February 2026 Flash Fiction Winner: Beginnings
The Arrival
by Taz
Melbourne, VIC
The dark hummed, and I whispered back.
But a change had come, a shift in tune, heralding release. Drumbeats pounded louder, distant waves rolled closer, and I moved through the tide— drifting towards an unknown beginning. Time was dwindling— today MUST be the day of deliverance. Air thick, walls pressed together, squeezing, pushing me through the narrow passageway.
Muffled ocean grows to a rumble. The surge and swells propel me forward, away from the dark and the warmth towards the brightness and noise.
The first gasp, the first taste.
The world erupted, and I paused, then roared back.
Taz: “My favourite genre to write is thriller/horror. My favourite genre of music is Metal and Indie. Watercolor painting is a relaxing way for me to pass the time.”
A note from our February guest judge, Livia Creț [@livia_cret of @wordsofafeather_romania], on why she selected this piece:
“Here we have a great example of showing, rather than telling. All sensations while in the womb are shown through beautiful similes, smartly put together so that there’s no need for the word ‘birth’ to be present. We know what the brightness and noise stand for. We know what beginning comes with the ‘eruption’.”
Congratulations, Taz! 🌟
Our monthly Flash Fiction Competition is free to enter, and writers of all ages, from anywhere in the world, are invited to submit! Follow us on Instagram or subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date.
