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June 2018 Third Place: Dead Tired by Lisa Harwood

Updated: Nov 24, 2018

Dead Tired

By Lisa Harwood


I grimaced as I opened the file in front of me. An image of a young boy with blonde hair and green eyes, marred by dark blue bruises, accompanied pages of information detailing horrific abuse. At just 4 years old, Ben Dawson had fallen victim to a schizophrenic mother that had attempted to beat and burn the demons out of him. The human mind never ceased to disturb me.


As darkness descended, sleep erased the words in front of me. I slept soundly, undisturbed until static from the office radio broke through my reverie. A breaking news bulletin was being broadcast live from the scene of the brutal murder of Christine Dawson. Christine had been discovered by a neighbour, suffering burns accelerated by petrol to most of her body. Her blonde hair hung matted around her eyes, marred by dark blue bruises.


My receptionist knocked hesitantly on my door. “Matthew,” she whispered fearfully. “Why do I smell petrol?”


---Lisa Harwood has spent years studying psychology and working with children in various settings. She is from Aotearoa (New Zealand) and enjoys writing in her spare time.



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