An Extract from This Month's Release: The Invisible Refugees

I've decided to celebrate each release with a series of extracts that run for the month it's released in. This month saw the second edition of 366 Days of Flash Fiction released. Links to the collection can be found at Books2Read at: https://books2read.com/u/b6MrN0. Today's extract is:

The Invisible Refugees

Written on October 27, 2015, for the March 10 entry of 366 Days of Flash Fiction, this piece was not planned; it sprang from my subconscious at a time when the Syrian refugees were headlining every day, and when Australia’s own refugee policies were also in the news.

They were the invisible people, but I saw them, drifting like ghosts, through our lives, along our streets. I watched them slowly gather, building their numbers, living among us, observing our every move.

When they realized I could see them, they followed me. When I stopped to ask them what they wanted, their answer was direct: “Sanctuary.”

“Why don’t you ask?”

“We did; we were refused.”

“Why?”

“They said there was no space; they could not help us.”

“So you came anyway.”

“Our homes are rubble, our fields in ruins, our livestock scattered and slaughtered. What else could we do?”

“You could have stayed.”

“We owed our children better. We owed them a chance.”

“So you came.”

Their spokesman shrugged.

“Will you help us negotiate?”

I caught a movement in the shadows behind him, a small child reaching out for the weapon his bodyguard carried. He followed my gaze.

“You would fight us?” and I could not hide the horror from my voice.

His expression was infinitely sad.

“To guarantee my daughter a future? Yes, but we would rather try another way.”

So we did. Fortunately, those in power were willing to back words of compassion with action.

 

Cover art is by Jake at JCaleb Design, and links to 366 Days of Flash Fiction can be found on Books2 Read at: https://books2read.com/u/b6MrN0