Crime 55: April/May 2002© Catten Ely
May 15, 2002
I want to thank all of the entrants in the Crime 55 contest-there's some serious talent out there!! The judges argued well into the night and I was very proud of them when they finally made their decisions.
What was the contest?
While criminal trials may drag on for months or even years, a criminal act may take but only a moment.
Blink, and it's over.
You are hereby charged to write an entire crime in just fifty-five words. No more. No less.
How short is that, you might ask?
This little piece is exactly fifty-five words.
Here are the five the judges liked best, in no particular order:
Enough is Enough! by Andrea Taylor
Tamara had decided she was not going to take his abuse any longer. Her fingers stretched out in desperation. She felt the cold blade of the knife. Finding the handle, she thrust the blade deep into his back. He would no longer have the opportunity to hurt her or their daughter again. Enough is enough.
Crime 55, Circa 1925: Sharky's Last Double-cross by Amanda Wyatt
Exit bank; loot hits the rumble seat as Viola revs the Model-T.
Sharky and his shotgun aim at me past the city limits. "Heave ho, Gus!"
"Wrongo," laughs Viola and her Saturday Night. Vi's MINE-the bee's knees, too!
G-Men close in on stranded Shark. "Dirty double-crossers!" he shouts, all the way to the klink.
Reporting Just The Facts by Rained On
She smiled. He desired. She shopped. He followed. He shot. She ducked. He missed. She reported. He jailed. He paid. He bailed. He stalked. He shot. He hit. She hurt. She bled. She cried. She died. She buried. He found. He cuffed. He judged. He lost. He jailed. He hanged. He buried. End of report.
Cat Burglar by Pamela Round
Having secreted Cleopatra's jewels on him, the thief evaded security systems
and left the museum.
A black cat watched him walk away.
His body was found the next morning, not a mark on it, staring at the roof. The inspector was amazed to find a cat on the bed, curled and purring around Egypt's wealth.
Rush Hour by Paul Alan Fahey
Philip stands reading the evening paper.
He senses a male presence behind him.
The bus swerves, and a man reaches out, grabs an aluminum bar for support.
Their hands touch.
Philip moves closer, feels the warmth, pushes his back and buttocks up against him.
Union Square.
Go To Page:
1
2
The copyright of the article Crime 55: April/May 2002 in Crime Stories is owned by . Permission to republish Crime 55: April/May 2002 in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
