The following piece of flash fiction won 1st prize in a competition for 'Secret Attic Press'. The field was small, (We're talking very small, but more than two. Just.) but my story was apparently the resounding winner.
As the competition ended, the website was relaunched under a different name. (www.writingwriters.co.uk) My work was published on this new site, but within a week, this site had already moved once more.
I suspected something was not quite right, but I have since seen a copy of an anthology which cites this story, accredited to me, in the contents page. Unfortunately, the story itself has been omitted from the anthology.
It is perplexing, but I hope to get to the bottom of what the exact situation is at some point. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy...
Telling Tails
It was a merciful, loving deceit. Barely a lie, more an obscuring of the truth. This wasn’t in the same league as Santa. They were merely delaying a life lesson, nothing more.
They had found Bobby the night before, curled up and cold, and had spent nearly an hour discussing what they would do. It seemed so unfair. Bobby was supposed to live for up to three years, but had barely made it past five months. Libby had sworn she would love and protect him, and had been attentive and gentle from day one. How could he now break the same promise?
It had taken three shops and two hours to find one the same size. He peered dubiously into the small plastic box. Beady black eyes stared back, whiskers quivering.
He only hoped his father’s nasty cough didn’t develop into anything too serious. Replacing Grandpa wouldn’t be so easy.
As the competition ended, the website was relaunched under a different name. (www.writingwriters.co.uk) My work was published on this new site, but within a week, this site had already moved once more.
I suspected something was not quite right, but I have since seen a copy of an anthology which cites this story, accredited to me, in the contents page. Unfortunately, the story itself has been omitted from the anthology.
It is perplexing, but I hope to get to the bottom of what the exact situation is at some point. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy...
Telling Tails
It was a merciful, loving deceit. Barely a lie, more an obscuring of the truth. This wasn’t in the same league as Santa. They were merely delaying a life lesson, nothing more.
They had found Bobby the night before, curled up and cold, and had spent nearly an hour discussing what they would do. It seemed so unfair. Bobby was supposed to live for up to three years, but had barely made it past five months. Libby had sworn she would love and protect him, and had been attentive and gentle from day one. How could he now break the same promise?
It had taken three shops and two hours to find one the same size. He peered dubiously into the small plastic box. Beady black eyes stared back, whiskers quivering.
He only hoped his father’s nasty cough didn’t develop into anything too serious. Replacing Grandpa wouldn’t be so easy.