The winners have been announced in the York Art Gallery Tracy Chevalier competition, sadly my story wasn't one of them but it was great fun taking part. Anyway I thought you might like to see what I wrote. I chose the above picture - Coastal Scene with Crab Catchers.
The Crab Catcher
by Susan Humphreys
The boy's hands were cold, wet and sore from handling the crab pots, but so far his digits were intact.
It was Carlo's first day; his friend Lorenz, as usual, had talked him into it.
"The money's good," he'd said, and the truth was it was better than none.
Captured in a painting the coast might look beautiful with its sheltering cliffs and Mediterranean waters, but in its 4am reality even the gull's antics couldn't cheer Carlo. It was gloomy and stank of kelp and shellfish, but worst of all was the one hardship Lorenz must have purposefully withheld - the boss.
His name was Signor Melzoni but everyone called him 'Cappotto Rosso' - Red Coat.
He has looked Carlo up and down with disdain, "bit on the small side isn't he Lorenz. I don't want no weakling crying about how his arms hurt lifting my crab pots."
"He's a strong boy, Signor, the best. Give him a trial you'll see."
He grunted. "But I'll be keeping an eye on him."
Carlo could feel those eyes on him now as he struggled with a particularly large crab.
It had only been when Lorenz rolled up his sleeves to work that he'd noticed the marks around his friend's wrists.
"Oh they're nothing, I've had worse than that," he said casually. "I'll get my own back one day when I'm as big and tall as him. In the meantime I take what I can."
Carlo glanced up at Melzoni, "the crabs you mean."
"Yes, why?"
"Well wouldn't it be great to see him shivering and soaked like us. Wouldn't it be nice to have a lovely red coat to wear?"
Lorenz smiled, "It would be even better sold, that way we'd have money for two reasonable coats."
Well I hope you enjoyed it. The only other news I have is another story rejection from Woman's Weekly which I will now try elsewhere.
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