When lockdown began, UIB lecturer in English Juanjo Bermúdez de Castro proposed organising a flash fiction competition for students on their first year in the Degree in Primary Education. The texts could be no longer than 100 words, had to be written in English and be about the new circumstances: the fight against and eventual victory over COVID-19.
The students were enthused and submitted 80 stories to the competition e-mail address: <uibstoriescombatcorona@gmail.com>. The four best and most original were selected with the first prize winner receiving a voucher for books at the Campus Bookshop, in partnership with the UIB Cultural Activities Service.
The four prizewinners and their stories are shown below:
Eight O’clock, by Marina Onieva. First Award. Winner Group 1
'Applaud, applaud and applaud. Everyday at the same moment we go out to the balcony and we share our thanks to those who fight to get this situation over soon. They are the ones who spend hours and hours without sleep so another patient gets to win the battle. All they ask for is empathy and solidarity. For the professionals, for our elders, for us. We must stay at home. We will get out of this. Eight o’clock used to be a random hour. Now it is the hour'.
Solidary Masks, by María Centro. Second Award. Finalist Group 1
'During the COVID-19, there was a family where one of the daughters was a nurse in an old people’s home. Their parents were very worried about her daughter because she was exposed to the virus all the time. Her father worked at home in a fabric workshop that had a lot of machines. So one day, he had the idea to make masks to distribute them around her daughter's residence for free. So for a long time he was locked in the workshop making masks and handing them out. Finally, all the people who were in the residence thanked him for everything he did'.
Coronavirus, by Marc Morell. First Award. Winner Group 3
'Can we stop it?
Of course, we can
Really beat it
only following this plan
never go out
as long as you don’t go around
vs it will be a knockout
in the middle of the first round.
Remember big problem although it’s small
use hand sanitizer or we’ll fall
simple, do it for you and do it for all'.
Stay at Home, by Noelia Calzado. Second Award. Finalist Group 3
'Sir, you must stay at home— that policeman yelled at me, I should be empathic, he needed to go home too. I took my stuff and continue walking until an old woman stopped me and say that I was a bad civilian. I remained wandering on the streets, no matter if it was raining or cold because I was used to it. Every time I bumped into someone they just stared at me, judging and whispering things; but I was used to it too. Everyone must be at home right now, I would too if only I had one'.
The entire flash fiction submissions can be enjoyed on the SAC website.
Event date: 27/05/2020
Publication date: Wed May 27 07:22:00 CEST 2020
