Gem Squash Tokoloshe, by Rachel Zandok

A poignant and heart-wrenching story of the dissolution of a marriage seen through the eyes of an innocent child

She just sat there hardly moving, staring at the drive. Black marks formed under her eyes where her lashes bled their waxy coating onto her skin. Her rouged cheeks were smudged. Mother looked like she was melting in the heat. 

In September 2004 Pan Macmillan in the U.K., in association with a British Television show, The Richard and Judy Show, ran the first ever televised "How To Get Published" competition. From 46 000 entries five finalists were chosen. This is one of those five.