Karin Slaughter - Like A Charm

'Lord God,' Jasper said through his beautiful, pink lips. 'Please welcome this woman into Your house. Shine Your light down upon her to lead the way. Help her see Your power and glory'

Mary Lou tried to thank him even as she felt herself slip away. She wanted to let Jasper know that his words had brought her peace. The child continued to scream, and she reached her hand out to him, the gold bracelet on her wrist scraping across the asphalt. The sun caught the chain, illuminating where the link had been broken and mended like new.

'For him,' she said. She was broken so the child could be strong.

'For him,' Jasper repeated, his bloody hands working the clasp of the bracelet.

'No,' she said, but her voice was gone now, the word only spoken in her head.

Jasper removed the bracelet and placed it in the blanket beside the boy, telling Mary Lou, 'He'll remember his mother. He'll always have this.'

'No,' she tried again, then she looked into her son's face, and it did not matter. Nothing mattered but the fact that her son had lived. He had fought for his life, challenged the will of his mother to honour the will of God.

Yes, she thought. He would be strong because the bracelet would teach him the lessons that had broken those before him. The many charms would forever tell their stories: the key to vanity, the gluttony of the monkey, the greed of the dollar sign, the envious ballerina, the angry goblin, the lustful tiger and even the cross, which Mary Lou suddenly understood represented her own indolence.

As her fingers slipped from Jasper Goode's hand, Mary Lou felt herself smile. She looked up at the heavens, at the black sun. The child would be good. Like Jesus, he would wash away her sins. He would be strong where his mother was not. He would realize the gift of her death, that only through Mary Lou's sacrifice could he be born, and born again. He would be strong because of her weakness. One day, he would look at the bracelet and know her story.

One day, he would understand the blessing of brokenness.

Karin Slaughter grew up in a small south Georgia town and has been writing short stories and novels since she was a child. She is the author of the bestselling novels Blindsighted, Kisscut, A Faint Cold Fear, Indelible and Faithless. Her next book is Triptych, a stand-alone novel set in Atlanta.

Born in Dublin in 1969, Emma Donoghue is a novelist, playwright and historian who lives in Canada; she is best known for her historical fiction Slammerkin and The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits. 'Vanitas' was inspired by a visit to what is now called the Laura Plantation in Louisiana, and draws on material about Aimée Locoul (1826-80) from Laura Locoul Gore, Memories of the Old Plantation Home: A Creole Family Album, commentary by Norman and Sand Marmillion (Vacherie, LA: The Zoë Company, 2001), but it is a fictional story. Emma Donoghue's website is www.emmadonoghue.com

Peter Robinson is the author of the award-winning, bestselling and critically acclaimed Inspector Banks series, which began with Gallows View in 1987. His books have been translated into twelve languages. In 2002, Robinson was awarded the 'Dagger in the Library' by the Crime Writers Association of the UK. Robinson's award-winning short stories include 'Missing in Action' and 'Murder in Utopia'. Robinson has an MA in English and Creative Writing from the University of Windsor and a PhD in English Literature from York University. He has served as writer-in-residence at the University of Windsor, and now teaches detective fiction and creative writing at the University of Toronto 's School for Continuing Studies. He lives in Toronto with his wife Sheila Halladay.

Fidelis Morgan is the author of the highly praised historical crime fiction series featuring the Countess Ashby de la Zouche and her sidekick Alpiew, the latest of which, Fortune's Slave, is published in February 2004. Fidelis has also written a number of modern crime stories for magazines and for BBC radio. She is world famous for her work on 17th and 18th century history and is an award-winning playwright. She also works as an actress, with TV appearances in Jeeves and Wooster, As Time Goes By, Mr Majeika and Dead Gorgeous, but she is best known for her theatre work, particularly for major roles with the internationally acclaimed Glasgow Citizens, where her work won her a Best Actress citation in the Observer. Her website is www.fidelismorgan.com

Lynda La Plante was born in Liverpool. She trained for the stage at RADA, and work with the National Theatre and the RSC led to a career as a television actress. She turned to writing – and made her breakthrough with the phenomenally successful TV series Widows. She has written nine subsequent bestselling novels, The Legacy, The Talisman, Bella Mafia, Entwined, Cold Shoulder, Cold Blood, Cold Heart, Sleeping Cruelty and Royal Flush, and her original script for the much-acclaimed Prime Suspect won a BAFTA award, British Broadcasting award, Royal Television Society Writers award, the 1993 Edgar Allan Poe Writers award and France 's prestigious Prix du Roman d'Aventures. Lynda La Plante also received the Contribution to Media award by Women in Film, a BAFTA award and an Emmy for the drama serial Prime Suspect 3. She has been made an honorary fellow of the British Film Institute and most recently was awarded the BAFTA Dennis Potter Writer's Award 2000. Lynda La Plante writes and produces all her own television work in the UK.

Lee Child is the author of the seven-strong, multiple-award-winning, internationally bestselling Jack Reacher thriller series. The last title was Persuader and the next, the eighth, will be The Enemy, available in 2004. Lee was born in England but now lives in New York. 'The Snake Eater by The Numbers' is only his second short story. Contact him through his website, www.LeeChild.com.

Mark Billingham is the author of a series of novels featuring London-based DI Tom Thorne, the latest of which is Lazybones. His next novel, The Burning Girl will be published in July 2004. Though he has also worked for many years as a stand-up comedian, Mark tells jokes for money far less frequently these days. He prefers to concentrate on the crime writing, as those that read the books are not usually drunk, and can't throw things. Mark lives in North London with his wife and two children. You can visit his website at: www.markbillingham.com

Denise Mina left school at sixteen and worked as an auxiliary nurse in a geriatric and terminal care home, a waitress and after a sabbatical concentrating on meat-processing factory work she went to night classes and passed exams to get into Law School, hoping to make the world a better place. Four years later she left law school, heavy of heart, and misused a PhD grant to write her first novel Garnethill which won the CWA John Creasy Gold Dagger. Exile and Resolution completed the trilogy and Sanctum, her first stand-alone novel, followed shortly afterwards. Now she is knackered and tired of changing out of her pyjamas and doing her hair every day so she's staying at home to write her next book The Field of Blood which is the first of a new series and, frankly, proving a bastard to write.

John Harvey is the author of ten Charlie Resnick novels, the first of which, Lonely Hearts, was chosen by The Times as one of the 100 Best Crime Novels of the Century. The last century, that is. He has edited two collections of short fiction, Blue Lightning and, most recently, Men from Boys. 'Favour' is the fifth of his stories featuring Jack Kiley. His website, www.mellotone.co.uk, if not exactly charming, is informative and coolly designed.

Kelley Armstrong is the author of the Women of the Otherworld series. She lives in Canada with her family. Her website is www.kelleyarmstrong.com