Hey Visionaries! This announcement is super late because the holidays came and life got busy and it fell off the list of things to announce until my sister, Jaiden, brought it up. I got the results from Louise and have been sitting on them for 3 weeks trying to find time to announce them amidst the other stuff I'm working.
All that to say, I heartily apologize for the delay.
Here are the winners and their winning pieces!
Flash Fiction Winner
Jaiden Phillips with her story - Fate of a Villian
Jaidie's piece is going to be featured in the Illuminate the Dark anthology and thus we're not sharing it here. Sorry folks.
Micro-Fiction Winner
Joelle Stone with her story - Dodger
Dodger
Hangings are perfect. I smirked to myself, ignoring the pitiful soul babbling incoherently on the platform with a noose around his neck as he prepared to meet his Maker. I didn’t care about him - no, I was here for the crowds, the rich folks who found pleasure in another man’s death.
I snorted. Sickos.
No matter that I would be next in line for the hangman’s noose if I were caught.
Ignoring that, I brushed against a woman’s skirt, mumbling apologies as I slipped my hand in her pocket and came out with a bracelet with a broken clasp, which I slipped up my sleeve. She shot me a glare but otherwise ignored me. The gentleman to her right, whose elbow I bumped, didn’t have anything loose enough for me to take, although the expensive pocketwatch dangling from a chain was too tempting for my own good. I turned away from it, dodged a few small children who were with their mothers, and pretended like I was desperate to get to the front and see the man suffocate. Just like the rest of them. But I was dirtier, meaner, less afraid to touch others. And the crowd was packed so closely together that it was a piece of cake to slip a silk handkerchief here, a wallet there, a piece of jewelry when it was too large for a woman anyway.
What a catch!
The trapdoor fell out from beneath the man with a crash. His scream was cut short.
I ignored him, as I had ignored so many others, and decided I had enough loot for the day. The money from this would last me and my lads a week, not to mention what they got. I fought a smirk.
Now this is living.
Short Story Winner
Kacie Star with her story - (Untitled)
I glanced at my watch. Five more minutes. The guy to my right fidgeted with his own, obviously nervous.
After wringing his hands for two entire minutes, he turned to me.
“When is the meeting with the cobras?”
I turned a completely shocked face to him.
“What?”
His eyes flew open. “You didn’t know?”
“No,” I whispered. “I didn't know that.”
He stared. “No?”
I laughed and poked him in the ribs. “Of course, I know. Lucky for you. Have you been with them long?”
“Never met the crew,” he confided.
No wonder he was so nervous. By the end of the day, he’d be a complete wreck. I felt sorry for him.
The remaining three minutes passed in silence. We walked in the room together.
Once inside, we waited another five minutes. Other cobras started showing up.
Our leader stood in the center of the room, palms up.
There was no need. We were already silent.
“We have a new member,” he said in his gravelly voice, “George.”
Then everyone except George stood. We grabbed his hands and twisted them.
He winced but grit his teeth and refused to cry out. That surprised me, because I wanted to cry even though my arms were not the ones being twisted.
Our leader gave the signal, and we let go, relieved. He could endure pain. He could stay.
“Are you okay?” I whispered to George. He looked up at me.
His eyes were full of tears.
“My shoulders might have been dislocated,” he said. Someone grabbed his arms to check.
“They’re okay,” he told him.
George didn’t look so sure.
And I knew there was more to come.
He was taken into a room with the more senior cobras. I knew what would happen back there, and I was sorry for him.
I followed him when we all headed out. I felt responsible somehow. And to know that there was more to come?
“George,” I whispered. “Get away from the cobras.”
He looked at me. “Why?”
“They’re no good, trust me.”
“Why are you a part of them then?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Stayed too long. I can’t leave now. But you can. So please do.”
He paused, probably struggling inside. Then he nodded and disappeared.
I thought about what might happen if they found that I’d told George to leave.
But it was the happiest day of my life.
And there you are folks, the very late announcement of the winners. I promise we'll get results about Illuminate the Dark out more quickly come the end of May, Lord permitting.
Congrats to the winners! Everyone give them a round of applause!