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Oceans Away From My Homeland

Agnes Chew

‘At the entrance to the gynaecology clinic, I ring the bell.’

Fiction by Agnes Chew.

The Undertaker’s Apprentice

Hana Gammon

‘It was small and delicate and its song was simple but sweet – the perfect gift. The perfect offering.’

Fiction by Hana Gammon.

Lech, Prince and the Nice Things

Rue Baldry

‘I spend the afternoon scarifying ceilings. My neck and shoulders are killing me by the time I leave.’

Fiction by Rue Baldry.

Kilinochchi

Himali McInnes

‘Parents should not have to bury their children. I will come to you, she whispers.’

Fiction by Himali McInnes.

Stupid Girls

Rhian Sasseen

‘It was 1 a.m., and it was Los Angeles; they were used to indiscretion.’

A story by Rhian Sasseen.

Stockholm

Yan Ge

‘I’m curious to know what you did with your milk there, Jacob said. Did you dump it, or, did you drink it?’

A story by Yan Ge.

Giver

Molly Lynch

‘A single drop of milk clings to my right nipple like a promise. Or a taunt.’

A short story by Molly Lynch.

A Certain King

Jennifer Atkins

‘I didn’t think she was happy; I thought she was in love, but I didn’t know what that told me, if it told me anything.’

Fiction by Jennifer Atkins.

The Hair Baby

Sara Baume

‘She has been ten for a month and she does not like it. She carries the weight of her extra digit like a chain-mail vest.’

Fiction by Sara Baume.

A Dying Tongue

Sarah Bernstein

‘What needs explaining was that, and it was a funny thing, a very funny thing, I did not speak the language.’

An extract from Study for Obedience by Sarah Bernstein.

Universality

Natasha Brown

‘She boils her sentences down to high-sucrose sweeties and calibrates her tone for maximum engagement.’

Fiction by Natasha Brown.

Doubtful Sound

Eleanor Catton

‘I knew that Dominic had cheated on me. I couldn’t tell you when, or who, or how many times, but I was certain that he had.’

Fiction by Eleanor Catton.

She’s Always Hungry

Eliza Clark

‘I could hear the sea, and I could hear my own name.’

Fiction by Eliza Clark.

The Room-Service Waiter

Tom Crewe

‘There was to be an exhibition. There were lots of pictures like his, apparently – of waiters, pastry cooks, valets, bellboys.’

A story by Tom Crewe.