marmöris by Abigail Koh - LSBI winner 2026 (Years 7-9)
Express Media is excited to publish the Years 7-9 winner of Little Stories, Big Ideas in the theme of ‘Shimmer’: ‘marmöris’ by Abigail Koh (WA)
Little Stories, Big Ideasis a nation-wide flash fiction literary competition for Australian secondary school students. This round of the competition, we received an incredible calibre of flash writing entries from secondary school-aged writers across Australia. The winners and runners-up – chosen in collaboration with Prize Ambassador Amelia Mellor – impressed us deeply with their unique voices and perspectives. Working within a 100-word limit, these brilliant young writers created clever, moving and evocative windows into imaginative other worlds and rich inner lives.
Entries for Little Stories, Big Ideas Round 2 will open on August 3 2026.
marmöris
I meet you in the ocean.
I can hardly see you; sunset incandescence catches every crease of the waves, sending
lustre fulgurating across the webs of my hands when I hold them up.
But you shine more than oceanic coruscation.
Your hair is seawater-slick, nacre woven through the strands, head thrown back in
scintillating laughter.
You wade ashore. Ripples brush my legs as you pass- our only connection.
You stride close to a dazzling-eyed man, throwing your hands about him.
I remain in the shimmering water, shielding my eyes not from radiance, but a future
never meant for me.
Abigail Koh is a 14-year-old student who writes between endless homework, ice cream breaks, and random bursts of inspiration. She loves mixing science, stories, and a bit of chaos into everything she does. When not writing, she's usually scrolling aimlessly, listening to music, or pretending to be productive.