Five Minutes explores five minutes of a life in one hundred words. Five minutes is edited by Susanna Baird, with editorial support from managing editor Maria s. picone, newsletter editor kate meen, and founding reader bobbi lerman, plus our rotating team of guest readers, who you can meet in the latest newsletteR. Five Minutes was founded in October 2020, with the Salem (Mass.)-based writing group Carrot Cake Writers supplying the journal’s first pieces. We’d love to read your five. Submit here

Protection

“How much is your little angel?” It was the last one in my craft stall, lovingly made with beads and wire. “It's a pound.” I looked at my frail elderly customer juggling her shopping bags. “I'll buy it for my friend who's staying with me to protect her.” I imagined the friend, perhaps sick and left at home, as I tenderly wrapped the angel in tissue paper and handed it to the lady. “Ah, here she is now,” and I looked up to see the friend. “Hello,” she said, quietly and shyly. A tall, smiling girl, elegant, young, beautiful. Ukrainian.

Susan Thompson lives in Suffolk and writes memoirs about country life. She’s writing a book of poetry. Find Susan on Instagram @theanalogueauthor.

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