* The Fiction Awards 2020 Winner *
In Goodharts, the small town beyond the hills, nobody knows how Ferry Donovan looks. His mother has been keeping him out of sight for over nine years. When the boy finally begins school, the people are not only int...
"--and then he went through the fence, right into your front garden! Not over it, THROUGH the fence!!!"
Ferry heard Mrs. Nosey's high-pitched voice and decided not to come down for breakfast just yet. Instead, he chose to listen to another of their neighbour's tall tale.
"I can't tell you the fright I've been through," Mrs. Nosey continued, gasping. "He was all full of fur and he had red eyes. Believe me, I saw him pretty well. I was at the window at the time, waiting for Mr. Nosey to come from work."
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Mrs. Nosey wasn't invited to their home too often. Her curious, gossipy nature was not liked by any of the Donovans. But considering the latest circumstances, she broke her will and paid them a visit, anyway. Uninvited.
"That was three.... no, four nights ago," she continued. "Then I saw that winged creature flying over your house. I'm pretty sure it wasn't a bird, it was too big for a bird. It was a... man with black wings! He flew in circles over your house, and landed in your walnut tree, in the backyard. I don't know how long he stayed there, for I was too frightened to look. I crossed myself and spat three times. Then I spun three times in one leg, as my poor mother taught me, to defend myself from evil. When Mr. Nosey arrived, that creature was gone," she said, shaking her head.
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Mrs. Nosey was talking all by herself. Once in a while, Mrs. Donovan nodded. Mr. Donovan, obviously disturbed for not being allowed to read his newspaper in peace, was throwing a 'Yes' or 'Of course', hoping their talkative neighbour would eventually leave.
But Mrs. Nosey had no intention of leaving. She sat comfortably at the kitchen table, sipping from her cup of hot tea and chewing on some cookies. Crumbs were coming out of her mouth as she was talking, dangerously close to Mr. Donovan's newspaper. He retreated from their way at the edge of the table, muttering something about how awful she must have been feeling.
"Then, two nights ago, I saw a man with a hat, sunglasses, and a raincoat. He was accompanied by a woman with a pointy hat. Who would wear sunglasses during winter, at night? Don't you find that odd?" she asked, stopping to catch her breath.
