Prediction Winner

Volatile and venemous I am seriously wondering if this week's entries haven't been the best entries ever. There is so little between them.. dare I not declare a winner? (Like in the 'old days.) Can't do it - someone has just crept over the line - but I truly am unable to choose a runner-up - you're all too astonishing (and therefore equal) for words.

• In Michael's Trial and Error a son perfects his culinary craft. 
• In Mimi's Fly Trap a woman's revenge is painful. Don't go there.
• Antonia's Amateur Serial Killer hones his skill, getting frustrated with lack of practice. 
• Sandra has the most bizarre of art installations going on in her Philistine? gallery. 
• AJ's collector makes a trembling pattern of horror with his victim in Sliver.
• David creates a completely new non-virtual game in the undertaker-genre, in Role-Play. 
• Ragemore evoked the alleged, legendary bloodbath of Elizabeth Bathory in Signs Following. 
• My God's Gift was a sordid little number for which I apologise. But Marlon will be back!
• Aidan brings the heat of Iraq with a war-blasted viewpoint in the cleverly-titled War Spoils. 
• Jenny's Mother's little angel hurts and abuses as his mother deliberately ignores the signs. 
• Chris expands the Homonculus's circle of friends to terrify us with the freak party in Homonculus, ça marche. 
• Kim crafts a human lampshade from the tattooed skin of a concentration camp victim in And there was light. 
• William brings Kook back in Kooks First, and we meet his terrifying mother. It explains everything. 
• John creates human cattle in the highly disturbing, and inky Cattle. Next, he tears us forward in time - but how far? Template for Extinction asks just that. 
• Reba speaks of fallen Angels with a desperate task on their hands in Penance.
• Pixie chills her readers by writing from the perspective of the wrong-doer in Tender Prey.

Everyone - outstanding writing, really. Congratulations to you all.

My winner though, and developed from last week's runner-up tale is Homonculus, ça marche by Chris Allinotte. This has everything from scary dolls to horrifying intrigue. And a lot of French. Make this major, Chris - 'people' will be waiting for the rest of this terrifying gothic tale. Well done!

And so you have a day's reprieve, thanks to hubby's birthday tomorrow. I shall be back on Friday morning - if a little hungover - with three new words. After this week's stunning prose, I can barely wait.

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