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Have your story published! Here's how to enter our Short Story Competition: accident as a worker in a government ammunition factory, that he had been denied compensation on certain grounds which were not quite clear, that he was very bitter, and that the boy was his son on whom he doted. A passenger sitting in the front row, slumped in his seat, had been talking very softly into his mobile phone giving a running commentary on what was happening in the aircraft, and national TV and radio were broadcasting it to the nation. Millions heard the panic and the screams. The captain went back to the cockpit, locked the door, and announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, we will be landing shortly. Please be seated, and put on your seat-belts. Cabin crew, prepare for landing in 15 minutes. Thank you." The cabin crew gently brought the passengers back to their seats, while the madman continued screaming threats, and the boy kept on watching the film. Fire-trucks and ambulances raced along with flashing lights and wailing sirens, as the aircraft touched ground and slowed to a halt, engines straining. Then it slowly taxied to a remote corner of a disused runway, stopped, and all went quiet outside. Everyone was tense. A deep commanding voice came over the air, and the man with the grenade stopped abusing, and listened. He asked for a phone, and the passengers heard him talking normally and knew that there was now somebody in control. Minutes later the door was opened slightly to allow a priest with a bald head and in a brown, ankle-length robe to come in. The passengers were herded into the rear of the aircraft, while the priest talked long and earnestly with the man. Then the passengers were allowed to leave. There was a rush, and a jammed exit. The cabin crew went after the last of the passengers were safely seated in the buses. The man, the boy and the priest were left in the silent plane. Police in combat gear surrounded the aircraft and waited. But they did not storm it. That was the deal. The tension was high. Cameras clicked furiously as the man, the boy and the priest emerged into the bright sunshine, and the priest pushed the wheel-chair down the ramp. The man waved his hands triumphantly to the waiting crowd, which roared in anger. Then suddenly he wheeled his chair around, pulled out the grenade dramatically, and before anyone could react, threw it accurately and with great force into the open door of the aircraft. The crowd ran back in panic, hurling women and children to the ground, nearly trampling them. The police flattened themselves, while the priest, with remarkable agility, turned the wheelchair round, and ran with it, pulling the boy by his arm. The massive blast blew the plane upwards, and metal pieces rained on to the tarmac, injuring several bystanders. The pretty air-hostess watched as seat 13 flew up in an arc through the gaping hole in the roof of the plane, and crashed on to the grass verge a hundred metres from where she stood unharmed! Kersie Khambatta about the author Kersie Khambatta is a semi-retired barrister of the High Court of New Zealand, practicing in Auckland. She loves to write especially short stories and articles. Kersie has a Diploma of Associateship of the British Tutorial Institute, London in English, Modern Journalism and Journalism in India and a Certificate in Comprehensive Writing awarded in October 2005 by the Writing School (Australia and New Zealand). Entries need to have a maximum of 1200 words and will be selected based on their interest and professional standard. Entries are to be emailed to: hermag@strettonpublishing.co.nz Subject line: Short Story Competition Terms and Conditions: Entries to have a maximum of 1200 words, submitted in double spacing, including a short biography of the writer. Entries close the 20th of each month. Each entry must be the author's original work and must not have been published before. The winner each month will be notified prior to publication, which will be at the editor's discretion. Her Magazine retains first publication rights for all winning entries for a period of six months. Entries from the previous month cannot be resubmitted for following months' competitions – i.e. entries can be submitted only once. Each entry must be original and must be submitted by the author. The judges' decision will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Submission of each entry constitutes acceptance by the submitter of the competition's terms and conditions of entry. www.hermagazine.co.nz www.hermagazine.co.nz | 129