For the past little while I’ve been entering a flash fiction writing competition run by the Australian Writers Centre.

At 5pm on the first Friday of each month, the AWC reveals three elements that must be included in a story with a maximum of 500 words. You’ve got until midnight on Sunday – just over two days – to write a masterpiece.

It’s called Furious Fiction. The winner gets 500 bucks. A few stories get honourable mentions. And it’s open to writers across the world.

I’m yet to reach the winners’ podium, but I’ve been talking about how much I’m enjoying the competition and a few people have asked to see what I’ve written.

Let’s start with my September 2018 entry: Gate 47.

The elements that must be included:

• The entire story must take place in an airport.
• The story must include the word SPRING somewhere. (Plural also okay.)
• The story must include the phrase: IT WAS EMPTY.