We’ve got a very exciting 2012 to look forward to with some fabulous authors and interesting themes to get your creative juices flowing.
May’s 247tales short story competition is led by Anne Cassidy with the theme THE BOOK. Remember you can interpret this in anyway – but make sure your story is no more than 247 words!
Theme: THE BOOK
Entry opens on 3RD MAY and closes on 24TH MAY
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Elizabeth’s story was fun and made good use of the theme. She managed to write about a discovery that nearly everyone would want but the final line warns the reader think that often things are not quite what they seem!
Her first discovery, that she could fly, came quite accidently one Thursday afternoon. She’d been in a bit of a flap about her homework and could think of no better way to vent her anger than to flap her arms up and down in the air.
You can only imagine her consternation when she found herself swooping wildly above her house. At first her parents were furious, for she had left a tremendous hole in the ceiling but as she soared gleefully past the window they had to admit that there were benefits to be gained from their daughter’s new talent, if only that it was something new to tell the neighbours.
All in all, she seemed to be having quite a good time. She soared from rooftop to rooftop, then ricocheted off the satellite dish in a manner that would have been quite stylish had she not got her hair caught in a television aerial. Flushed with more excitement and exhilaration than embarrassment, she sat on one of the chimney pots and made friends with a pigeon called Mabel who seemed a little snobbish but friendly enough for they chatted for some time.
That was when she made her second discovery: as she leaned over the drainpipes, intending to smile at her father, who was prancing about with a camera on the front lawn below…
…she discovered that she was afraid of heights.
Elizabeth, age 15 (234 words)
Visit the Winners’ Library to see examples of past winning stories
Three names were in the book, one of them already crossed off. The second name was Harry Waters.
Joe waited outside the pub. It was dark and seriously raining.
Harry was due at any time. Same routine every night. Out of the pub door at ten past eleven.
“Bye,” Harry shouted and stumbled unsteadily up the road.
Joe watched him with contained fury. He patted his top pocket where the photo of his sister was.
He began to follow him. The road was long and dark and Joe knew he only had to wait a short while until one of the big lorries came off the dual carriageway and headed for Tesco’s loading bay.
Harry slowed up.
Joe bent down to tie up his shoe laces.
From behind he could hear a lorry, its big wheels thundering on the uneven road. He glanced round. The rain was hard, in the street lights it looked like knives coming down. He went on more quickly.
The lorry was getting closer.
Joe took quicker steps and was alongside Harry, throwing one arm around his shoulder as if he was his best mate. Before Harry could blink he pushed him squarely in front of the lorry.
The vehicle screamed and swerved but it was seriously too big to avoid Harry’s soft body.
Joe slipped down an alleyway. He got the book out and crossed out Harry’s name. There was just one more name then his sister’s death would be paid for.
