18s and over - Winner: Tracy Johnson
Wanting
I have watched you for days. Yearned to have you. Possess you. Hours, then minutes, in slow motion. The anticipation building, building, until I can think of nothing else. Seconds now. Nearly there. I swipe down repeatedly, refresh the screen. Me, the highest bidder. Oh, tortuous moment! Almost mine.

12-17s - Winner: Leon Twijo
Hope
Liam sat by the hospital window, watching the rain fall. The doctors had given little chance, yet his grandmother’s hand squeezed his. Her eyes flashed open. “I’m not ready to go.” She whispered. In that, hope wasn’t a dream – it was the quiet strength that defied the impossible.

11 and under - Winner: Leyton Cummings
I Smell Pizza
I am in my room when I smell a familiar scent. My heads bouncing up and down. Sweet tomato base. I smell gooey mozzarella. I get excited for my triangle slices. My belly is rumbling for pizza. I run to the table and see…’urgh it’s spaghetti bolognaise’

HMP Foston - Winner: Tracey 
Hope (from a prison cell)
Hope, a dangerous thing 
Too easy to be spoiled 
Forget the world outside 
And focus on my long haul flight 
To hell

And yet: 
Many acts of kindness 
Show goodness all around
We become a family here 
We do not judge, we too have strayed
We hope for better days

HMP Sudbury - Winner: Peter
Hope
Escaping my abyss, 
I now stand tall, 
A phoenix has arisen 
After my fall. 
I'm now a pebble hitting water 
Causing ripples along the lake 
Ripples of positivity, these I can make. 
Being the best version 
Of who I can be, 
Looking in the mirror, 
Finally liking who I see
 

Flash Fiction judges are aware that some of the runners up stories are longer than 50 words but
that they wanted to recognise them as highly commended.

18s and over 
The Tether - Daniel Tee
Beautiful, speckled lights adorned the dark of the Earth as it spun. It took his breath away, but his longing was suddenly bigger than the planet; to kiss his wife; to hug his daughter. One hour of oxygen left. One more orbit. One last chance to catch a broken tether.

The dragon of tomorrow - Leah Pow
Each night, a tiny dragon perched on my bookshelf, breathing warm light. When worries crept in, it nudged them away, My brave soldier to protect me from the dark. Tomorrow would be kinder, more hopeful, it promised. I slept smiling, brave enough to dream big and try again.

12-17s
Growing Hope - Isabella Reid
After the storm, the town assembled their fractured pieces and faint courage. Seeds were rooted in cracked streets. Children smiled, elders remembered, hands rebuilt. Each sunrise demonstrating yesterday’s pain wasn’t the end. Their faith emerged softly, wearing patience, and remained for everyone who chose to trust that tomorrow could blossom.

The waiting game - Trisha Gangolli
Sat watching the clock, willing it to go faster. 5 minutes left… On the edge of my chair, staring at my phone waiting for the call that could change everything. 2 minutes left… It’s as if my whole life has been building up to this very moment. It rings.

11 and under 
Polar bear - Sasha Shcherbak
The sun glinted off the snow like stardust. Inhaling deeply, she followed the path of the polar bear. Everything was quiet, untouched.  A photograph she had inadvertently stepped into.  The only evidence of life was her footsteps in the glistening snow, spiralling behind her like a trail of breadcrumbs.

My special biscuits - Jasmine Hair
Strolling down school street, thinking about kid stuff, then I remembered my special biscuits!  It was too late! My special biscuits were at risk of my biscuit eating mother… Hope flooded through me all through the day.  I burst through the front door and my special biscuits were there.

HMP Foston 
Hope…
Everyone has it, it's never lost
And even better it has no cost.
Sometimes it seems a little hard to find,
But rest assured it's in your mind.
Believing in it doesn't make you a fool
And don't forget it can be about anything at all.

Ladies hope
Lay me down to sleep
Please Lord my shape to keep
Please no wrinkles, Please no bags
Please lift my butt before it sags
Please no grey
And please take my belly away
Please keep me healthy and young.
Thank you dear Lord
For all that you have done

Hope
Hope can be hard to find, especially when life's been unkind. 
It's really hard to see the light,
When every day, you have to fight
but look inside, then you will see
you already have it so set it free

Hope
4 letters one small word
barely a whisper, but certainly heard
we all want it, search inside
it's always with us, doesn't hide
It's a massive cuddle, cradles your heart
gives you the will, till sorrow departs

HMP Sudbury  
Hope - Alan
I crash hard on frozen wasteland, 
Pessimistically taking root, 
Unapologetically, I grow.

Prospering, flowering, 
From my harsh environment, 
Now optimistically, 
My hope achieved, 
As I cast my seed, 
To the strong wind.

My heart content, 
As they prosper and flourish.

I have the heart 
And soul of a 
(Dande)lion

Borstal boy - Rutherford
Borstal boy came home one day 
To find his true love gone away 
He guessed he knew the reason why 
She'd fallen in love with another guy 
So just one night, just by chance 
He met her at the local dance 
He walked across the dance floor
And pulled his girl towards the door 
He spoke some words and spoke them strong
He asked his girl what he did wrong 
And with these words she did reply 
"If you  lead an honest life 
I might have been your darling wife 
But since you lead a life of crime 
Go Borstal Boy, Go do your time."