Winners and Highly Commended
Winning Story
Devils in the Switchgrass
By Glyn Matthews
Around midnight the drumming on the boxcar roof stopped and Walt was woken by the sudden silence. He sat and propped his back against the doorjamb. Drips still fell from the curved roof and the air held the wet earth smell that rides the tail of summer storms. The night relaxed and a fox barked off in the switchgrass. Walt listened to his own breath scratching and reached for the bottle of Jim Beam.
He regarded his busted shoe . . .
Runners-Up
By Susan Bowman
It was gradual you see, just the feeling of a presence at first. I’d imagine someone behind me; feel breath on the back of my neck.
I’d wake in the night to experience an overwhelming comfort, the warmth of love I guess you’d call it. Reaching for the lamp, but understanding that the light would extinguish the power of it . . .
By John Maskey
The room was dark and gloomy – deliberately so. The curtains were black, heavy and lined, as if to forbid any sunshine. Sombre paper covered the walls, from which framed heads, sepia-toned with stern expressions, looked down disapprovingly. It seemed to Chris they were showing their disdain for visitors . . .
Highly Commended Stories
Ten further stories in the recent competition have been Highly Commended. For the full roster, plus details of our free feedback offer see here.
