Crossing the Tees Flash!Mob: We Hope This Finds You Well

By Crossing The Tees

A book, written and published in a week...? Why not!? After meeting in Middlesbrough's beautiful old reference library on Monday, with writers Zooming in from around the world, this book, launched only five days later, collects together the tiny stories inspired by this year's Crossing The Tees Book Festival theme, 'We Hope This Finds You Well'. We hope you enjoy...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sixth Element Publishing
• Release date: Jun 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005952624

Book preview

FOREWORD

When Gillie told me she could create a book out of thin air in only five days, I was utterly staggered and very, very excited. This is the first time Crossing the Tees has attempted a feat of creative daring like this, and I hope everyone who has contributed their flash fiction and everyone who reads this brilliant collection of work is as amazed and delighted as we are!

Kirsten Luckins, Festival Co-ordinator 2022

Crossing The Tees Book Festival

www.crossingthetees.org

DEAR VERONICA,

Davia Sacks

I hope this finds you well. In fact, I hope this finds you. You departed so quickly you must have forgotten to leave me your new address.

I want to thank you so much for having allowed me to stay at your beach house. And I’m so sorry about the chair. It certainly appeared sturdy, but who’d have guessed it was a flimsy 14th Century antique? If I’d known, I’d never have allowed Beatrice to jump on my lap. Bernese Mountain Dogs are notorious for being oblivious to their own size.

It’s a shame you weren’t there to share the puffers I cooked on the wee tin foil grill I found in your shed. Even though it was next to your beach chairs, I didn’t realise it was for beach use only. But I did manage to put the fire out quite quickly; and the hole in your table isn’t terribly large at all.

As to the kitchen floor and living room rug, I assume they’ve dried by now? Who knew you weren’t supposed to use regular dish soap in the dishwasher? Not I, that’s for certain! Perhaps you might consider posting a note on the counter regarding that. But, it was a relatively minor flood, and in retrospect, the fresh lemony scent may have helped mitigate the smell of the dead manta ray Beatrice rolled in during our walk on the beach. I reiterate, the odour was from the rotting manta ray, not, as you implied, from the plate of tuna brownies I left for you to enjoy upon your return. Besides, the dish covered the burnt hole on the table quite brilliantly, so no harm done, right?

I look forward to visiting you in your new home, wherever it is!

All My Love,

Mum

The Measure of You

Rosaleen Lynch

I measure your signature with thread like it’s a river on the map we followed that last summer, like you’d do, before drifting into a childhood story about how our shoes always got too small and how duct tape kept the rain out or how the tally we kept for empty bottles never added up, when we always had to take away, and like with everything that was and wasn’t, you’d ask, what it means and I’d laugh and say, nothing, what could it mean to uncoil someone’s signature and