It is no easy task to provide a peek into a textured world, with backstory, present and possibility —in only five hundred words. The writers who submitted to our Flash Fiction Contest took on the challenge and we are so grateful they did.

The first prize goes to Mayim by Nancy Ludmerer, a story that has history, loss and a beautiful splash of hope. Next to Godliness by Sheila Longton pulls back the curtain on dual childhood tragedies and Self, Expression by Annie Holzman reveals the loneliness of the last chapter.

On behalf of Suzanne Freeman and myself, thank you to all of the authors who provided us the opportunity to escape into fine writing during this annus horribilis. We look forward to publishing the winning entries during our fall issue.

Keep writing. Keep reading. Be safe,

Erika Raskin

Erika Raskin is the fiction editor of Streetlight. She can be found at erikaraskin.com.