8.46 (short story)

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8.46
Main character(s):	Lucy, Hobo
Main enemy:	Systemic racism
Main setting:	Ogmore-by-Sea, 2020 Florida, 2010
Key crew
Publisher:	Candy Jar Books
Editor:	Shaun Russell
Writer:	Julia Press Simmons
Cover by:	Shaun Russell
Release details
Release date:	11 July 2020

8.46 was a The Lucy Wilson Mysteries short story released by Candy Jar Books freely on their website in response to the death of George Floyd and protests that followed in 2020.

Both the story's title and the timeframe of eight minutes and forty-six seconds that Lucy and Hobo spend travelling through the past, are a poignant reference to the amount of time that it reportedly took Floyd to die after being restrained, with the number also becoming a slogan for the ensuing protests in the real world.

Publisher's summary

It's 2020 and Lucy Wilson has just witnessed the death of George Floyd, followed by the toppling of the Edward Colston statue in Bristol.

Over eight minutes and forty-six seconds, Lucy and Hobo travel through time to discover why the past still has lessons to teach us all.

Plot

to be added

Characters

• Lucy Wilson
• Hobo Kostinen
• Albert Wilson
• Albert Wilson's client

References

• Lucy Wilson had seen videos of acts of violence toward BAME people on social media.
• Lucy has experienced racism and prejudice, but not from her friends, family, or the people of Ogmore-by-Sea.
• George Floyd was a black man who was killed by police. A video of his death that showed him pleading to breathe and for him mum sparked protests in the United Kingdom.
• Lucy makes a Black Lives Matter sign to take to a protest.
• Lucy considered Megan Kostinen to be a good officer.
• Megan Kostinen believed attending the protests was too dangerous because they had "real bad elements" in the crowd.
• A statue of Edward Colston was toppled by protesters in Bristol and dumped in the river. Hobo initially believed they had no business to tear down public property.
  • Lucy saw videos of the same happening to other statues in the UK and in America.
• In the past, Lucy and Hobo see enslaved African men, women, and children branded with "RAC".
• In 2010, Lucy and her dad went to Disney World.
• Five-year-old Lucy wore a green Princess and the Frog bathing suit.
• Racist white American parents called Lucy a "dirty little monkey" and didn't want their children swimming in the same pool as her.
• Lucy and Hobo's trip through time lasted eight minutes and forty-six seconds.
• Hobo has been bullied for his alopecia, but not the colour of his skin.
• Lucy's grandfather, Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart, once said "sometimes human beings are worse than the monsters".
• Ogmore-by-Sea protestors were peaceful, wore masks, and stood two metres apart.

Notes

• Candy Jar Books made a special press release for this "departure from the standard Lucy Wilson tale". It included this statement from the editor:

Lucy Wilson is a not only a lead female character (which there are very few), but also a person of colour. I felt it would be a dereliction of duty to not cover this topic. I also wanted the story to feel authentic so, through a mutual friend, I contacted the wonderful Julia Press Simmons.Shaun Russell

And this quote from the author:

When Shaun at Candy Jar asked me to work on this story I was so pleased. Lucy Wilson is an amazing character and I am honoured and humbled to play a small part in her universe ... I must admit that initially I struggled with the tone of this project. Lucy is such a marvellous role model for children and I wanted her story to capture my personal experiences while keeping it age-appropriate. Although BAME life in the UK is different from the African American experience I felt that there was enough commonality for me to tell this tale.Julia Press Simmon

Continuity

• In 2020, people were under lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. (PROSE: Sweet Revenge)
• Hobo's mother, Megan Kostinen, works for the police. (PROSE: The Midnight People, The Brigadier & the Bledoe Cadets)
• Lucy has faced monsters, aliens, doppelgängers, and psychotic clowns. (PROSE: Curse of the Mirror Clowns)
• Lucy and Hobo travel through time with a time ring containing a Kontron crystal. (PROSE: Avatars of the Intelligence, et al.)

External links

• Official 8.46 page at Candy Jar Books
• Official press release page at Candy Jar Books