The recipient of an Honourable Mention from the Tom-Gallon judges 2011, 'The Mauve Throw' is a heartbreaking story of life, illness, death and love. All profits from sales of this short story will be donated to Cancer Research.

Extract:

The rush of traffic reached the hard shoulder in waves. It rocked the car where Helen sat, her head propped to the passenger door, dark glasses filtering the fierce thrust of sunlight through the windscreen.
She was on the brink of sleeping when a face at the window woke her: a uniformed policeman was circling his hand, mouthing, ‘Open the window?’
She couldn’t. It was electric. Jimmy had taken the keys from the ignition. She shook her head at the policeman: ‘Sorry.’
He reached down and opened the passenger door. ‘Breakdown?’ He was pink-cheeked, young. ‘You shouldn’t remain in the vehicle,’ he said. ‘In case of a collision. You should leave the car and go and wait over the other side of the barrier.’ He pointed to where Jimmy and Gabrielle had gone.
‘I know. I’m sorry. I was just too tired to get out.’ Helen lifted both hands and unhooked the frames of her glasses, taking them from her face.
The policeman flinched, cutting his eyes away from her. ‘I’m sorry.’

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