The following six entries, in no particular order, have been shortlisted.

PINK DAISIES AND BERMUDA SHORTS by TRACY FELLS

BOILING POINT by ALICE PARRANT

THE GIRL IN THE PINK DRESS by REBECCA HOLMES(pen name)

THE APPLE PIE by JOAN REED

MAKE MY DAY by SUSAN JANE JONES

SACRIFICE by GRAHAM HAWES

 

  This was hard to judge as those shortlisted were close in terms of quality writing.

  Three runners-up, in no particular order, win a book of short stories. These are Susan Jane Jones, Warks;

  Tracy Fells, West Sussex;  Rebecca Holmes, Leicestershire. 

  Third prize of £10 goes to Graham Hawes, Herts.  Second prize of £15 goes to Alice Parrant, Middlesex.

  Winner of first prize of £50 is Joan Reed, Knaresborough, North Yorkshire and this is her story.

 

                                           THE  APPLE  PIE  by  Joan Reed

 

   Grace put the pastry over the top of the sweetened apple and spun the dish expertly on her hand as she cut off the excess dough.  Pinching it together with her podgy fingers, she sealed the apple in.  Grace loved making things, especially pies.  Meat and potatoes were everyday, desserts were special.  She glazed the top with egg and sprinkled on sugar.

  "Is lunch ready?" said Jack, coming in from the garden.  "I'm starving...." he stopped mid sentence.  "Oh dear, not apple pie for afters.  You know pastry kills me!"

  "You say that every week," said Grace, tiredly.

  Popping the pie in the oven and taking the meat out to rest, she glanced at the floor.

  "Look at the mud in here, go and wipe your feet," she tutted under her breath.  "Now was your hands and set the table while I dish up."

  Placing the food on the table, Grace sat down.  Jack was soon tucking into his lunch.

  "The meat is tough," he said, with his mouth full.

  Grace looked up.  "I only cooked it."  She spat out the words.

  "Are there any more potatoes?" he said, ignoring her.

  "Yes in the oven," she replied.

  Jack was on his feet in a second and was soon emptying the extra potatoes onto his plate.

  "No, I don't want any more but thanks for asking," said Grace sarcastically.

  He looked at her blankly.  She shook her head and sighed.  They continued eating in silence. The sound of Jack's knife and fork clattering onto his empty plate signalled he had finished and was ready for his sweet.

  "I don't know how you eat so quickly," said Grace looking at her half empty plate.  Getting up wearily she picked up a tea towel and took the pie out of the oven.

  Evem after 40 years, the satisfaction she got from seeing the beautifully finished pie never diminished.  The delicious aroma filled the kitchen as she cut the crisp sweet pastry.  The apple oozed out as she transferred a large slice into a bowl.  She then cut a smaller piece.  Putting the dishes into the centre of the table, she sat down again.

  Jack grabbed the dish with the largest piece of pie and picked up the jug of cream that Grace had placed there.  He poured most of it over the pie, drowning the crisp pastry.

  He took a large mouthful and was about to take another when he clasped his hand to his chest and fell to the floor.

  Grace looked down at the motionless figure at his feet.  He was right about the pastry, she thought.