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The Mauve Throw
The recipient of an Honourable Mention from the Tom-Gallon judges 2011, 'The Mauve Throw' is a heartbreaking story of life, illness, death and love. All profits from sales of this short story will be donated to Cancer Research.
The rush of traffic reached the hard shoulder in waves. It rocked the car where Helen sat, her head propped to the passenger door, dark glasses filtering the fierce thrust of sunlight through the windscreen.
She was on the brink of sleeping when a face at the window woke a uniformed policeman was circling his hand, mouthing, ‘Open the window?’
She couldn’t. It was electric. Jimmy had taken the keys from the ignition. She shook her head at the ‘Sorry.’
He reached down and opened the passenger door. ‘Breakdown?’ He was pink-cheeked, young. ‘You shouldn’t remain in the vehicle,’ he said. ‘In case of a collision. You should leave the car and go and wait over the other side of the barrier.’ He pointed to where Jimmy and Gabrielle had gone.
‘I know. I’m sorry. I was just too tired to get out.’ Helen lifted both hands and unhooked the frames of her glasses, taking them from her face.
The policeman flinched, cutting his eyes away from her. ‘I’m sorry.’
ABOUT SHORTFIRE
Shortfire Press is a new digital short story publisher specialising in stories from new and established authors, available to download one by one.
‘An iTunes for the written word’ INDEPENDENT
‘Have no doubt about it, the short story is back’ GUARDIAN
The rush of traffic reached the hard shoulder in waves. It rocked the car where Helen sat, her head propped to the passenger door, dark glasses filtering the fierce thrust of sunlight through the windscreen.
She was on the brink of sleeping when a face at the window woke a uniformed policeman was circling his hand, mouthing, ‘Open the window?’
She couldn’t. It was electric. Jimmy had taken the keys from the ignition. She shook her head at the ‘Sorry.’
He reached down and opened the passenger door. ‘Breakdown?’ He was pink-cheeked, young. ‘You shouldn’t remain in the vehicle,’ he said. ‘In case of a collision. You should leave the car and go and wait over the other side of the barrier.’ He pointed to where Jimmy and Gabrielle had gone.
‘I know. I’m sorry. I was just too tired to get out.’ Helen lifted both hands and unhooked the frames of her glasses, taking them from her face.
The policeman flinched, cutting his eyes away from her. ‘I’m sorry.’
ABOUT SHORTFIRE
Shortfire Press is a new digital short story publisher specialising in stories from new and established authors, available to download one by one.
‘An iTunes for the written word’ INDEPENDENT
‘Have no doubt about it, the short story is back’ GUARDIAN
16 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
4 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Hilary
41 books591 followersSarah’s debut, Someone Else's Skin, won Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year and was a World Book Night selection. The Observer's Book of the Month ("superbly disturbing”) and a Richard & Judy Book Club bestseller, it was a Silver Falchion and Macavity Award finalist in the US. No Other Darkness, the second in the series was shortlisted for a Barry Award. Her DI Marnie Rome series continued with Tastes Like Fear (longlisted for Theakstons Crime Novel of the Year 2017) and Quieter Than Killing (Observer’s Thriller of the Month). Come and Find Me was published in 2018, with Never Be Broken to come in 2019.
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