This is probably the first short story I ever read. We were given it at Standard Grade (age 13/14?) to study in English, and we were to write our own short story of the same title. I feel like I wildly plagiarised Michele’s work for my story — the themes, the format. All I did was swap out characters and dial the violence and dread up a notch, if I remember correctly. It was my first insight into short story structure and so I thought it deserved an honourable mention in the anthology. Thanks, Michèle for the introduction to the form (and to my teacher Mrs Stirling, wherever you are).
First published in During Mother’s Absence, Virago Press 1993
A Personal Anthology 