The following 12 entries, in no particular order, have been shortlisted and go forward for final judging.

  Kay Ellis wrote "A Bit Of A Case." Nice writing style about a lone case on the baggage carousel that talked back to the security guard.

  "Surrogacy" was by Margaret Mounsdon. A bit of thought went into this tale about an abandoned baby girl in an airport toilet. Did not flow too well in parts but deserves to make the shortlist.

  S. Bee penned "Waiting." A cleaner "found" passports and got rewarded for returning them to grateful owners.

  "Stopping The Traffic" was by Patricia Maw. LIked it as I expected a different ending and got a surprise. An emplyee is detailed to meet an incoming passenger and he is not at all pleased.

  Susan Farmer wrote "Fore!". An out of date passport prevents a wife joining her hubby on a golfing hol in Portugal but she has other plans.

  Dorinda MacDowell submitted "Falsh-Back." Nice twist to this one. A passenger meets a former colleague.

  Jane Grimshaw offered "Meeting Joseph"which was a good effort. A female takes a mystery trip to Jamaica.

  "Gods Of The Carousel" was by Tracy Fells and told of the strange ways of the barrage carousel.

  Larraine Wells scripted "All In A Day's Work." A sniffer dog does a good job.

  Alice Parrant wrote "Hostess Envy" which was another story about a cleaner who envied the glamourous air hostesses.

  Helen Lowry's "This Time" was really well told. An unhappy wife wants to leave her hubby.

  "Torture At The Airport" from Sally Jenkins was a pleasant surprise as I thought the story was about something else and the ending was good.

The final result is as follows: A book of short stories goes to each of the three runners-up who are

Dorinda MacDowell of Stockport; Jane Grimshaw of Warrington; Sally Jenkins of Sutton Coldfield.

  The third prize of ten pounds goes to Kay Ellis of Leyland (Kay was the winner of the first Emerald comp in 2010).  Second prize of fifteen pounds goes to Susan Farmer of Leeds. The first prize of fifty pounds goes to Tracy Fells. Tracy lives with her family in West Sussex. She gave up her full-time career over a year ago and now writes short and long fiction for both adults and children. Currently she is working on a second adult novel and her first full-length children's book. Her writing blog (www.tracyfells.blogspot.com) is shared with The Literary Pig. Tracy's stories are regularly getting onto shortlists in fiction comps and maybe, just maybe, she is starting to get the hang of this writing malarkey. Like all writers Tracy is a well-balanced and sensible grown-up. She does not talk to blackbirds or herself.  This is her winning entry.

 

                                                     GODS OF THE CAROUSEL

 

  Stevie gaped as the man with skin like polished ebony swept Lulu off the carousel and deposited her down onto the trolley so that she sat precariously on the pile of matching tartan cases.  "Keep her off there," said the man to Stevie and pointed a shiny finger to the tunnel where barrage continued to trundle like giant sushi. "The gods are always hungry," he winked, "and greedy too - whatever goes through there becomes their property. Rich pickings for the gods of the carousel.

  Stevie looked towards the leathery flaps that clicked their tongues with delight devouring each new item on the conveyor belt. Around the boy men and women were frantic, pushing to the front, desperate to retrieve their bags the instant they appeared from the caverns behond the wall. In the scrum for possessions, babies lay abandoned and the infirm propped against pillars as the travellers hastened to drag away their luggage before it returned to the lair of the gods.

  Lulu's toy rabbit Mr. Bunny was still sitting on the rolling belt. Stevie's little sister began to wail.

  The skinny man in the green baggy uniform bent to speak, "Where are your parents kid?"

  "Mom's gone to be sick in the restroom. Dad's gone to get some of the Mickey Mouse money that you have here."

  "Right," nodded the man, "nice."

  The rabbit's ears diaappeared into the abyss. Even the focus of the zombie arrivals was momentarily diverted by Lulu's screams, though nobody stopped to investigate the tantrum.

  "Mom will freak out, " sighed Stevie. "I'm always losing stuff."

  "Yeah, well you could've lost your sister. Look the gods always appreciate a sacrifice. A little token may bring back her toy." The man tipped an eyebrow at the teetering tower bags on the boy's trolley. Stevie liked the way the glaring lights of the hall bounced off the man's bald scalp.

  Stevie held up his mother's Gucci handbag.

  "Yeah, that's a right nice offering," the man took the bag from Stevie and placed it onto the carousel. "This may appease the gods. Let's give it a go."

  Stevie and the man in green stood together and watched the handbag wobble underneath the slatted curtain. Hushed, expectant minutes elapsed and then the pink toy rabbit reappeared through the second curtain. As Mr. Bunny drew level Stevie made a grab for its droopy legs. The left ear, crinkled, soggy from habitual sucking, was instantly reinserted into Lulu's mouth. And the screaming stopped.

  Stevie continued to watch the carousel, but the leather handbag did not come out again.

  "The gods liked your gift," said the man turning to leave.

  "What do I tell Mom?"

  "Would she believe a big coloured guy snatched it?"

  Steveie thought for a second. "Sure." The boy called out as the man returned to his cleaning cart. "Who are you? What's your name?"

  "Hermes," said the man, "my name is Hermes."

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Cheques and books were posted to the prizewinners and runners-up on march 16th.