Spring 100-Word Writing Competition 2024 – Results

Our latest free-to-enter micro-fiction competition, with the loose theme of ‘Renewal’, attracted loads of entries and, as always, the standard was excellent. We are delighted to published the winning entry, Schrödinger’s immigrant by Alice Lawson.

Winner

Schrödinger’s immigrant

by Alice Lawson

Mouths gulping for air, filling with saltwater.

Every day he saunters through the door, cheeky grin dimpling his cheeks.

Ahmed said Hiva was on the dinghy.

Like thick, delicious gheimeh, he brings warmth to everyone.

My scared boy, fleeing forced conscription; a death sentence.

Each night his sister begs with renewed vigour for his fanciful bedtime stories.

Hiva is dead, body bloated on a foreign shore. Our son couldn’t swim; no water to learn in.

Ahmed is mistaken. Hiva lives, making his way in the world, he will return one day.

No-one can tell us – no investigation took place.

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Author Bio: Alice Lawson lives in London with her husband, daughter and 100s of inherited houseplants. Outside of her 9-5, most spare time is spent writing.

Shortlist

Here are the entries that made it to the shortlist:

Give Them Your Heart, He Says by Heather Haigh
Just Falling Rock by Alice Lawson
Memories to Die For by Eddie Holmes
New in town by Caro Robson
Promethean Heart by River M. Blues
Promises, Promises by Wendy Uchimura
Secret to a Successful Marriage by Laura Downs
Spalled Bricks Hold Down The Tin Roof While The Sky Cracks by Heather Haigh
Spring by Keira Money
The Blip of Death After Heartbreak by Keira Money
The Resilient Cloisters by Anne Meale

Thank you to everyone who entered. If you’d like to find out about our upcoming writing competitions – both free-to-enter and those with an entry fee such as the 1,000-Word Short Story Competition (£1,000 top prize) – as well as writing prompts, book recommendations and more, sign up to our newsletter (we send one each month and will never share your email address or any other information with anyone else).