The 2021 Canvas Flash Fiction prize: a winning, mystical tale of Aotearoa New Zealand

The 2021 Canvas Allen & Unwin flash fiction winning story is River, by Margot McLean. Illustration / Isabelle Russell

Everyone has a story, we said in our September 4 issue, launching the 2021 Canvas Flash Fiction competition with Allen & Unwin NZ. We asked you to tell us in 300 words or less, what is yours? The standard was impressive and there were so many wonderfully original ideas and compelling themes that traversed themes like environment, child support, romance, break-ups, a bad ending for a mean pig farmer, and a man whose head collided with the Eiffel Tower. There were nearly perfect tiny novels, and some very black humour. The judges pored over close to 600 short, short stories and today, as promised, we are delighted to announce the winner of the Flash Fiction grand prize - Margot McLean. Congratulations to Margot, who takes $500 cash prize and to our two runners-up - Yvette Parsons and Miranda James. All three have their dazzling entries published in Canvas magazine and online. And congratulations you all - and thank you for entering.

Winner: River, by Margot McLean

I flow through the forest of dancing light. Three humans arrive in a metal wagon. They slam doors and walk to my pool. Man carries a bag, Woman carries the one called Baby. Their voices are loud and they break ferns as they climb down to the flat rock. The birds watch.

Man and Woman dangle their feet in the water. A young tūī says Tuna will bite their toes, and the other tūī laugh. Baby hears the birds and he laughs too. Woman opens the bag and gives Baby a bottle. She opens two cans and passes one to Man. They drink one, two, three. They squeeze the cans and throw them at a boulder. Gotcha says Man. Gossha says Baby, but the others aren't listening. They lie back on the rock with their feet over the ledge. Their eyes close and they start to rumble.

Baby crawls closer and asks me where I'm going. I tell him of the rapids and the waterfalls and my widening and slowing as I merge with the sea. He says he comes from water too. Then he leans too far and falls into the pool.

Baby drifts underwater, eyes wide open. He sees patterns of green and white, hears my deep song, and feels his body getting lighter. I promise to carry him to the sea.

The tūī shout a warning but the big humans keep rumbling. Old Tuna unfurls and shoots out of his hole. Sharp teeth sink into a hairy toe. Man yells, FARRRR. Woman sits up and sees Baby floating away. She swims fast and strong, pulls Baby from the water. Baby cries. All the humans are crying now. Tuna bites a little harder for good measure, then slides back under the ledge. I flow on.

Judges' comments: "It has a strong sense of place."
"I love the magical qualities of the setting, and the poetic quality of the language."
"A beautiful and original story with a very Aotearoa New Zealand voice."
"I'm astounded by how much mood, tension and magic the author was able to convey in a few short paragraphs."

An encounter with a cool dude. Illustration / Getty Images

First runner-up: [No title] Yvette Parsons

It was three thirty-four a.m. She was reading River Phoenix's autopsy report. The weight of his spleen was two hundred and fifty grams. Yesterday's cold mug of tea quietly congealed beside her. Soft rain brushed at the windows. She should go to bed. Tinnitus chirped at her like a summer brood of mating cicadas. She imagined a lumberjack type, with sexy teeth, and a heavy-duty chilly bin. Hail fellow well met with his ute in her driveway. He smelt of cheap soap. He thought he looked fly in his Dirty Dogs - but she couldn't see his eyes. He said, "It's summer baby!" Baby. She yawned. The cat lifted its head from its little bed, surveying her with reptilian eyes. The kitchen tap dripped like the heartbeat of the house. The fridge churned its innards. The lumberjack would move in because he was between flats, and she had off-street parking. He'd buy her a fridge. It was a big-ticket item. She'd love him because he let her teach him the names of her lipsticks; and recite them back to her on demand. "Moonstone Violet", "Amber Reveries!" He'd be on Pornhub day and night. He'd take the TV and disappear 10 years later. He was miserable because she was "vanilla". The glasses case snapped shut with a velvet thud. She heard the newspaper falling to the floor in rustling waves. The click of her mother's bedside lamp turning off. The little wet cough. She drew a sigh of relief. She would go for a walk. No one would meet her. She tied her shoelaces neatly. Pulled on her coat which hung by the door, and stepped out into the cold biting air.

Judge comments: "A small masterpiece."
"A very accomplished piece of work."

A Christmas tale. Illustration / Getty Images

Second runner-up: When Dad Came for Christmas, by Miranda James

He said, "G'day kids, Merry Christmas," but he was looking at Aunty Chris.

"Having a good day?" he asked. We told him yes, thank you.

Aunty Chris said, "You're late. We've already eaten." Then she got the plate of ham and potato salad she'd saved and lifted the tea towel. Dad sat down to eat.

Aunty Chris told us to sing some songs from assembly so Holly sang You Are My Sunshine and I sang Waterloo. I forgot the last verse and had to start again.

Dad asked, "Where's your brother?" and we told him Joey had gone down to the campground. There was a girl there with a denim miniskirt he wanted to meet. But we didn't say that bit.

When Dad had finished, Aunty Chris leaned back and lit a fag.

"So, you still on the boats?"

Dad was spooning out some pav. He said nothing.

"Still seeing that Chinese girl?" she asked.

Dad smiled. He smiled at the butter on the table like it had just told him a joke.
"Nope," he said. "Married her."

After Dad had gone, Holly and I went down to the campground.

Joey and the girl were lying on the trampoline kissing.

We hid in the pines and spied on them.

Judges' comments: "I love the economy of the writing but that it has so much emotion in it and how it nails the child's voice."
"Exquisitely simple and poignant."