TO TAKE AN INVENTORY by Annalise Taylor (3rd place, Jul20)

11 Sep 202017 Jun 2021

Accuracy and efficiency are all. In order to be a successful Retail Inventory Associate you must be reliable and focused. Strong mental arithmetic will help you sail through the application…

Short Stories…

THE STORYTELLER’S GIFT by Alan Kennedy (1st place Apr20)

11 Jun 202016 Jun 2021

For the fourth time in five minutes, Jimmy Sanderson scrutinises the notice on the door, then his Mickey Mouse wristwatch. He sniffs his armpits, cups his hands to check his…

Short Stories…

NEWS FLASH IN MANCHESTER by Gillian Wellby (2nd place Apr20)

11 Jun 202017 Jun 2021

Ellie is on the train to her hometown of Manchester. Courtesy of social media Ellie has been tracked down by little Ann Wheeler - that is to say the daughter…

Short Stories…

FLIP FLOP by James Hancock (3rd place Apr20)

11 Jun 202017 Jun 2021

Barry was a flip flop. Kid's size eleven, regal blue, with white stripes and a slightly worn underside. He was the right, and his brother, Gary, was the left. Brothers,…

Short Stories…

TURNSTONE by Nicki Parkins (1st place Jan20)

15 Mar 202017 Jun 2021

I brought the stone home from the beach. I often do that. There are so many beautiful stones and I end up bringing home too many. Then I have to…

Short Stories…

THE HOUSE ALWAYS WINS by Joe Bedford (2nd place Jan20)

15 Mar 202017 Jun 2021

The banknotes were transported in several large cases to the Bank of England. From them, a dozen batches were picked for inspection. Staff in rubber gloves examined the print, the…

Short Stories…

NEVER GOING GREEN by Sherry Morris (3rd place Jan20)

15 Mar 202017 Jun 2021

In Lesterville, we know the phrase Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce, we just choose to ignore it. Not because we’re against saving the planet, or don’t understand the plastic problem. We…

Short Stories…

SURFACE TENSION by Andy Banks (1st place Oct19)

12 Dec 201917 Jun 2021

The sky was dying a red death when we eventually reached the swamp. We’d been walking for so long that the village was nothing more than a huddled mass of…